Fall is a time to sink into coziness. “Swetah wetha” has a food equivalent in pumpkin spice everywhere. Fluffy bed socks reappear to warm cold feet, and the soft foods of fall begin to appear on our plates. No matter how we cook them, many of the foods of fall are soft in texture and subtle in flavor. Fats take on the role of enriching many of these ingredients, like brown butter generously poured over a maple roasted butternut squash. Meat moves to the center of the plate in preparations that are rich. And yes, I love a stew and a roasted sweet potato generously buttered as much as the next person, but I was the kid at Thanksgiving that insisted we needed to make a salad for the table.
I wanted the crunch of the raw vegetables and the acidic brightness of the dressing to offset the mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. I still do. Cranberry sauce can’t be expected to carry the whole load of zing. The transition from the primary colors of end-of-summer tomatoes, fresh corn, and flavorful soft herbs like basil to the muted sensory experience of fall is kind of fascinating. So instead of trying to be happy with those generic Mexican-grown little tomatoes, hydroponic basil and mealy unsweet corn, why not find satisfaction with the crunch of what is in season?
They might be shades of lighter green and white — but celery and celery root, fennel, radishes, and turnips of all kinds, and apples along with the deep orange of crunchy persimmons and carrots have their own beauty and eating appeal. And remember that fall in Southern California is very similar to spring in terms of what can be grown, which is why we see artichokes in the fall again. Those hearts eaten raw have a fabulous meaty crunch and a pleasing subtle bitterness.
The crunch of bulb fennel and umami blast of celery root combine with pumpkin seeds for a pretty winter study in pale colors. Photo courtesy of Cristina Sciarra and The Roaming Kitchen.
Sometimes slaw is the way to go. Many of these vegetables lend themselves to be shredded or thinly cut, and a mixture can be interesting in the mouth, whether dressed with a creamy dressing or a vinaigrette. Nuts and seeds add healthy fat and additional texture to these autumnal salads.
You can get playful and choose one type of vegetable, as with this radish salad that commits to all its variations, like Eastern Egg varieties with their many colors within the same size range, or Watermelon Radishes with their fabulous colors and bigger size. When working with spicy veg like radishes, add a soft, flavorful cheese for balance. I happen to love this winter salad made of fennel with its sweet licorice flavor paired with the umami of celery root. It’s the perfect lunch with the bit of the sharp funk of pecorino. For a side dish, just take away the cheese and you have a crunchy sweet, umami foil to the rich foods it may accompany.
And of course a salad that features crisp, sweet apples like a play on the original Waldorf is always a pleasing surprise. The original was made simply of apple slices, celery, bibb lettuce, and mayonnaise, but over time walnuts and grapes were added. And of course adding a bit of chicken turns the salad into a perfect light meal.