It’s September, friends. So much of this time of year feels like a return – to routine, and, soon, to sweaters that have been tucked away—that, as it’s just getting started I find myself in a mad dash to cling to the dwindling signs of summer. After all, it is a time when certain summer superstars (Tomato, Zucchini, I’m looking at you) are at full crescendo, so the excuse to cook is never far from my reach.
Tomatoes abound in my backyard right now, so have me in the mood to make the this bruschetta (the best, if I do say so myself) and this summer tomato pizza: dishes that call for juicy, fresh tomato as adornment, if not the entire focus, of a simple dish. Like this next-level savory summer tomato crumble. I will undoubtedly be making all manner of marinara this month, from this last-minute no-cook version to this slowly simmered sauce. And what kind of soup lady would I be if I didn’t make this favorite roasted fennel and tomato soup for my family? Or at least toss it in the freezer, the ultimate tool for clinging onto the season.
In fact, I love breaking down summer vegetables to use later by tossing them in the freezer, too. For greens like spinach or other tender veggies like beans, a drop in boiling salted water for a minute or less turns them bright green; after being chilled and dried (or squeezed into small mounds in the case of spinach), I arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer. When solid, I transfer them to a labeled resealable bag and use them in a desperate moment when I either couldn’t make it to the store or forgot to plan dinner – which are two perfect moments for a reminder of summer vibes if you ask me. Braise these frozen veggies into that marinara sauce of yours, or quickly steam or sauté them to serve alongside this whole chicken in the instant pot. The options are endless, so feel free to wander around The Wright Recipes Table of Contents while you consider yours.
Instead of ingredients, stock your freezer with veggies that have been prepared and can be used any which way. These stewed leeks are a future elegant side dish that elevate any flash-in-the-pan weeknight main or could be stirred into a soup or a braise to make it extra special; this peperonata can transform any pasta, pizza or bowl with a single spoonful; these okra and potato pancakes (cooled, then frozen after sizzling in the pan to reheat in the oven later) stretch summer onto a plate through winter, imagining picking okra at my best friend’s Southern garden in the late evening slanted sun. Or grate a ton of zucchini from your garden (or practically given away at the market right now), then make and stash this zucchini bread and these chicken zucchini meatballs in your freezer.
Maybe you’re more into celebrating the fruit that abounds right now – plums and other stone fruit – with a simple upside down cake like this apricot stunner that uses my homemade cake mix from my Cake Magic! cookbook. Or just gather up any of the summer berries you see to throw them a kind of send-off party of their own in this classic summer berry tart.
Thank you all for reading here, it means so much to me that you do. Other ways to support my work include buying my books: Twenty Dollar, Twenty Minute Meals (that has a Spaghetti with Spicy Zucchini Marinara + Fresh Mozzarella pasta in it that I make often this time of year); Cake Magic! (whose Summer Lemon Cake, soaked in a syrup of mixed berries, will keep the summer vibe going); Catalan Food (that taught me about samfaina, the Catalan version of ratatouille, which is perfect to stock your freezer for late summer); and Soup Club (with so many soups that freeze to preserve the produce and mood, but few more than my Farmer’s Market Pistou). It’s not just about produce – though, let’s face it, it basically is – clinging to summer is a feeling, too. It makes me want to sit on a dock and eat these whoopie pies. I hope the recipe I’ve made for subscribers this month – an ice cream that was inspired by music festivals and the ultimate in California cool—brings summer to you anytime you need a fix. See you back here in October, friends, after I hope what is the best end-of-summer party you’ve ever thrown for yourself that leaves you dancing for months.
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