All Hallows’ Eve | Full Moon Dinner + Vegetarian Feast

Oct 27

Halloween has always been a favorite Holiday of mine. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s naturally a bit witchy-ness, or if it’s the gourds and pumpkins, or if it’s simply the concept of grandeur that comes with such a holiday. Maybe it’s all three. I started at a very young age with my obsessions, collecting rocks and crystals, foraging flowers and decorating lavishly for every occasion. In fact, I held a halloween party every year from middle to high where I would cover my parents house with every kind of decoration. It’s quite amazing what they would let me do, but I was raised to always express my creativity and my parents weren’t about to get in the way. Every room had a different theme, inspired by old wive’s tales and halloween classics. The bathrooms were always decked to the nines with the scariest of bathroom theme’s — one year it was a scene from “It” another the scene from “Psych”. They even let me dig graves in the backyard one year… I’m telling you, it was as legit as halloween decorating get’s.

These days I’m more about the halloween table and of course the feast. I’ve given up my goblins and spiderwebs for goblets and Spanish moss. I have always believed that the inspiration for styling begins at the location. Being in Florida this year, of course comes with a certain aesthetic. Instead of dismissing the tropical landscape — I wanted to embrace it. I asked myself, what would a witchy feast entail in the tropics? I thought of old Florida and what the natural landscape offers. My first thought was Spanish Moss, how it hauntingly falls from tall tree’s and reminds me of the swampy bayou. I then thought of how oranges are the sweet little pumpkins of Florida. I grew up down the street from a large orange grove called “Blood’s Hammock Grove”. As a child, I always thought that blood oranges were creepy, now I think they are beautiful . A perfect addition to this table. I wanted it to feel lavash and over - flowing. With fruits and crystals — foraged vines and gourds.

The menu came together quite simply after that — I wanted blood red beets and a baked pumpkin overflowing with wild rice. Nicole and I brainstormed components shouting out different vegetables and we both thought artichokes. I’m not sure exactly why — but artichokes just felt like the perfect addition with their eerie aesthetic. Nicole did an amazing job turning these concepts into actual dishes that are not only beautiful but filled with flavor. Any of these plates are perfect for a fall meal and I highly recommend trying them.

Hope you enjoy this vegetable feast of feasts — and let us know what you think !

On the menu //

To Start

Roasted Beets with Baked Ricotta, Rainbow Chard, and Candied Hazelnuts

Grilled Artichokes with Tahini Sauce and Pomegranate Seeds

The Main Course

Baked Calabaza Pumpkin with Wild Rice, Butternut Squash, Red Onions, Wild Mushrooms, and Pumpkin Seeds

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Roasted Beets with Baked Ricotta, Rainbow Chard, and Candied Hazelnuts

Ingredients

1 Bunch Red Beets Roasted

1 Bunch Golden Beets Roasted

12 oz package Ricotta

3 each Sprigs Thyme, Dill, Parsley, Cilantro Chopped

1 Bunch Rainbow Chard roughly chopped

1 Onion sliced

1 cup Hazelnuts

½ cup Sugar

1 Egg White

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425F.

Wash the beets and wrap the red beets in aluminum foil, and the golden beets separately in aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour or until soft when pierced with a toothpick. In the meantime, in a small mixing bowl, toss the Hazelnuts with the egg whites, covering thoroughly, and then mix in the sugar. Place on a sheet pan and bake in the same oven as the beets for 10-12 mins tossing the hazelnuts half way through. Set aside and let cool.

Next in a small mixing bowl, mix the Ricotta with the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Place the ricotta in an oven safe baking form. Once the Beets have fully roasted, remove from oven and set aside to cool. Place the ricotta in the oven and bake for 10-15 min or until a golden-brown crust forms on the top. Remove from oven and set aside. Once the beets have cooled gently peel the skin off and cut into quarters.

Next slice the onion, and the roughly chop the Rainbow Chard. In a medium saute pan warm the Olive Oil and add the Onion sautéing until translucent, add the quartered Beets and saute for another 2 minutes. Then add the Rainbow Chard and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes season with salt and pepper. Plate the Beets on a large platter and add large spoonfuls of the baked Ricotta, sprinkle with the candied hazelnuts.

Grilled Artichokes with Tahini Sauce and Pomegranate Seeds

Ingredients

2 Whole Fresh Artichokes

3 Tbsp Tahini Paste

2 cloves Garlic

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Lemons

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 whole Pomegranate

Directions

In a large pot filled with water, bring water to a boil. Take the Artichokes and using a sharp knife cut about 1 inch off the top, and trim the tip of each leaf with cooking shears to remove the sharp tips. Add 1 tsp salt and the juice of 1 lemon into the boiling water. Add the artichokes and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the leaves pull away easily. Let cool.

In a blender add the Tahini Paste, 2 cloves of garlic and juice of 1 lemon, start blending and slowly add the olive oil. If the sauce becomes too thick add a bit of water and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and set aside.

Next cut the Artichokes in half. With a paring knife, remove the fine hairs that are just above the artichoke heart. These need to be removed because they will cause you to choke if eaten. Turn on your grill and heat to 450 - 500 f. While the grill is heating, cut the pomegranate in half. Using a wooden spoon hold the pomegranate half over a medium size bowl and lightly tap the skin to make the seeds fall into the bowl. Set aside.

Place the inside of the Artichoke on the grill and let char for 8-10 min, turning as needed. Place on a platter pour Tahini Sauce over the grilled artichokes and sprinkle with Pomegranates and cracked pepper.

Baked Calabaza Pumpkin with Wild Rice, Butternut Squash, Red Onions, Wild Mushrooms, and Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

1 Calabaza Pumpkin

2 cups uncooked Wild Rice

2 cups Butternut Squash small diced

1 Red Onion finely chopped

2 cups Wild Mushrooms

¼ cup toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 cup Pomegranate Seeds

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease a baking sheet and lightly grease the outside of the Calabaza Pumpkin and place on the greased baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until softened. Remove from oven and let cool. Cook the wild rice according to the package. While the rice is cooking in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the red onions for 2 min then add the diced Butternut Squash. Sauté for another 5 min on medium heat, add the wild mushrooms and fresh thyme, continue cooking for 3-5 min. Season with salt and pepper. Now add the wild rice to the sauteed vegetables and mix to combine. Take the Calabaza Pumpkin and with a serrated knife cut the top off of the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Now stir the Toasted Pumpkin Seeds into the Wild Rice. Place the Wild Rice in the Calabaza Pumpkin and sprinkle extra pomegranate seeds and toasted pumpkin seeds on top. Enjoy.