Fall is upon us! And so is the season of comfort food. While this style of cooking might mean something different for everyone, comfort foods share a common theme. Often prepared in a traditional manner, these meals usually have a nostalgic or sentimental appeal. But before we dive into the full-blown holiday favorites that prepare us for a state of hibernation, let’s seize the opportunity to enjoy the last bit of summer produce alongside the incoming harvest of autumn with a sort of hybridized flare.

Creamed Pesto Tortellini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 3

Instructions

Begin by setting a large pot of salted water to boil before preparing the pesto. Put the fresh basil leaves, peeled garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, and white pepper in the food processor and blend until the paste runs smooth. If the desired creaminess is not achieved, add some more olive oil.

Set a large saucepan to medium-high heat. Add the cream, butter, and nutmeg to the saucepan. Once the butter has melted, add in the pesto. When the pesto is fully mixed, season the mixture with garlic salt and add black pepper to taste. Allow the Creamed Pesto sauce to reduce by a quarter to a half.

Boil the tortellini in the salted water until they are al dente. Remove the cooked tortellini from the boiling water, and add it directly to the simmering sauce. Allow the sauce to marry with the tortellini for five to 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick or only sparsely covers the pasta, add a bit of pasta water to revive it. When serving, garnish the Creamed Pesto Tortellini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and, if desired, parmesan cheese.

9 oz. fresh tortellini
2 cups cream
3 tbs. butter
½ tsp. nutmeg
Garlic salt
Black pepper
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes

For the Pesto
1 bunch of fresh basil
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated; plus more for garnish)
¼ cup walnuts (chopped)
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. capers
White pepper

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Dijon Sauce and Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles

Serves 4

Instructions

Begin by prepping the Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles. Snap off the stalk ends of the asparagus and group four smaller bundles together. Wrap prosciutto around each bundle. You may need to secure them with a toothpick, and then, set the asparagus bundles aside.

Cut the chicken breasts in half, then slice them horizontally. Make sure to not cut all the way through—the objective is to create two thin yet connected quarters. Pound the cut chicken with a mallet so that the meat has a consistent thickness.

With the sliced side of the chicken breasts up, layer on a slice of ham, followed by a slice of cheese. This will allow the cheese to be in the center of the Chicken Cordon Bleu. Fold the chicken in half to hold the ham and cheese inside. You may need to tuck the ham around the cheese to protect it from the cooking process. Season both sides of the stuffed chicken breasts with seasoned salt and black pepper to taste.

Set a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and some butter to the skillet. Once the butter melts and coats the bottom of the pan, put in the stuffed chicken and sear both sides until golden brown and cooked through. While searing the second side, cover the skillet with a lid—this will help melt the cheese and completely cook the chicken. Once done, transfer the cooked stuffed chicken breasts to a plate and cover them with foil.

You’ll use the leftover chicken drippings to make the Dijon Sauce. Adjust the skillet heat to medium. Pour the white wine into the skillet, and use it to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Then, add the cream and whisk in the Dijon mustard before adding the capers. Allow the sauce to reduce by half.

Add a bit of avocado oil to a small pan, and set it to medium-high heat to prepare the asparagus bundles. Once hot, brown the prosciutto wrap on all sides. Then, cover the pan for a couple of minutes to cook the asparagus. Once cooked, it will attain a brighter green color.

To serve, plate the Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundle, then ladle the Dijon Sauce on top.

2 chicken breasts
4 slices of ham (thin-cut or lunchmeat style works best)
4 slices of white melting cheese (Swiss cheese is traditional, but Havarti and Provolone will also work beautifully)
Seasoned salt
Black pepper
Avocado oil
Salted sweet cream butter
For the Prosciutto-Wrapped
Asparagus Bundles
1 bunch of asparagus
4 slices of prosciutto

For the Dijon Sauce
1 cup cream
½ cup white wine
1 heaping tbs. Dijon mustard
1 heaping tbs. capers

Surf & Turf Skewers with Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

Serves 6

Instructions

Begin by prepping the shrimp and the beef tri-tip. Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Cut the beef tri-tip into bite-size cubes. Assemble the shrimp and beef bites on separate skewers, as they should cook at different speeds. Season the Surf & Turf meat with seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and set it aside.

Prepare the vegetables for the Tomatillo Avocado Sauce. Shell, destem, and quarter the tomatillo. Peel and pit the avocado. Deseed the jalapeño. Peel the garlic. Strain the diced green chilies. Chop the cilantro.

Add all of the vegetables to a food processor, followed by the cumin, chili powder, and white pepper. Emulsify until the mixture is nearly smooth. Add garlic salt and black pepper to taste. This sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Grill the skewered meat to the desired wellness. Allow the Surf & Turf Skewers to rest for five minutes before serving with the Tomatillo Avocado Sauce.

1 lb. shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1 lb. beef tri-tip
Seasoned salt
Black pepper

For the Tomatillo Avocado Sauce
1 tomatillo
1 avocado
½ jalapeño
2 garlic cloves
4 oz. diced green chilies (canned)
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
¼ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
½ white pepper
Garlic salt
Black pepper

Editorial Director Lauren Barisic
Photographer Don Dizon