sunday suppers: first of june

 

Let's examine and alter our lives to again make space for the Sunday supper - an element of the family unit before Lewis and Clark mapped out our driveways.

Let's gather - ourselves and our meal.  Let's forgo the definitions.

 

sausage and sweet potato hand pies with beet greens | yield 4

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 lb chicken sausage, casings removed
2 sweet potatoes
1 cup beet greens (reserved from the recipe below)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 clove garlic, finely chopped   

kosher salt

freshly-ground pepper   

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into eighths, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a shallow pan for 30 minutes.  When soft and golden, mash sweet potatoes with a fork.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pan, and sauté the garlic until fragrant.  Add sausage, and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through.  Sauté in chopped beet greens.  Season with fresh sage, garam masala, salt, and freshly ground pepper.  Mix sweet potatoes into sausage mixture.

Slice each sheet of puff pastry diagonally into a triangle.  Brush edges with water and divide sweet potato-sausage mixture among the pieces of puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold top halves of triangles over filling, then crimp edges with a fork or twist under with your hands. With a sharp knife, cut a small vent in pastry.

Transfer pies to a slipat-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.

crushed beets with lemon vinaigrette | serves 4
slightly adapted from bon appétit

1 bunch small beets
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons snipped, fresh dill
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Remove green tops from beets (reserve for above recipe).  Scrub beets under cool water, and wrap loosely with a small piece of aluminum foil.  Roast until tender; 35-40 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then, using a paper towel, rub the skins from the beets.  Crush beets with the bottom of a small bowl.

Whisk lemon zest, juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add beets.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on each side.  Transfer beets to the bowl with the vinaigrette, and add the dill, tossing to coat.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and topped with more dill.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.