By David Tanis, The New York Times
Itap a true joy to cook straight from the farmers market, and this is the perfect time to do so. During this period, the sweet spot between the end of summer and the beginning of fall, there is bounty at every stall.
Want corn, melon, zucchini, green beans or tomatoes? Help yourself. Fresh herbs? In spades. Stone fruit? Peaches, nectarines and plums are piled high.
But, I’ll admit, itap the sweet peppers that really excite me. This includes the standard bell peppers (red, yellow or orange); an interesting fleshy variety called corno di toro, or bull’s horn, (red or yellow); and the cultish Jimmy Nardello, a slender, thin-skinned Italian “frying” pepper. The rest of the year, sweet peppers are apt to be hothouse or hydroponically raised. Field-grown peppers are usually more flavorful. This is their moment.
A quick tour of the market decides the menu for me. Rather than feature everything available in one dish, I divvy up my favorites for a three-course meal. This means a tender green salad from the herb sellers, paired with fresh mozzarella; a hearty risotto of roasted peppers; and a simple dessert of roasted plums.
For the mozzarella herb salad — a delicate, delicious pairing — freshness is everything.
Look for super-fresh, soft domestic mozzarella (also called fior di latte, made from cows’ milk), and serve it at cool room temperature, not straight from the fridge. You can cut slices from a half-pound piece or opt for smaller ovolini (egg-size), ciliegini (cherry-size) or bocconcini (bite-size). Or choose more expensive imported Italian mozzarella di bufala, with its distinctive tanginess.
For an herb salad, I prefer a varied assortment, which can contain parsley, dill, watercress, chervil, basil, mint, tarragon, shiso, sunflower sprouts, small red sorrel and purslane. But I add some slightly larger leaves, like baby arugula, to bolster the mixture and make it easier to dress. The most important thing is to wait until the very last minute to dress the tender herbs — just barely — so they maintain their shape. You can drizzle more vinaigrette over the mozzarella.
I love to make risotto, and the technique I recommend is fairly foolproof. With practice, any cook can confidently achieve success.
Most cooks go wrong with how much liquid they add, drowning the rice instead of allowing it to gradually absorb the hot broth. Keeping a brisk heat below the pot is also crucial. You want to let the rice go nearly dry. Look for little sinkholes on the surface before adding more broth. Yes, you do need to stir throughout the process, but not every second. It should take 20 to 25 minutes, start to finish.
This risotto is quite flavorful, full of smoky roasted and peeled sweet peppers. With a touch of saffron and a dash of cayenne, it feels a little bit Spanish. I’d serve it as a main course for lunch, perhaps accompanied by grilled zucchini or sauteed cherry tomatoes, or alongside grilled fish or roasted chicken for a more substantial meal.
Fruit for dessert is my go-to whenever possible. Lately, I’ve been quite enamored of roasting fruit — especially stone fruit — and letting it caramelize. Here, nearly any variety of plum will do. Choose slightly underripe fruit, then cut it into fat wedges and toss them with a bit of sugar. A quick stint in a hot oven transforms them. To serve, they are placed in a shallow pool of a sauce thatap similar to crème anglaise but is made with cardamom-infused coconut milk instead of dairy cream. Itap not fancy, but it is heavenly.
Fresh Herb and Mozzarella Salad
Try to get super-fresh, soft mozzarella (or fior di latte cows’ milk cheese) and serve it at cool room temperature. The most important thing here is to wait till the very last minute to dress the tender herbs, and then barely dress them. More dressing is drizzled over the mozzarella. For the herb salad (which can feature a medley of herbs, including parsley, watercress, chervil, basil, mint, tarragon, shiso, sunflower sprouts, small red sorrel, purslane, etc), itap important to have some filler, like baby arugula or shredded small lettuce leaves, to support the tender herbs.
By David Tanis
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 loosely packed cups mixed tender herbs (parsley, watercress, chervil, basil, mint, tarragon, shiso, sunflower sprouts, small red sorrel, purslane), washed and blotted dry if necessary
- 3 loosely packed cups baby arugula or other baby greens
- 2 half-pound balls of fresh mozzarella (or 1 pound ciliegini, ovalini or bocconcini)
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
Preparation
1. Put shallot in a small bowl. Add lime juice, a small pinch of salt and a little black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in olive oil.
2. Place herbs in a mixing bowl. Combine with arugula or shredded small lettuce leaves.
3. Cut mozzarella into 1/4-inch thick slices. (Smaller shapes can be halved, if desired.)
4. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon dressing to the mixing bowl. Toss to coat salad very lightly. Arrange dressed leaves on a platter and garnish with radish slices. Surround with mozzarella slices, sprinkling each slice with a tiny bit of salt.
5. Spoon remaining dressing over the mozzarella slices and radishes, and serve immediately.
Risotto With Roasted Peppers and Pecorino
This risotto is sensational made with ripe, late summer sweet peppers. With a touch of saffron and a dash of cayenne, it leans a little Spanish. Serve it a main course, perhaps accompanied by grilled zucchini or sauteed cherry tomatoes. Or have it alongside grilled fish or roast chicken.
By David Tanis
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers or other sweet pepper, such as Corno di Toro
- 2 large yellow or orange bell peppers or other sweet pepper, such as Corno di Toro
- Salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water for at least 10 minutes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups hot chicken or vegetable broth, plus 1 to 2 more cups as needed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
Preparation
1. Roast peppers, blackening the skin well, over flames or under a broiler. When cool, using a small knife, scrape away and discard skin and seeds. Wipe off excess charred spots with a paper towel — do not rinse. Peppers may be roasted a day or two in advance.
2. Cut peeled peppers into 1/2-inch-by-3/4-inch strips and place in a medium bowl. Add a big pinch of salt, then add turmeric, saffron and its water, cayenne and garlic. Mix well and let peppers marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days in advance.
3. Begin the risotto: Set a Dutch oven or wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Keep broth warm in a separate pot. When oil is wavy, add onion and a pinch of salt. Let onion cook, stirring often until well softened and lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the rice to the onion mixture. Turn heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until rice is well coated and sizzling.
5. Add white wine and cook until absorbed, about 1 minute.
6. Add 2 cups hot broth and adjust heat to a brisk simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Add 1 cup broth along with the marinated pepper mixture. Stir well and continue cooking at a brisk simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.
8. Add 1 more cup broth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until rice is cooked through but the grains are still firm. You may need to add a little more broth or cook slightly longer. Keep things a little soupy. Turn off heat.
9. Stir in the butter, grated cheese and the parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl or serve directly from the pot. Pass more cheese at the table.
Roasted Plums With Coconut-Cardamom Cream
An easy and delightful dish of early autumn plums. Any variety will do, but itap best to choose slightly underripe fruit. The sauce is like a crème anglaise but made with cardamom-infused coconut milk instead of dairy cream.
By David Tanis
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 1 hour, 50 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
For the cardamom cream:
- 1 3/4 cups unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (from 1 can)
- 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar
- 10 lightly crushed cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
- 4 egg yolks
For the plums:
- 6 medium-large red plums, any variety (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar
Preparation
1. Warm the coconut milk with the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then turn off heat. Add cardamom and let steep, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
2. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot coconut milk mixture to temper, then pour back into pot. Cook over low heat, stirring, until cream barely thickens, 3 to 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t come to a boil, or eggs will curdle. You will have a thin, pourable custard sauce. Strain and transfer to a liquid measuring cup, cover and refrigerate. (This can be done up to 2 days in advance.)
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the top position of the oven. Cut plums into thick wedges and toss with sugar.
4. Pile sugared wedges in a low-sided 9- or 10-inch ceramic or glass baking dish (or skillet).
5. Bake on top shelf until softened with a crisp sugary top and concentrated plum juices on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, and serve with the chilled cardamom cream.
This article originally appeared in .
