Fall is edging in here on Blue Mountain Road. Evenings are cool and the days threaten rain that never falls. There have been two small fires ignited by lightning nearby that remind us of our vulnerability. I’m somewhat phlegmatic about this but we do have a plan in case we need to evacuate. The farmers market still has all the summer veggies and Zoë bought a last box of peaches to share. I have pears in my fruit basket and a last melon. I’m not quite ready to buy squash and admit that fall has arrived in the kitchen. I know I’ll soon begin making soup and pasta but want to grasp the last of summer.
So here are some of the dishes we have been eating in this last bit of warm weather.
I’ve been making a simple gazpacho all summer so when Roseanne told me she had eaten one topped with shrimp and avocado I had to try it. I made it for a special lunch with Ana Maria and baked a focaccia to accompany the soup.
For the base: in a blender combine a pound or so of tomatoes (or a small tin), chunks of a small cucumber, a thick slice of red onion, a chopped sweet red pepper, watermelon chunks from a three-inch wedge, a big pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, then slowly add two tablespoons of olive oil. Chill. At serving time top with a little salad of diced cucumber, red pepper, and red onion. Garnish each bowl with 3 – 4 poached or grilled shelled shrimp cut in bite-sized pieces and hunks of avocado. Top with basil or cilantro leaves.
The chilés and peppers in the market have been beautiful. Here’s a dish using them with the last of the sweet corn. In winter use frozen corn.
Cut two large Anaheims or poblanos in half and take out the veins and seeds. Place in a baking dish. For the filling chop half a small onion and sauté in a teaspoon of olive oil. Add the kernels from two ears of corn and cook for a minute or two. Cool in a bowl then add an egg, ½ – 1 cup grated jack and cheddar cheese, pinches of ground cumin and salt. Fill the chilés with this. Top with a sprinkle of panko or breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 375° until the chilés are tender about 30 minutes.
I’ve been trying various peach cake recipe and found this one in the New York Times. It’s our favorite.
Butter Cake with Peaches
Cut two medium ripe peaches into ¼ inch wedges. Set aside. In the Cuisinart or mixer combine 1 ½ cups unbleached flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Add ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter cut into pieces. Pulse to coat the flour mixture. Add 1 large egg and ½ cup of whole milk yogurt, (not Greek), and beat until creamy. Gently add half the peaches, (I do this in another bowl) and spread into a buttered 9-inch square pan. The batter is thick. Arrange the rest of the peaches on Atop. Sprinkle with coarse, turbinado sugar and flaked almonds. Bake at 350° for an hour. Test with a toothpick. Cool on a rack. This is extra delicious with a side of crème fraiche.
Fall is my favorite season with the cool air and long shadows of the afternoons. The glorious gold of the high country aspen evoke joy and a tender sorrow. This is still a time of beginnings as I remember the long ago highly anticipated annual return to school. And yet the fall marks a drawing in, a time to hunker down indoors with a good book and a just hard enough jigsaw puzzle. To warm the kitchen with stews and cakes that perfume the house with delectable smells. To write new stories. Onward.
How I Learned to Cook, an Artist's Life ─ Barbara Shark 