 I think of this recipe as a seasonal bridge. It has a toehold in two worlds: the sunny, light days of summer and the blustery, cooler days of autumn. It is prepared with some of the last fresh tomatoes of the season which are roasted with Yukon Gold potatoes, cumin and even a few thin slices of Meyer lemon. As soon as the vegetables exit the oven they are tossed with a convivial assortment of fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon. I love the earthy stability of the roasted veg and cumin alongside the zippy brightness of the herbs and citrus.
The contrast of fresh herbs against the savory, starchy potatoes is something that always pleases and nourishes me. Herbs to consider include parsley, tarragon, dill or cilantro. Play around with their ratios and customize it to your mood.
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 I love adding fruit to my salsas, both to add nuanced sweetness as well as to temper the dip’s spiciness. When making a fermented salsa the fruit’s natural sugars help to expedite fermentation, which can be helpful as temperatures begin to dip. I’m still able to get both tomatoes, peppers and even stone fruit at the farmers market (one of the big perks of living in California!) so this recipe is a no brainer.
I used a Fresno pepper because it has a robust amount of heat and it is red, which blends nicely with the other colors in the salsa. You can substitute with another chile of choice or omit entirely depending on your heat preference and tolerance.  This is a very simple and delicious way to incorporate end of season tomatoes into a quick and delectable side. Gratins are both a dish and a technique. They are made when you brown the top of a dish often using a combination of breadcrumbs, cheese and egg. I typically find that the filling below the crispy crust is rich and creamy, a wonderful contrast. No complaints here but it's been mild in the San Francisco Bay Area and wanted to do something that was on the lighter, brighter side.
It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of miso and try to incorporate it any which way that I can. By mixing the miso into the panko mixture you are turning up the dial on the flavor, specifically umami. That goes double for adding the Parmesan cheese. For best results, use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes that you can get your hands on. Corn is a bit of a sore subject for me. I grew up on a farm in the Midwest and when corn was in season we would have it every day, often twice a day. I can’t point to a single moment when it happened but after I moved out of my parents house I stopped eating corn. I didn’t make a big deal about it but I would never order anything that contained those crunchy kernels in restaurants.
So, I tell myself that I don’t like corn but I still make and enjoy this recipe. When I first set out to make it I intended it to be like a classic chowder with lots of cream. However, I didn’t want to make a roux so I mulled over ways to thicken it without resorting to flour. Thickening it with both cashews and pureed onions is, in my estimation, a far superior method for two reasons. One, there is very little nutrition that flour offers. With onions you get fiber and a very powerful antioxidant called quercetin. Cashews offer protein and copper. Two, the flavor is boosted by both ingredients, particularly the onions. They enhance the level of umami in the chowder, which balances the sweetness of the corn.  You may not believe it but apples and members of the allium family get along really well. Perhaps because they both share a natural sweetness? I love the flavors that arise from roasting them both. The leeks in particular lend amazing flavors: their sharpness is diminished while their inherent savory flavors are brought to the fore. It’s the sort of flavor that causes you to say “just one more bite” … and you continue to say it 10 bites later. It is impossible for me to make this recipe without stealing a fair bit of their roasted goodness from the pan. You may want to use a large leek…
Have you made agrodolce before? It’s a sassy sauce of Italian origin that can jazz up any and every plain Jane grain, legume or vegetable. Here, the sweet and piquant flavor of the agrodolce is a perfect foil to smooth out the bitterness that the quinoa imparts as well as give a lift to the earthy, roasted produce. |
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