Still Producing Late Summer Harvests

   Backyard gardens and farmer's markets are still going strong even as summer's waning. Home chefs can still pick a few good tomatoes or find a cucumber or two. It's the second raspberry season too, which means plenty of fun desserts too. There's an ongoing abundance of fresh picked abundance despite  the seasom.

 Regular contributor David Tanis knowss this and put in three delicious recipes in Wednesday's New York Times Food section,.Home chefs can use their own backyard bounty - and those without head to the Farmer's Markets.These will still be going until mid October to early November. They have plenty of bounty from summer harvests. There are still golden ears of corn, ripe, juicy tomaotes and bright peppers. Fruit also abounds and not just apples. You can still buy stone fruit as well as raspberries. Some carry fresh herbs , perfect for adding more flavor to any recipe. Take advantage of what's there. Mr. Tanis suggests three recipes bell pepper salad with capers and olives, followed by the unusual combination of shrimp with pasta and corn.  Dessert is a boozy Prosecco slush, topped with raspberries and spiked with Meyer lemons. It's the perfect late summer weekend meal. You could also get creative and vary the recipe too. 

The bell pepper salad is made with an anchovy dressing, reminiscent of a Piedmonrese favorite, pepe e acciughe, except this version doesn't roast the peppers. It's combining them with  cherry tomatoes and Castelvetrano or Morroccan olives.Anchovies come in the dressing.They're first pulverized with a mortar and pestle and then redwine vinegar, olive oil and red wine vinegar are whisked in. The main course is shrimp with linguine or spaghetti. The shrimp is cooked in a mix of olive oil garlic and scallions. The shrimp is cooked first then the corn is added (you could actually use canned corn for this as opposed to cutting the kernals off the cob). red pepper flakes gives the dish zing, but you can omit them if you find it too spicy. A boozy Prosecco slushie      -  which can be made for just on its own  finishes off the meal. Use a cup of the Italian sparkling wine with a cup of Meyer lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest. freeze for fifteen minutes and then scrape with a fork like granita. Freeze and repeat. Serve with a topping of raspberries and mint leaves if you have them.

There's still a good bounty out there. Take advatange of it and enjoy the taste of fresh fruit and veggies. Go to your farmer's market or  garden  for the best.

Light Sauces For Spring

Our cooking definitely change when Spring arrives. There's a decidedly lighter hand when it comes to preparing meals. Gone are the heavy sauces  and in their place, something lighter and airier. The new sauces work well with the onslaught of greens coming out as well as for holiday meals.

One of the best sauces  for Spring is hollandaise. When done right it's light , airy and frothy. Skip those gunky mixes and make your own. It's a simple mix of butter, egg yolks and lemon. It can work well over asparagus which are now in season or over Eggs Benedict in an Easter brunch. You can also create a low calorie version subbing in light mayo for the eggs. Another idea is just melted butter or margarine mixed with Parmesan cheese. This is the perfect topper for asparagus or even spinach.

One of the best meals for warmer weather is chicken with a white wine sauce. This can be served over rice or Bulgar. It's a simple mix of chicken stock and white wine with the addition of shallots.Try a white wine one with quartered vine ripe tomatoes for a lighter sauce over angel hair or spaghettini. Fish  will be served soon, thanks to Holy Week and Passover . Since the flavor is strong, it too needs a delicate sauce for balance,Try a lemony one , made with fresh squeezed Meyer lemons and dill. The base is butter and chicken broth (surprisingly). Use this sauce for pastas too, especially if you add scallops or shrimp to the dish.

This is the start of cooking light. Try these airy sauces to give your meals a fresh, Spring feel. It's a nice welcome to the season.