Cold Front, Warm Kitchen

Summer cooking is a sprint. Everything hits the grill, comes off in eight minutes and gets eaten standing up at the picnic table.

Fall wants you to commit.

Wilmington hands out maybe two honest cold fronts a season, and I plan entire menus around each one. The second a dog walk feels refreshing instead of survivable, the oven goes back on and something with a bay leaf starts bubbling. Suddenly, the best thing I can add to a dish isn't an ingredient at all. It's time. Six hours of it, if the beef stew gets a vote.

And after a whole summer of the kitchen being off-limits until sundown, I'm ready to stand over a pot and stir.

Here's this issue’s lineup: pecan-flecked pumpkin muffins for that weekend morning you actually make coffee at home and a crustless mushroom and Gruyère quiche that eats like brunch's answer to pizza. A rosemary white bean soup that gets all its silk from the beans themselves, topped with a shower of crisp pancetta and Parmesan croutons. A creamy chicken, shiitake and leek skillet that's fancy in name only. And a Provençal stew perfumed with red wine, orange zest and olives.

Somewhere in the middle, there's honey butter popcorn with flaky sea salt, because the stretch between "it's simmering" and "it's ready" deserves a snack too.

Turn on the oven. Crank up the jazz. We've got time.

Buttery Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans & Clove

12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners (or coat with nonstick spray).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, cloves and salt.

In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add the vanilla and pumpkin and beat until fluffy again, scraping down the sides as you go.

With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time until just incorporated. Fold in the pecans by hand. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Crustless Quiche with Mushrooms & Gruyère

4–6 servings

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cups mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini), stemmed and thinly sliced

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed 

1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb, fronds reserved

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

12 large eggs

1/2 cup half-and-half

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated fontina cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, 3–5 minutes.

Add the remaining olive oil along with the leeks, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the leeks turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the half-and-half, thyme and remaining salt and pepper. Fold in the mushroom mixture, half of the Gruyère and all of the fontina. Pour into the baking dish and scatter the remaining Gruyère over the top.

Bake until the top is golden and the eggs are set (160°F on a thermometer), 30–35 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with the fennel fronds and a few thyme leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sea Salt Honey Butter Popcorn

4 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons raw honey

1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, divided, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons refined coconut oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it foams and sizzles, whisk in the honey and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Keep warm over low heat.

Melt the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Drop in two kernels, cover and turn the heat to medium-high.

As soon as the test kernels pop, add the remaining kernels, cover and shake to coat. Once they start popping, lower the heat to medium, shake again and set the lid slightly ajar so steam can escape.

When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, about 2 minutes, pull the pot off the heat and immediately sprinkle with the remaining salt.

Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle the honey butter over the top and gently fold to combine. Season with more flaky salt and serve warm. Make both ahead if you like, but don't combine them until you’re serving.

Tuscan White Bean & Pancetta Soup

4–6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 cup diced pancetta

1 small sweet onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

5 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cubed Italian bread, such as focaccia or ciabatta (1/2-inch cubes)

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until golden and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat behind.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot and season with the rosemary, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Sauté until softened, 8–10 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Toss the bread cubes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until golden, 10–12 minutes.

Stir the beans into the soup and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a regular blender), puree about half the soup — you want it thick but still chunky. Season to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with the crispy pancetta, croutons and remaining Parmesan.

Creamy Chicken, Shiitake & Leek Skillet

4–6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

2 cups sliced shiitake or mixed mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 dried bay leaf

1/2 cup heavy cream

Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the thighs in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Set aside on a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the leeks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until translucent, 3–5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until browned, about 3 minutes more. Season with the thyme, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and whisk to combine, cooking for about 1 minute. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the stock and drop in the bay leaf.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F, 25–30 minutes. (For crackly skin instead, preheat the oven to 400°F, skip the lid and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes.)

Transfer the chicken to a platter. Whisk the cream into the sauce and cook for 1 minute more, then discard the bay leaf. Pour the sauce over the chicken and finish with the remaining parsley.

Slow-Braised Beef with Red Wine, Orange & Niçoise Olives

4–6 servings

Marinade:

1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus more for garnish

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 dried bay leaf

2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes

Stew:

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped (about 3 cups)

2 carrots, roughly chopped

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons pitted and chopped Niçoise olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together the wine, oil, orange zest and cloves. Pour into a large resealable bag with the bay leaf and beef, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.

Let the beef sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl — save that marinade. Pat the meat very dry and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pot, sear the beef until dark golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, thyme and remaining salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions soften, about 3 minutes. Return the beef and its juices to the pot, then stir in the reserved marinade, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the beef is fall-apart tender, about
6 hours.

Just before serving, fish out the bay leaf, stir in the olives and season to taste. Garnish with the parsley and a little more orange zest, and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or a torn hunk of bread.