SqWires’ Bethany Budde on fall flavors

Courtesy of SqWires

Courtesy of SqWires

Bethany Budde may be known for her lovely Lafayette Square restaurant, SqWires, but home cooking is what truly inspires her. Thinking back on her most foundational memories, she always conjures up memories of being in her grandmother’s kitchen, surrounded by good food and loved ones. This is what inspired her journey into the professional kitchen and is what she hopes everyone can experience this time of year. 

What inspired you to get into cooking in the first place? 

I was a kid and had a grandmother, Grandma Budde, who was this amazing scratch cooker. I didn’t know what that meant then, but I think back to that time in the early 1970s when I was a kid and still wanted to hang around my grandparents. Grandma Budde was this amazing cook, and her kitchen always smelled so wonderful; from fried chicken to Christmas cookies to breakfast foods, it was always the best. My mother, Pat, is the most amazing home cook that I know after Grandma Budde. When we were kids, we had to take turns cooking and doing dishes. I bribed my sisters and brothers—there were six of us all together—and told them I would cook if they would do the dishes. It was the best. That’s how I grew up cooking: watching my grandma and mom. 

What makes this time of year particularly special for you in terms of food?

Fall is my favorite time for cooking at home. It’s a busier time for us at the restaurant, so I can’t spend as much time as I would like cooking at home, but it’s my favorite time because I love to be snuggling at home. Also, this time of year is the late harvest, so you get all of those flavors that are popping deeper. Root vegetables that are just coming out have such flavor and vibrant color. They make sauces and soups and stews so much deeper. Plus, the food gives you that opportunity to be warm because it’s cold outside. I think this time of year just makes you in the mood to start cooking at home.

How do you get your inspiration this time of year—or any time of year, for that matter? 

I like looking at the fresh ingredients at farmers’ markets. Take Soulard Market: You can walk through and see all of these colors and produce, meats, and spices. I like to take pictures and think, What If I could use this and this in a dish?  The colors, layers, and textures you encounter when you are going through the Kirkwood or Tower Grove farmers’ markets makes you want to cook.

I’m sure a chef has a trained eye for that sort of thing. What advice do you have for us mere mortals (a.k.a. home cooks) who are trying to find our way around the kitchen?

I’m sure people hear this from a lot of cooks and chefs: They don’t necessarily like to follow recipes. I think that is what makes the best home cook, too. Throw in things of your own, and  experiment; don’t be scared because if you are home, you are probably only cooking for yourself and close loved ones. You just have to experiment, and don’t be afraid to change a recipe; you might not like toasted walnuts, but you love pecans. Change it up! Also, there are lots of different methods if you are looking at a recipe, and you don’t want to cut corners but you don’t want to do a particular technique. It’s OK if it doesn’t work the first time. You can always try again. 

This time of year, especially when we start getting into the holidays, is often filled with tradition. Do you have any special ones?

My siblings and I have a recipe book that my mother put together for each of us that is filled with my grandmother’s recipes: Christmas cookies, baked items, her secret for mashed potatoes. It goes on and on, and I am definitely going to make sure this is passed on to my kids and grandkids. We’re already starting to add in my mom’s favorite items, and when I add things in there, it will be three generations. It was such a neat gift, and it’s so wonderful to be able to keep it going. Some of the pages are Xeroxes of the originals, with my grandmother’s handwriting on them. It’s really special. Other than that, we just love being together for the holidays. Thanksgiving will be at my mom’s this year, so we go over the day before, peel potatoes, and have mimosas or Bloody Marys. She also has a cookie day every single year when her kids and grandkids come to bake together. I really feel that is so important, and I know I will carry that tradition on.

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Sage Bisque w/ Crispy Shallots.

Ingredients for bisque

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup diced onion
• 4 fresh sage leaves fine chopped (optional if you are not a sage lover)
• 4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• ¾ cup diced carrots
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Ground nutmeg
• ½ cup heavy cream

Ingredients for crispy shallots

• 2 large shallots peeled and sliced into very thin rings
• ¼ cup olive oil (more if needed)
• Pinch of salt (I like to use kosher sea salt; it is a bit lighter than kosher salt crystals)

Instructions for bisque 

1. Heat oil and melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, carrot, and sage in the butter and oil until onion is tender.
2. Add squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and couple dashes of nutmeg.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are fork tender.
4. Purée soup mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
5. Return to the pot, and stir in heavy cream until heated. (Do not boil.)

Instructions for crispy shallots 

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add shallots, and sauté the rings for about 5 minutes. 
3. Reduce heat and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are golden.
4. Remove crispy shallots, and let drain on paper towels.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

* Note: Consider making extra and saving the leftover oil from the skillet. It’s great for all kinds of uses. You can add ¼ teaspoon to butter when scrambling eggs, popping popcorn, or to mashed potatoes. Add a little to chicken stock when making a noodle soup, or try toasting a baguette, buttering it, and drizzling it with the oil.