September signals the end of summer, but thankfully not the end of summer produce. So much of it is at its prime right now. Certainly tomatoes are, and sweet peppers. They both need the whole season to achieve their juicy ripeness. They’re worth the wait, perfect for building a menu around, as are late-season plums, which are now coming in. This menu employs all of these, and, best of all, it’s very doable.
To start, a drool-worthy carpaccio made from vine-ripe tomatoes. Though traditionally meat based, carpaccio, said to have been named for Vittore Carpaccio, the Venetian painter known for his use of deep red, can refer to any dish that is presented thinly sliced and spread across the plate. But the recipe here is much more than a mere plate of sliced tomatoes. The key is using truly ripe ones, no matter what color they are, but large red ones are ideal.
Use your best extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing, which also features briny shallots and capers, a whiff of garlic and a touch of anchovy. Finish with a handful of torn basil leaves for an easily executed first course.
For a seasonal main, firm, meaty fish like striped bass or halibut makes a good choice for pairing with the sweet pepper harvest. It’s fine to use standard bell peppers, but preferably, find some wonderful shapely variety like the curvy corno di toro, available in shades of red, yellow and orange. An assortment of colors makes for a dramatic rendition. Cooking all of the peppers slowly in olive oil, with onion and garlic, punched up with cayenne and smoked paprika, intensifies their sweetness.
To maximize the peppers and avoid any odd scraps, cut them in half lengthwise, right through the stem, then remove the stems, veins and seeds (as opposed to cutting off the tops and bottoms first, as some recipes advise).
I recommend making the pepper mixture well in advance, even a day ahead, so the only cooked-to-order parts of the dish will be preparing the fish and any last-minute herb chopping.
To finish, enter those late-summer plums — especially the small dark purple, yellow-fleshed Italian ones, which are a delight, and highly recommended. (If you can’t find them, other types of plum or even pluots will work for this dessert.)
Simply split them in half and arrange them cut side up in a pie plate, then scatter with a crunchy almond-scented, streusel-like topping and bake. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche or barely sweetened softly whipped cream for the final exercise in simple seasonal cooking, delivering real flavor with ease.
Recipe: Tomato Carpaccio
By David Tanis
Really not much more than a plate of sliced tomatoes, the key to this dish is truly ripe tomatoes, the kind you get at the farmers’ market at summer’s end. It doesn’t matter what color they are, though large red ones are ideal. Use your best extra-virgin oil for the dressing, which also features briny shallots and capers, a whiff of garlic and a touch of anchovy. Finish with a handful of basil leaves.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 to 6 large tomatoes on the vine (about 3 pounds)
- 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Basil leaves, for garnish
Preparation:
1. Wash and core the tomatoes. With a serrated knife, slice them as thinly as possible, then cover a platter edge to edge with a single layer of slices.
2. In a small bowl, combine anchovy, capers, shallot and garlic. Add a good pinch of salt and stir to combine. Add vinegar and let steep for 10 minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. To serve, sprinkle tomatoes lightly with salt, then spoon the dressing generously and evenly over everything. Grind pepper over the platter and garnish with basil leaves.
Recipe: Baked Fish With Slow-Cooked Peppers
By David Tanis
Meaty fish like striped bass, swordfish and halibut make good choices for pairing with the late-season vegetable harvest, specifically sweet peppers. Whether you use standard bell peppers, Italian “frying” peppers or some wonderful shapely variety, like corno di toro, cut them in half vertically, right through the stem, then remove the veins and seeds (as opposed to cutting off the tops first). That way, you’ll be able to make long slices, without any oddly sized leftover bits.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Fish:
- 4 boneless (skin-on or skinless) fillets of striped bass or halibut (about 2 pounds)
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the pan
For the Peppers:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
- 6 bell peppers in a mix of colors, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon snipped chives
Preparation:
1. Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle, grind coriander and fennel seeds to a powder. Combine with lemon zest, then rub mixture into each fillet. (At this point, you can cook right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours, then bring to room temperature to cook.)
2. Prepare the peppers: Set a Dutch oven or wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil looks wavy, add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced peppers with a good pinch of salt and the garlic, paprika and cayenne, and turn heat to medium. Simmer with lid ajar, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes more. (Peppers should be quite soft and cooking them down may take up to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning along the way.) Set aside and let steep. (You can make the peppers hours or up to a day ahead and keep refrigerated.)
3. To cook fish, heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Lay fish in pan in one layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fillets with a spatula and carefully set the pan in the oven, uncovered. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fish is firm and beginning to flake. Sprinkle fish with parsley and chives, and serve with the peppers.
Recipe: Plum-Almond Crumble
By David Tanis
Late-summer plums, especially the small dark purple, yellow-fleshed ones called Italian prunes, are a delight. They are handy for cakes and tarts, but here, they are baked with an almond-scented, streusel-like topping.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 pounds small purple plums (about 12)
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- 1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup/110 grams packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup/54 grams slivered almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of salt
- Crème fraîche or barely sweetened softly whipped cream (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash plums and cut in half with a paring knife. Remove and discard pits. (Larger plums may be quartered.)
2. Place plums cut side up in a deep 9- or 10-inch pie pan. (It’s fine if they don’t all fit in one layer.) Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.
3. Make the topping: In a medium bowl, place flour, brown sugar, butter, almonds, almond extract and salt. Using your fingertips, work the mixture until it resembles rough pea-size crumbs.
4. Mound the topping loosely over the plums, covering the entire surface. Bake for about 40 minutes, until nicely browned and oozing.
5. Let cool slightly, or serve at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
