Being in limbo isn’t usually ideal, but in this case, It’s actually pretty great. What we mean is that in September we’re in a limbo period when it comes to produce . While Labor Day is the “unofficial” end of summer, the autumn equinox isn’t until September 22, so this month we can still expect to enjoy the last of delicious summer produce, but also get ready for fall flavors . It’s the best of both worlds!
This month, enjoy the last of in-season tomatoes, green beans, and summer squash, stone fruits, berries, and more with an Heirloom Tomato Salad with Arugula, Burrata, and Eggplant Croutons , Slow-Roasted Curried Salmon with Corn and Tomato , and Stone Fruit Cobbler with Almond Spoon Cake . Welcome the fall season by incorporating apples, pears, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and butternut squash into your dishes. We’ve got Grilled Chicken and Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing , Cider-Braised Pork Chops , and a Classic Apple Crisp for recipe inspiration. And it’s prime time for figs—doesn’t a Fig, Hazelnut, and Goat Cheese Salad sound good?
Have some fun in your kitchen this month and try these September recipes:
Salads, Sides, and Starters
1 of 7 Annabelle Breakey
Fig, Hazelnut, and Goat Cheese Salad
Crunch, sweetness, and a touch of richness—this recipe has everything you want in a salad. Dress the greens separately, then tuck in the soft figs and cheese so they keep their shape.
2 of 7 Thomas J. Story
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Israeli chef Alon Shaya, of Denver’s Safta , buys bunches of young carrots. “The skins are more tender,” he says. “I roast them skin-on for the added nutrients.” Rather than throw out the carrot tops, he blanches them quickly in salted water to pull out the bitterness and turns them into a pesto.
3 of 7 Thomas J. Story
Squash with Hemp and Arugula
Preparing squash two ways creates a delightful combination of textures and flavors. The miso marinade gives the seared squash briny umami depth, which is a pleasant counterpoint to the pickled squash. Hemp purée is an earthy base while arugula oil adds both freshness and richness.
4 of 7 Thomas J. Story
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Arugula, Burrata, and Eggplant Croutons
Use up the last of those tomatoes! For this salad, chef Alex Seidel of Denver restaurants Fruition and Mercantile Dining & Provision uses a mix of tomato varieties—whichever are ripest at the moment in his greenhouse. The eggplant “croutons” are small cubes, breaded in seasoned panko and briskly fried.
5 of 7 Thomas J. Story
Carrot Soup with Anise
Chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir created this soup at L’Auberge Madeleine for her teacher, Madeleine Kamman. “Diners were going to fall for this soup before it ever crossed their lips. Its vibrant orange color and sweet smell of fresh carrot mingling with heady notes of licorice would pave the way for their first satiny sip.”
6 of 7 Annabelle Breakey
Grilled Chicken and Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing
Grilling the kale leaves whole makes them slightly crunchy and smoky tasting. Just make sure they’re completely dry or else they’ll steam and wilt.
7 of 7 Thomas J. Story
Pickled Grapes
Christine Littell of Seattle explains how she created her winning recipe: “I was inspired after having a mixed pickle plate at a local wine bar with my best foodie friend. We were amazed by the array of different fruits and veggies, all pickled with different sweet and savory spices. Both of us are now addicted to pickled grapes.” We are too! We especially like them, in place of cornichons, with cheese and salumi.
Mains
1 of 10 Thomas J. Story
Slow-Roasted Curried Salmon with Corn and Tomato
Christopher Wang, an Alaskan fisherman and owner of Gypsy Seafood Company , uses whatever he has on hand to make his curry, so use whatever produce you have, like end-of-summer corn and tomatoes.
2 of 10 Thomas J. Story
Veggie Chili
“Chili is definitely something I make for myself at home. It’s comforting to eat, but it’s also a dish that is easy to cook in a big pot and share,” says
Che Fico Chef David Nayfeld. Serve it with Nayfeld’s
Brown Butter Maple Cornbread .
3 of 10 Annabelle Breakey
Chicken and Roasted Figs
Figs get a nice jammy texture as they cook with chicken in the garlic-honey sauce. For crisp chicken skin, resist the urge to spoon sauce over it during baking.
4 of 10 Iain Bagwell
Provençal Tartlets
Classic ratatouille, typically a side dish, comes front and center as the filling of these inventive tarts. Chef Annie Somerville reenvisioned her original recipe by combining cream cheese with masa harina (dried corn dough for tortillas) in the crust, which gives it a rich toasted-corn flavor.
5 of 10 Annabelle Breakey
Cider-Braised Pork Chops
Hard cider—low in alcohol, not too sweet, and gently flavorful—works beautifully in savory dishes. Here it adds a subtle apple note and keeps the meat juicy. Serve with egg noodles or mashed sweet potatoes.
6 of 10 Victor Protasio
Braised Short Ribs with Pear, Ginger, and Star Anise
This Chinese-inspired take on short ribs gets its freshness from Bosc pears cooked in the sauce, plus more pears on top in a raw relish. If you have time, cook the recipe a day ahead. The flavors will be deeper, and you can more easily lift the fat from the sauce.
7 of 10 Iain Bagwell
Eggplant Parmesan
This (non-casserole) version of eggplant parmesan is lighter and fresher tasting than the classic—we ditched the breading and added spicy sauce and fresh herbs.
8 of 10 Thomas J. Story
Chicken in Saffron Butter and Leeks
Humble chicken thighs are ennobled by a saffron-tinged honey brine, creating a dish that’s by turns comforting and luxurious.
9 of 10 Annabelle Breakey
Black Pepper Tofu and Green Beans
The black pepper adds quite a bit of heat to this dish–cut it back if you prefer something milder. Serve over rice or with a side salad.
10 of 10 Annabelle Breakey
Seared Cod in Cherry Tomato and Tarragon Nage
Made with white wine, vegetables, and aromatic herbs, nage—a French-style poaching broth—preserves the delicate texture and moistness of fish. Nearly any fish will work in this recipe, but the broth’s flavors especially complement mild, white-fleshed ones.
Desserts
1 of 4 Time Inc. Food Studios
Classic Apple Crisp
We tested and then tested some more to arrive at the perfect proportions of buttery oat topping and sweetly spiced filling ingredients for this family-friendly recipe. If you’re in the mood to amp up the flavors even more, try the variation, Apple Crisp with Brandy and Spices .
2 of 4 Iain Bagwell
Fig Crisps with Buttery Nut Streusel
The secret ingredient here is saba, an Italian-style syrup made from wine-grape juice cooked down to a concentrate. It underscores and lifts the flavor of figs . So do lemon zest and a spoonful of crème fraîche . As for the figs, our favorite is Black Mission, a purple-black, richly flavored variety. To bake the recipe in one big dish rather than several small ones, see the instructions below.
3 of 4 Thomas J. Story
Almond Torte with Grilled Figs
This lovely, not-too-sweet torte is equally good for dessert, a late-afternoon treat, or even breakfast. Almond flour gives it a rich, buttery texture; almond extract and sliced almonds heighten the flavor.
4 of 4 Thomas J. Story
Apple Galette
A Chez Panisse staple, Alice Waters’ galette is sure to impress year-round and can be made with any sturdy fruit you can find at the market, like pears, peaches, plums, or apricots.
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