Eat your veggies! Try sweet potato frites, warm spinach salad, more

Chef Joel Gamoran makes healthful accompaniments to any meal

Video: ‘Fall’ into seasonal meals with amazing produce

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>> you.

>>> now in today's kitchen, what's cooking. h why not take advantage of produce why it's still fresh? here to show us new recipes is joel cameron.

>> you said that the old school way. it's old school, i like.

>> what are we cooking, babe?

>> we got sweet potato --

>> you're not french, right?

>> i'm not french, i'm jewish. i can pretend. i have sweet potato fritz, like fries. kathie lee , this is all you, big, chunky. i want this the size of my finger. can you do that?

>> yes.

>> hoda, you're making a flavored salt , can you do that?

>> no. yes, i can.

>> there's spices in here, bash it like you're upset with kathie lee . harder, go for it. bash it around. there's no science to this. that's beautiful. toss them in. okay.

>> what's in here?

>> toss it in here. mortar style, old school.

>> cave man.

>> cave man cuisine art.

>> this weighs a ton.

>> that goes right in. you got it. there you go. we're going to add some oil. now the one thing about this, guys, you need to cut them chunky or else they are not going to get crispy.

>> we like them chunky.

>> hoda likes her men that way too.

>> i'm in her ball league.

>> that's another story. if you don't have a mortar at home --

>> who does? i don't know one person who has one of these, i put a plant in that.

>> on top, we're putting them in for about 450 degrees, 25 minutes. don't even think about them.

>> smell them burning.

>> a little charred is a good thing. we're going to make a dressing with tahini.

>> i like tahini.

>> what is it in everyone knows?

>> hummus, give me some.

>> i thought it was an island in the pacific.

>> it's made out of sesame seeds . peanut butter but with sesame seeds . we're going to make a dressing. you're whisking, you're pouring.

>> do what you know.

>> comes in jars like this, you can find it. tahini. go for it.

>> what's that?

>> water to thin it out. whisk hard. there you go.

>> turn it on its side, hoda woman.

>> get in there, beautiful. little bit of lemon juice .

>> all right. some corriander, cilantro.

>> looks like parsley.

>> this is the spices.

>> i already ground it.

>> where are you at? i love it. okay, then we have this topping, warm things coming out. then all we got to do is spoon these over the top when they are hot and they act like sponges and kind of soak it in.

>> soak it in.

>> amazing, exactly. absolutely. so they soak them up. i got a little mint here. grab it and go confetti with it.

>> you're ruining it.

>> kidding me?

>> do it.

>> i'm trying to do something a little bit different.

>> here, kath.

>> they found the wine, i tried to hide it.

>> actually, these are darn good, cameron.

>> thank you.

>> tell us about it.

>> i love palenta. are those the huge garlic things?

>> this is tabletop. have it on a plate. super old school to take it, pour it out in front of your guests and dot around it with veg and roast -- what, you don't like it?

>> i like them.

>> seriously.

>> the man is passionate.

>> super passionate.

>> we love you.

>> can i tell you, it's like a toppings bar, but savory.

>>> rick springfield with us tomorrow. have a great day, everybody.

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 10/9/2012 10:08:39 AM ET

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Fall offers some amazing produce, so why not take advantage of it while it's fresh? Here, Sur La Table resident chef Joel Gamoran makes a healthful meal of fresh fall veggies that children will love too, including spicy sweet potato frites with tahini dressing, table-top polenta and warm spinach salad.

Recipe: Spicy sweet potato frites with tahini dressing (on this page) Recipe: Table-top polenta with accompaniments (on this page) Recipe: Warm spinach salad with caramelized red onions and blue cheese (on this page)

Recipe: Spicy sweet potato frites with tahini dressing

Courtesy of Joel Gamoran

Ingredients

For frites:
1 teaspoon dried coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pounds medium sized sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh mint
Tahini dressing (recipe below)
For dressing:
1/4 cup tahini, stirred well to blend
1/4 cup water
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced

Preparation

For frites:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Coarsely grind coriander, fennel, oregano and red pepper flakes in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Stir together spices and salt.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch wedges.

Toss wedges with oil and spices in a large roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes. Turn wedges over with a spatula and roast until tender and slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve immediately drizzled with the tahini dressing and tear up the mint over the top.

For tahini dressing:

To make the tahini sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in the garlic, cilantro and salt to taste. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice if needed.

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Recipe: Table-top polenta with accompaniments

Courtesy of Joel Gamoran

Ingredients

9 cups of water
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup polenta
1 cup fine cornmeal
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon mascarpone
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pesto, optional
Marinated peppers, optional
Roasted garlic, optional
Caramelized onions, optional

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the salt, sugar and olive oil to the water.

While whisking the water, slowly rain in the polenta grains. When all the grains has been placed into the pot, turn the heat to low or simmer, and until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Take the polenta mixture away from the heat, and whisk in the butter and mascarpone. Taste polenta, and season with salt and pepper.

Quickly and carefully, pour the hot polenta onto a long rectangular platter, being careful to not splatter the hot liquid onto yourself.

Arrange the outside of the platter with little bowls or ramekins of pesto, peppers, roasted garlic and caramelized onions, or your other desired flavorings.

Eat immediately, or alternatively, allow for the polenta to cool and harden, and cut into squares.

Serving Size

Makes 6 servings

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Recipe: Warm spinach salad with caramelized red onions and blue cheese

Courtesy of Joel Gamoran

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into about 8 to 10 wedges, leaving the root intact
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons of toasted pinenuts
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chervil or chives

Preparation

Heat up a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, and when the oil is shimmering, add the red onions. Once the onions start to turn a golden color, about 5 minutes, add the honey, dijon and sherry vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper and give the pan a swirl. Place your spinach in a bowl and pour the hot onions over the top, gently tossing the spinach.

To serve: Take the spinach to a plate and finish with the blue cheese, pine nuts and chervil or chives.