Serious Eats Editors Share Late Summer Produce Recipes
Editors from Serious Eats recommend nine recipes to make the most of late-season tomatoes, peaches, eggplant, and berries, arguing summer cooking isn't
Editors at Serious Eats are championing late summer produce with a collection of nine seasonal recipes. They argue that September, with its juicy tomatoes and sweet peaches, is still prime time for summer cooking.
According to the publication, September can be spectacular for summer produce. Late-season tomatoes are described as juicy and full-flavored, while peaches are intensely sweet. Eggplant becomes soft and creamy when cooked, and some berries are still available. The editors explicitly reject the notion that summer is over as long as farmers markets are stocked.
Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad
Writer Ashlee Redger recommends stretching the grilling season with a salad featuring sweet, local peaches and burrata. She notes that in Colorado, such peaches can be found until late September.
Caesar BLT and Ultimate BLT
Two sandwich recipes highlight the prized summer tomato. Associate visuals director Amanda Suarez calls summer "tomato time," a period when eating tomatoes on bread is acceptable for any meal. For a more involved dinner, she turns to a Caesar BLT, which combines tomatoes and anchovies. Senior editor Genevieve Yam states the Ultimate BLT is never better than in summer, when "juicy, juicy tomatoes" are available.
Salmorejo and Panzanella
For tomato-centric dishes that require no cooking, the editors suggest a Spanish soup and an Italian bread salad. Associate culinary editor Laila Ibrahim looks forward to salmorejo, a smooth, garlicky soup rich with olive oil, during her October trips to southern Spain. Senior culinary editor Leah Colins recommends a classic panzanella as her ideal late-summer meal, celebrating ripe tomatoes with crisp, oiled bread.
One-Pot Ratatouille Spaghetti
Associate editorial director Megan O. Steintrager shares a pasta dish that uses a bounty of late-summer vegetables. The recipe calls for eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, tomatoes, and basil, all cooked in one pot for a summery meal.
Blackberry Cobbler and Peach Galette
Two desserts bridge the gap between late summer and early fall. Senior editor Grace Kelly describes blackberries as providing a "nice bridge" and recommends an easy-to-make cobbler that's perfect for breakfast. For peaches, senior editor Brenna Donovan advocates for a freeform galette, which requires less pastry skill than a pie but still shows ripe, late-season fruit.
**Classic Turkey Club Sandwich**
Grace Kelly also plans to use late-season tomatoes in a classic turkey club sandwich for a weekend sailing trip. She believes the plump tomatoes will help keep the crew satisfied.
The collection serves as a defiant guide to extending the flavors of summer. The editors' recommendations focus entirely on techniques and dishes that maximize the quality of late-harvest produce.
