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Seasonal Winter Side Dishes

Paul Virant
Chicago, IL

Chef demonstration
Soups & Sides
Winter

Delicata squash, pea shoots, blue cheese

(serves 8)

• 4 delicata squash, washed, split lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 3T grape seed oil
• 3T butter
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 2 quarts pea shoots
• Blue cheese

1. Roast the squash in the butter and oil until caramelized (about 5-7 min)
2. Season, add the garlic, cook another minute
3. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and zest
4. Toss in pea shoots, garnish with crumbled blue cheese, serve

Roasted river valley mushrooms with pickled green beans

(serves 8)

• 1lb oyster mushrooms, torn
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• 3T grape seed oil
• 3T butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1cup pickled green beans, sliced with ½ c of the pickling liquid

1. Roast the mushrooms in a wide hot pan with the butter and oil for 2 minutes
2. Add the onion and garlic, cook 2 more minutes, season
3. Deglaze with the beans, serve

Caramelized chestnuts, sunchokes, milk jam

(serves 8)

• ½lb individually quick frozen chestnuts, thawed
• ½lb sunchokes, scrubbed, washed and thinly sliced
• 4oz butter
• Water
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2cup milk jam (or sweetened condensed milk)

1. In a wide saucepan cook the chestnuts in butter to brown @5 minutes
2. Add the rosemary, cover with a lid and continue cooking on low heat another 10 minutes until they are almost cooked through
3. Add the sunchokes, cover and cook until tender
4. Serve with a garnish of rosemary