Rustic Kitchen Recipes Inspired by the Mountain West

Photo: Lisa Flood

Indulge in all that’s hearty and nourishing this fall and winter season. Graze Living’s Hillary Munro shares recipes and handcrafted gifts, found in her mountain-inspired cookbook, Alpen Glow.

Pasta Puttanesca

Photo: Lisa Flood

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 2 tablespoons capers (more for serving)
• Crushed red-pepper flakes to taste
• 1 pound linguine or thick spaghetti
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Freshly chopped parsley, oregano, and basil for garnish
• Pecorino cheese for garnish

In a heavy skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic and anchovies; cook over medium-to-low heat until the garlic is lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon. Raise the heat to medium, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes break down and becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Stir in olives, capers and red pepper flakes. Let simmer until the pasta is ready.

Cook pasta in boiling salty water, stirring occasionally, until it is tender. Drain pasta and serve with sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon ol. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Garnish with fresh herbs and pecorino cheese.

Citrus Cooking Salts

Photo: Lisa Flood

• 2 cups Maldon or other flaky salt
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped  fresh sage
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender
• Zest of 4 oranges

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to break up any clumps that may have formed. Bake for 60 minutes until the salt and herbs feel dry. They will store in an airtight vessel for up to a month.

Fire-Grilled Oysters

Photo: Lisa Flood

• 2 dozen fresh oysters
• 2 lemons
• Tarragon Butter
• Sliced French Baguette, grilled

Build a fire outdoors in a safe spot, with a heavy metal grate for roasting . Maintain the heat and fire until the coals are red hot.

Place the fresh oysters on the grill (I wear leather gloves) cup side down so the flat part of the shell is facing up, to preserve the oyster liquid. After each oyster shell begins to open, pry the top shell off using an oyster knife and discard, leaving oysters with their liquid in the shell.

When cool, they are ready to slurp. Be careful, though: the shells get incredibly hot. Butter a slice of baguette and top with grilled oysters for a heartier bite.

Floral Tea

Photo: Lisa Flood

Place the dried flowers in a small muslin bag or tea sachet. Boil water and let the bag steep in water for 3 minutes. Remove bag and stir in a dash of sugar for sweetness. Tie the bags with a piece of twine or ribbon for easy gift giving.

Pear and Bourbon Skillet Cake

Photo: Lisa Flood

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3 medium pears
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit a 9-inch cast-iron skillet snuggly with a piece of parchment paper or grease it with butter.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Whisk in the granulated sugar, bourbon, and vanilla extract. Pour in the buttermilk and then combine.

Peel, core, and halve 2 1/2 of the pears and cut them into cubes. Reserve the remaining  half pear, unpeeled , and cut it into 1/4-inch slices to decorate the top.

Add half the four mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined; then gently fold in half the melted butter. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and melted butter. Lastly, fold in the cubed pear.

Transfer batter to the skillet and arrange the pear slices in a circular pattern on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake until the cake turns a deep golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer skillet to a cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes.

The cake can be served warm or at room temperature directly from the skillet; whichever you choose, make sure to dust it with confectioners’ sugar before serving.