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pieces

Turnip, cut into ½-inch cubes

Butternut squash, peeled,

seeded, and cut into

1-inch pieces

2 bunches (about 3½ cups)

cilantro, thoroughly washed,

trimmed, and finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt

INGREDIENTS: Dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ cup finely minced onion

(optional)

Taste the stew for salt and add as you see fit, and add more water if it looks dry.

Remove the dumpling batter from the fridge, and using two tablespoons, scoop the batter from bowl, using one spoon as the scoop and the other as the scraper to drop dumplings directly onto the stew.

Once the dumplings are added, bake the stew, uncovered, until the dumplings are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, and transfer with a spoon into bowls.

Makes about 6 servings

PENNE WITH TEMPEH, CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS, & GOAT CHEESE

This dish marks my first foray into tempeh a few years ago and remains a mainstay at our casa. Short pasta gets the royal treatment, with cooked-down shallots, oozy goat cheese, and pan-fried tempeh that will make you wonder why you waited so long to try it. A serious goodie on a cold night. No penne in the house? No worries; this dish likes rotini, farfalle, and ziti, too.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of ½ lime

1 teaspoon hot sauce of choice

(optional)

1 (8-ounce) package soy tempeh,

cut into 1-inch strips

Vegetable oil, for pan-frying

2 to 3 shallot bulbs, sliced thinly

(about ½ cup)

A few sprigs’ worth of fresh thyme

leaves, picked from stems

Salt and ground black pepper

12 ounces short pasta, such as

penne, rotini, or ziti

3 ounces soft goat cheese

3 tablespoons grated

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

A small handful of fresh flat-leaf

parsley, chopped roughly

Makes 4 hearty servings. Reheats beautifully.

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Marinate the tempeh: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, mustard, sesame oil, garlic, lime juice, and hot sauce (if using). Place the tempeh in a shallow dish in a single layer and pour the marinade on top, ensuring complete coverage. Let the tempeh sit in marinade at room temperature for a minimum of 20 minutes, or in the fridge for up to several hours.

Remove the tempeh from the marinade and gently pat with paper towels to minimize splattering when frying in the hot oil.

Pour the oil to a depth of ¼ inch into a wide skillet and heat over medium heat. The oil is hot enough when it surrounds the tempeh with bubbles.

Gently add the tempeh and turn with tongs or a fork, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes. Add more oil as necessary and allow to heat sufficiently before adding more tempeh. Transfer the tempeh to paper towels to drain and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with salt.

Lower the heat and add shallots. (Add more oil if need be, but be careful, you don’t want shallot mixture to be overly greasy.) Cook over medium-low heat, so they soften, sweeten, and reduce but not brown, about 15 minutes. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, boil water for the pasta and prepare according to the package instructions.

Crumble the tempeh into small pieces and add to the shallot mixture, stirring to combine.

In the bottom of a serving bowl, place the goat cheese. Drain the pasta when ready (saving a few ounces of pasta water just in case the end result needs thinning) and pour into the bowl over the goat cheese. With two wooden spoons, coat the pasta with the melting goat cheese. Add the tempeh mixture and the parsley, stirring gently until well combined. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you like.

Serve hot.

GUMBO Z’HERBES (GREEN GUMBO)

No matter your house of worship or whether you believe in a higher power, if you’re ever been to New Orleans, you know that food is a religion unto itself, and