Modernize Your Favorite Fall Dishes

Taleggio Mac & Cheese

Serves 8-12

1 pound macaroni

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 strips applewood-

smoked bacon, diced

small

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup shallots, minced

2 tablespoons butter, plus

1/2 cup, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart milk

8 ounces taleggio cheese,

without rind, cut into

chunks

3 ounces white cheddar

cheese, shredded

2 ounces truffle peel, plus

additional slices for

garnish

1 teaspoon truffle oil

2 cups breadcrumbs

1. Cook macaroni as directed on box. Strain and rinse under cold water until room temperature. Lightly toss in olive oil and reserve for later.

2. In a pot, heat the canola oil over low heat and cook the bacon until it has rendered all fat.

3. Add garlic, shallots, two tablespoons butter and cook until shallots are translucent.

4. Add flour and cook for two minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Once milk is fully incorporated, simmer lightly while constantly stirring until flour flavor has disappeared, approximately five minutes.

5. Fold in cheeses, truffle pieces and truffle oil. Next, fold in macaroni and portion into four personal-size skillets or oven-safe dishes. Toss breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter and top the mac and cheese. Bake in a 400-degree oven until golden brown. Garnish with truffle slices.

-- Tillman's Roadhouse, 2933 Crockett St., Fort Worth; 817-850-9255, www.tillmansroadhouse.com

Apple Gruyere Stuffed Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Peppadew Hash

Serves 4

Sweet Potato Peppadew Hash:

1 quart sweet potatoes, peeled,

diced into 1/4 -inch cubes

2 tablespoons oil

3/4 cup yellow onions,

diced 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch

1/2 cup Peppadew brand

peppers, diced 1/8 inch by

1/8 inch

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

Butter Blend:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1. Place sweet potatoes in a steamer or blanch in a sauce pot of simmering water for 4 to 6 minutes or until tender. Shock in an ice bath to stop cooking and chill. Drain and set aside.

2. In the saute pan over medium high heat, add oil and onions. Saute until onions are tender. Add peppers and sweet potatoes. Saute for 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a fresh saute pan add butter blend and hash. Caramelize the hash to your liking.

4. Serve in the middle of the plate as the base for Apple Gruyere Stuffed Pork Chops (recipe follows).

Apple Gruyere Stuffed Pork Chop:

4 8-ounce frenched bone-in

pork chops

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1 cup Granny Smith apples, julienned using a mandolin

1. Butterfly-cut pork chops from the outer edge down to the bone.

2. Combine sea salt and black pepper. Season both sides of each chop.

3. Combine Gruyere and apples in a small bowl to make a loose stuffing.

4. Clean and oil a section of the grill for the chops. Place the chops cut side down on the grill first to cook the inside of the chop lightly. Turn over after two minutes.

5. Place 1/2 cup of stuffing on one side of the pork chop and flip the other side over the stuffing to close. It will not seal all the way. Place a small plate or weight on the chop to hold it closed. Grill for two minutes, then carefully turn the chop over to grill on the remaining side for two minutes.

6. Remove from the grill and serve over the sweet potato Peppadew hash. Serve with the bone up off the plate for a dramatic presentation.

-- FnG Eats, 201 Town Center Blvd., Keller, 817-741-5200;fngeats.com

Butternut-Fennel Soup

Serves 4

1/3 cup sunflower oil

1 cup onions or shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, unpeeled

and chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped

3 cups butternut squash, peeled

and cut into chunks (frozen

or fresh)

2 cubes Rapunzel brand bouillon

cubes with sea salt and herbs

4 cups water

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of dried, rubbed sage

Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

(The folks at Spiral Diner use

organic, cold-pressed.)

Chef's tip: To prepare fresh butternut squash, cut off stem and bellybutton and peel off all skin. Cut in half and scoop out guts with a spoon. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Or, to make it simple, just use frozen organic chunks.

1. In large pot, combine oil, onions, garlic, ginger and fennel

2. Stir together, cover and cook over low flame for 10 minutes. Fennel should be soft.

3. Add squash, bouillon cubes, water, nutmeg and salt to pot. Bring to a boil and stir.

4. Reduce to a slow boil, cover and cook for 25 minutes until the squash chunks are really soft.

5. Place ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until totally smooth.

6. Serve with a pinch of sage and a drizzle of olive oil.

-- Spiral Diner, 1314 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth. 817-3-EatVeg; www.spiraldiner.com

Beef Short Ribs of Stew

Serves 8

16 classic cut beef short ribs

Kosher salt and coarse black pepper

8 cups beef stock

1 gallon water, plus more for barley preparation

3 celery stalks, diced

3 carrots, diced

2 large yellow onions, diced

1/4 cup fresh garlic, minced

1/8 cup shallots, minced

1/8 cup fresh thyme, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon for barley

1/8 cup fresh oregano, chopped, plus tablespoon for barley

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 sticks butter

1 cup olive oil

8 cups cooked pearl barley, prepared according to package

instructions

8 cups chicken stock

1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. In a very large pot, pan-sear ribs over high heat until browned.

2. Deglaze the pan with beef stock. Add the water and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, shallots, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds and salt and pepper to taste to the simmering liquid. Simmer for 10-15 minutes more.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the ribs with about half of the cooking liquid and veggies and place into the oven for about an hour and a half.

5. When ready to serve, melt butter in large saute pan and add half the olive oil. Add the cooked barley, additional thyme and oregano and the chicken stock and cook until liquids are reduced. Add remaining olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

6. To assemble, divide prepared barley across eight bowls, top with simmered liquid with veggies and two short ribs each, bone up for presentation.

-- Buttons, 4701 West Freeway, Fort Worth; 817-735-4900; www.buttonsrestaurant.com

Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Pie

Serves 6-8

Chocolate Chess Layer:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

1/2 cup butter

2 (1-ounce) Baker's semisweet chocolate baking squares

Unbaked pie shell

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to combine.

2. Melt butter and chocolate and mix with blended ingredients.

3. Pour into piecrust and bake for 35 minutes. Chill completely and top with pumpkin mousse and pecan shortbread crumble (recipes follow).

Pumpkin Mousse Layer:

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Combine pumpkin, 1 cup cream, sugar and spice in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Whip remaining heavy cream and vanilla to medium to firm peaks and fold into cooled pumpkin mixture. Pour over chocolate chess layer and top with pecan shortbread crumble.

Pecan Shortbread Crumble Topping:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt and pecans. Stir in the butter and egg until mixture is crumbly, like coarse, wet sand.

2. Sprinkle crumbs evenly on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

3. Sprinkle over pumpkin mousse pie layer. Serve pie chilled.

-- Southern Breeze Market Cafe, 138 Olive St., Keller, 817-337-5177, www.southernbreezemarketcafe.com