At a Glance

This plate features 6 components that balance each other out beautifully. Using this template, feel free to make any swaps or experiment based on the seasonal produce available near you. I recommend starting your prep by chopping up all the veggies for the wild rice, then crisp up your sage (super quick), then focus on getting the wild rice started. As the wild rice cooks, you can prep the sweet potatoes and kale. While your sweet potatoes and kale cook, you can whip up the reduction and spicy walnut topping as well, before serving it all up.

1 | Harissa Hasselback Sweet Potato

2 | Autumnal sage wild rice

3 | Mustard and Lime-Dressed Steamed Kale

4 | Celery Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction

5 | Spicy Toasted Walnut Topping

6 | Sage, Crisped in Brown Butter

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Recipes, Part by Part (Serves 4)

1 | Harissa Hasselback Sweet Potato

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

coarse sea salt

4 tsp harissa powder

Directions

1. Slice up your sweet potatoes Hasselback-style, with each slice about 1/8" thick. Use two chopstick on either side of your sweet potato as you slice them, to help you ensure that you don't slice them all the way through.
2. Sprinkle over the coarse sea salt and harissa powder, and then drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil. Lightly massage these into the sweet potatoes.
3. There are three ways that I recommend choosing from, to cook the sweet potatoes. You can air fry (for crunchy and charred exterior, and a firm interior), bake (for a velvety interior and a crisp exterior), or steam (for a creamier, softer mouthfeel all around). I chose to steam mine, right in the microwave for 8-9 minutes (or if your microwave has a "Potato" setting just use that!), and they were so quick, easy, and comforting!
4. (Bonus step) If you want them extra rich, hit them with a pat of butter as they finish cooking, and you'll have the most glossy finish on these sweet potatoes.

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2 | Autumnal sage wild rice

Ingredients

any leftover sage-infused brown butter (from prepping 6 | Sage, Crisped in Brown Butter)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 large yellow onions, diced finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

7 stalks celery, diced finely

1 medium carrot, diced finely

3 1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed well and drained

3 1/2 quarts water or vegetable stock, brought to a boil

1 tbsp dried italian seasoning

(optional) any other fresh herbs you feel like using

salt to taste

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Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and any leftover sage brown butter that you have.
2. Add in the onions and start caramelizing them over a medium-low flame. Add some salt to help the onions become tender faster.
3. When you've just about run out of patience and/or the onions are slightly golden-brown, add in the celery and carrot along with the Italian seasoning. Let this cook for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add in the boiling water or vegetable stock, and 1 tsp of salt. If you want to use any fresh herbs, also incorporate them at this point.
5. Stir in the rinsed and drained wild rice.
6. Let this simmer for about 40 minutes, or according to the package instructions on your wild rice. I cooked mine covered and stirred them every 15 minutes or so. Be careful not to burn rice, and make sure there's enough water in the saucepan for the wild rice to cook all the way through (add some more in as you cook, if you need to!)
7. Taste test a grain of wild rice to make sure it's al dente or just past! Adjust the salt to taste.

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3 | Mustard and Lime-Dressed Steamed Kale

Ingredients

8 cups kale, rinsed, dried, de-stemmed, and roughly chopped

1/2 tsp mustard powder

2 tsp lime zest

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

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Directions

1. Add the chopped kale to a mixing bowl, and top with the mustard powder, olive oil, and salt.
2. Massage the seasonings into the kale with your hands.
3. Either microwave the kale or cook it through in a saucepan for 3 minutes or until it is vibrant and tender.
4. Mix in the lime zest.

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4 | Celery Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

4 tbsp celery (including the leaves), minced finely

5 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup water

(optional) 1 sprig of fresh oregano

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Directions

1. Stir together all of the ingredients in a small pot.
2. Let it simmer on a low flame for at least 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture reduces down 30-40%.

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5 | Spicy Toasted Walnut Topping

Ingredients

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, or nut/seed oil of choice

1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp salt

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Directions

1. In a pan, heat up the olive oil.
2. Toss in the walnuts, and let them start to crisp up for 2-3 minutes on a low to medium flame, stirring often so that they start to brown evenly.
3. Add in the nutritional yeast, paprika, dried rosemary, and salt.
4. Let the walnuts crisp up some more for 1-2 more minutes, and when they are fragrant and golden-brown, turn off the flame and let them cool in the pan.

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6 | Sage, Crisped in Brown Butter

15 sage leaves, washed and patted dried

2 tbsp ghee or brown butter

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Directions

1. Heat up the brown butter or ghee in a small saucepan.
2. Add in the sage leaves and let them crisp up, stirring them around so they crisp up evenly.
3. Once the sage leaves turn from olive green to a vibrant green to a deep forest green, fish them out of the butter with a fork.
4. Reserve the sage-infused butter to use in 2 | Autumnal sage wild rice.

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Assembly

In a plate, add a layer of the steamed kale. On the center of that bed of kale, add in a mountain of the wild rice. Gently lay a Hasselback sweet potato over the rice. Drizzle on the celery pomegranate balsamic reduction along the length of the sweet potato, making sure to get some of the minced celery bits in the delicious reduced glaze too. Sprinkle over some of the toasted walnut topping for a good crunch, along the same axis as the sweet potato. Garnish with some of the crispy sage leaves, and serve it up immediately!