This transitional time of year is one of the most abundant for amazing produce (cue giant cornucopia) as we are still enjoying all the berries of summer, plus stone fruits, while grapes are being harvested and apples are coming into their prime season. There’s still good quality corn on the cob, too. And endless squashes.
Here are a few delicious recipes to make the most of the summer-to-fall fruits and vegetables.
Gratin of fruits
In about a half hour you can have this party-worthy fruit-and-cheese delight, ready to impress for brunch, lunch, or dessert. Recipe from “Smart Food” by Marlisa Szwillus; makes 4 servings.
4 ounces Brie
1/3 cup farmer’s or part-skim ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 ripe figs
1 nectarine
1/4 pound red grapes
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Fresh lemon balm or mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice rind off the Brie; cut into small cubes. In a blender or food processor, combine Brie cubes, farmer’s or ricotta cheese, egg yolks, milk, and lemon zest; process until smooth. Wash all fruits. Cut figs into eighths; cut nectarines into segments. Remove grapes from stems and cut in half. Pour cheese mixture into four ovenproof dishes. Bake for 7 minutes, then arrange fruit on top and bake for 5 minutes more. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish before serving.
Summer-autumn corn and squash
Late summer’s sweet corn and early autumn’s hard squashes meet briefly in markets at this time of year. This recipe, adapted from “More Vegetables, Please” by Janet Fletcher, pairs well with roast chicken or pork; makes 4 servings.
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup minced red bell pepper
12 oz. peeled hard-shell squash (like butternut), cut into half-inch cubes
2 cups fresh corn kernels
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Melt butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper; saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash and corn; toss to coat with the butter. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes. Shake pan occasionally to keep squash from sticking. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Blackberry zinfandel sorbet
While those end-of-summer berries are still around, make this stunning, colorful, low calorie dessert (the alcohol dissipates when cooked.) Recipe from “Cooking With Wine” by Virginia and Robert Hoffman; makes 4-6 servings.
2 pounds blackberries, rinsed
2 cups Zinfandel wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest
1/4 cup Crème de Cassis liqueur
Juice of 1 lemon
In a saucepan, combine blackberries, wine, sugar, pepper, lemon zest and Cassis. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook slowly for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Place mixture into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Alternately, I have frozen it in a metal pan, thawing slightly, breaking up the pieces and refreezing it twice. Serve with toasted almonds if desired.
Autumn raspberry and apple streusel
This comforting dessert takes a little time, but is well worth the effort. Recipe from Delicious Living magazine; makes 6 servings.
Streusel:
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon orange zest
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add salt and baking powder; mix well. Add oats, flour and orange zest; mix well and set aside.
Filling:
6 baking apples, sliced and peeled
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons orange juice or apple cider
1 pint raspberries
In a bowl, toss apples with sugar, cornstarch and orange juice or cider; set aside for 15 minutes to draw out juices. Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish, large enough to fill at least 1-1 1/2 inches high. Sprinkle raspberries over apple mixture. Crumble streusel dough over fruit mixture. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until fruit bubbles clear and streusel is golden brown. Serve with whipped cream if desired.