Six Seasons

by Joshua McFadden

  Once the noodles are properly cooked, add the remaining basil, a healthy drizzle of olive oil, and the butter. Take the pan off the heat and toss, toss, toss. Taste and adjust your seasoning. Serve as is, or with a handful of breadcrumbs and a shower of grated Parmigiano.

  Tomato Soup with Arugula, Torn Croutons, and Pecorino

  Play with other herbs, such as some rosemary instead of the thyme, as well as adding fresh basil, mint, or parsley. Parmigiano can take the place of the pecorino, or skip the cheese altogether to keep this vegan. You can serve this soup cold or warm, and it freezes well, so make a triple batch and freeze some to have a taste of summer when the snow falls again.

  » Serves 4 as a cup, 2 as a bowl

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  1 medium onion, thinly sliced

  2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  1 teaspoon thyme leaves

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  2½ pounds red tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges

  A few shakes of hot sauce, such as Sriracha

  2 handfuls arugula, large stems trimmed off

  1 cup Torn Croutons

  Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating

  Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Season lightly with salt and cook until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes (you are not looking for color; this is called “sweating”).

  Add the tomatoes, increase the heat a bit, cover the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes to get the tomato juices flowing.

  Pour the whole mixture—or in batches—into a blender or food processor and process to make a smooth puree. Blend in the hot sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper.

  To serve, pour some soup into a deep bowl, toss in a handful of arugula and some torn croutons. Grate some pecorino over the top and finish with a couple of twists of pepper and a nice drizzle of olive oil.

  MORE WAYS:

  Make a quick cioppino: Add 2 cups of mixed seafood—such as peeled and deveined shrimp, scallops, chunks of halibut, or cooked crabmeat—to the hot soup and simmer just until cooked. Omit the arugula and pecorino, and finish with lemon.

  Build a heartier soup: Fold in cooked white beans, sliced cooked sausage, and a handful of torn basil leaves.

  Add complexity: Include a roasted red pepper with the tomatoes and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika when you add the thyme.

  Grilled Green Tomatoes with Avocado, Feta, and Watermelon

  Make this dish at the end of the summer, when you or your neighbors have a lot of green tomatoes around and the melons are still sweet. I love to throw purslane into salads whenever I find it at the market or in my garden. If you can’t find purslane (though it’s probably growing in your yard, really), make this salad anyway.

  » Serves 4

  4 medium green tomatoes, cored and halved through the equator

  1 bunch scallions, trimmed (including ½ inch off the green tops), sliced on a sharp angle

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes

  4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  1 firm-ripe avocado, halved and pitted

  Two 1-inch-thick slices watermelon (or if your watermelon has a small diameter, use 3 or 4 slices), flesh cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

  1 small handful basil leaves (use a variety, if you can)

  1 small handful mint leaves

  1 small handful purslane sprigs (tough ends and stems snapped or cut off; optional)

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  1 cup diced feta cheese

  Heat a cast-iron skillet (or a grill) until it’s very hot. Place the tomatoes cut side down in the skillet (you might have to do this in batches) and sear them until they are slightly softened and the surface is nicely charred, about 5 minutes. Let them cool slightly.

  Add the scallions to the pan (or grill) and do the same with them, cooking until softened and charred around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes, turning once or twice.

  Cut the tomatoes into chunks, cut the scallions in half, and pile them both into a large bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, the chile flakes, and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and toss gently.

  Using a spoon, scoop out curls of the avocado and drop them into the bowl. Add the watermelon chunks, basil, mint, and purslane and toss again gently. Season with the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup olive oil. Taste and adjust with more salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or vinegar. Finish by sprinkling the feta chunks over the top and drizzling on another shot of olive oil.

  In the field Purslane is a weed that grows in abundance this time of year, though you may never have noticed it before. It’s also a superfood, extremely high in vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, minerals, and loads of omega-3 fatty acids.

  Tomato Conserva

  Who knew that tomato paste could be exciting? That’s essentially what conserva is, but because you’re making it with fresh tomatoes at their peak, good olive oil, and care and attention, the result is like no canned tomato paste you’ve ever had. Deep and sweet with just a hint of caramelized sugars, a big batch of conserva is an excellent preserve to make when you’re feeling crafty.

  » Makes about 2 cups

  About 8 pounds tomatoes

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  Core the tomatoes and roughly chop them. Pile into a large pot, preferably one with a wide surface, which will speed up cooking. Add ¼ cup olive oil and bring to a boil over high heat.

  Reduce the heat to medium or whatever temperature keeps the tomatoes simmering (you need to be careful not to scorch the tomatoes on the bottom) and cook until you’ve got the consistency of tomato sauce, 30 to 50 minutes. Work the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the skins and seeds. If you don’t have a food mill, you can do this by pressing the tomatoes through a fine-mesh sieve or very fine colander, but a food mill makes the job much easier.

  Heat the oven to 300°F. Oil a rimmed baking sheet (a 13 x 18-inch half-sheet pan or two smaller pans), a couple of 9 x 13-inch baking dishes, or a large Dutch oven.

  Add the conserva and bake until the consistency goes from liquidy to a thick puree, about 3 hours. You’ll need to tend to the conserva several times during cooking because the tomato close to the edges will brown more quickly. Use a heatproof silicone spatula to move the tomato from the edges of the pans into the center (and vice versa) to promote even cooking and create deep flavors.

  Reduce the heat to 200°F and bake slowly for as long as you can, even overnight. You won’t need to give the conserva as much attention at this point, but you should check it now and then anyway. The finished conserva should be very thick, like tomato paste, and deeply tomatoey.

  You can freeze in small freezer bags, or put into jars and refrigerate, or even can in a pressure-canner (follow the instructions in a good canning manual).

  Season Five

  Fall

  Bittersweet. That’s fall in a nutshell. Leaves are dropping, along with the temperatures, and the lush plants bursting with life such a short time ago look all used up.

  Yet after summer’s frenetic growth, I can’t help but welcome fall’s slower pace. I’m ready to be indoors, spending a little longer by the warm stove, braising the fall crop of artichokes, roasting the last of the chiles, and sautéing a fresh haul of mushrooms, newly emerged after a rain. Vegetables that love the cold—like Brussels sprouts and braising greens—are coming into their prime, sweetened by the cold nights and occasional fall frosts that encourage sugar development. Roots are sweeter now as well. I do still serve some fall vegetables raw, especially those first Brussels sprouts and kale leaves. But I’m more likely now than in early months to turn up the stove and transform the vegetables with heat.

  Recipes of Fall

  Roasted Beet
, Citrus, and Olive Salad with Horseradish

  Roasted and Smashed Beets with Spiced Green Sauce

  Roasted Beets and Carrots with Couscous, Sunflower Seeds, Citrus, and Feta

  Raw Brussels Sprouts with Lemon, Anchovy, Walnuts, and Pecorino

  Brussels Sprouts with Pickled Carrots, Walnuts, Cilantro, and Citrus Vinaigrette

  Gratin of Brussels Sprouts, Gruyère, and Prosciutto

  Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Vinaigrette

  Farro and Roasted Carrot Salad with Apricots, Pistachios, and Whipped Ricotta

  Grated Carrot Salad with Grilled Scallions, Walnuts, and Burrata

  Burnt Carrots with Honey, Black Pepper, Butter, and Almonds

  Carrot Pie in a Pecan Crust

  Rainbow Chard with Garlic and Jalapeños

  Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Chiles

  Swiss Chard, Leek, Herb, and Ricotta Crostata

  Shaved Collard Greens with Cashews and Pickled Peppers

  Collards with Freekeh, Hazelnuts, and Grapes

  Stewed Collards with Beans and a Parmigiano Rind

  The Kale Salad That Started It All

  Wilted Kale, Alone or Pickled on Cheese Toast

  Kale Sauce with Any Noodle

  Colcannon with Watercress Butter

  Kale and Mushroom Lasagna

  Double-Mushroom Toast with Bottarga

  Roasted Mushrooms, Gremolata-Style

  Mushrooms, Sausage, and Rigatoni

  Sautéed Mushrooms and Mussels in Cream on Sliced Steak

  Crispy Mushrooms with Green Herb Mayonnaise

  Beets (Late Season)

  By fall, beets have been in the ground for a few months, growing large and luscious. While small spring beets are great for tossing into dishes whole or halved, the big bruisers are perfect for chunking up and roasting. A roasted beet salad using deep magenta Bull’s Blood beets mixed with golden beets is a glorious thing.

  It’s all about the root. What I don’t see as much of in fall, however, are beet greens. They’re generally a bit tired and beaten up by this time, and may not make it to the market, so I focus on roots-only dishes this time of year. To balance out their earthy sweetness, I like to pair fall beets with sharp accent flavors like citrus, hot chiles, and horseradish—a fellow underground denizen.

  Weather watch. Be cautious about late-season beets if your region has been really hot in the preceding summer months—the beets can be a touch woody or fibrous, though still sweet.

  Ready and waiting. Like all root vegetables, beets are good keepers—under the right conditions. Don’t have a root cellar? Your fridge is fine, but beets need some humidity to keep from getting squishy, so just wrap them lightly in plastic and tuck them in the crisper drawer.

  Roasted Beet, Citrus, and Olive Salad with Horseradish

  Italians like to make a simple citrus salad with red onion and olives, and that’s the root of the idea here. The color of the beets bleeds into the citrus segments and looks so pretty. The horseradish functions as a catalyst, bringing all the flavors together in a surprisingly delicious way.

  » Serves 4

  1½ pounds beets (a mix of colors if possible)

  Kosher salt

  1 navel orange or 2 smaller tangerines, satsumas, or other sweet citrus

  1 lime

  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  ¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes

  ⅓ cup roughly chopped pitted black and green olives

  1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

  ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  A couple of inches fresh horseradish root

  Heat the oven to 375°F.

  Trim the top and bottom of the beets and rinse the beets to remove any mud or grit. Cut any large beets so that they are all about the same size.

  Put the beets in a baking dish that’s large enough to accommodate all of them in a single layer. Season with some salt and pour ¼ cup water into the dish. Cover tightly with foil and steam-roast until the beets are fully tender when pierced with a knife. Depending on the size and density of the beets, this could take between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

  When the beets are cool enough to handle, slide off the skins with your fingers or peel them off with a paring knife. Cut the beets into whatever jolly shape you like—wedges, chunks, rounds—and pile them into a large bowl. Keep them warm.

  Segment the orange, reserving the juice. Using the same method, peel the lime, but don’t segment it. Once you’ve cut away the peel and pith, slice the lime crosswise into thin rounds.

  Whisk together the reserved orange juice, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and chile flakes. Pour over the warm beets and toss. Let them sit and absorb the dressing for a few minutes, then toss again. Add the olives, parsley, onion, orange segments (and any accumulated juices), and lime slices and toss. Drizzle in a healthy glug of olive oil and toss again. Do a final taste.

  If you have time, chill the salad for about 1 hour (or as long as overnight) before serving. Taste the dressing and adjust the vinegar, salt, and chile flakes until the flavor is quite zesty.

  To serve, grate a fine layer of horseradish onto each serving plate. Pile a portion of beet salad on top, and then finish with another nice showering of finely grated horseradish.

  Roasted and Smashed Beets with Spiced Green Sauce

  A warm beet is a wonderful thing, which is one reason I love this dish. The other reason is the smashing. The texture produced allows the addictive herb-laden sauce to integrate right into the beet flesh. If you don’t have early-season beets, older storage beets are fine, too, but peel them before roasting.

  » Serves 4

  8 small to medium beets (about 1½ pounds)

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  Spiced Green Sauce

  Heat the oven to 375°F.

  Trim and scrub the beets (or peel them if the skins are tough). If necessary, cut large ones in half or quarters to make them all about the same size. Toss them in a bowl with a small glug of olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.

  Arrange the beets in a baking dish or a cast-iron skillet, cover the pan with foil, and roast until the beets are almost fully tender, 35 to 55 minutes, depending on the size and freshness of the beets.

  Take off the foil and keep roasting until the beets are completely tender and have taken on a nice roasty texture, another 10 to 12 minutes.

  When the beets are cooked and completely tender, smash them by pressing firmly but gently on each one with the bottom of a juice glass, measuring cup, or other flat object. You want to crush the beets to the point where they are still holding a roughly spherical shape but the tops are cracked and craggy, so that the sauce will penetrate in a most delicious way.

  Arrange the beets on a serving platter—or serve right from the skillet if that looks good—and spoon the spiced green sauce over the tops. Serve warm or at room temperature.

  Roasted Beets and Carrots with Couscous, Sunflower Seeds, Citrus, and Feta

  Roasted roots love to play together, and especially beets and carrots, which are the sweetest. A tangy dressing and briny cheese bring delicious tension to the dish.

  » Serves 4 to 6

  1 pound beets (a mix of colors if possible)

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  ½ pound carrots (a mix of colors if possible), cut into thick coins

  ½ pound onions, shallots, or a mix, cut into chunks

  ½ cup Citrus Vinaigrette, plus more if needed

  1 cup Israeli couscous

  1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

  1 large sprig thyme

  ½ teaspoon dri
ed chile flakes

  ½ cup salted roasted sunflower seeds

  1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves

  ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

  Heat the oven to 450°F.

  Trim the top and bottom of the beets, peel them, and cut into bite-size chunks. Toss with a small glug of olive oil, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Toss the carrots and onions with a glug of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread everything on a rimmed baking sheet and add to the oven. Roast all the vegetables until tender and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes more. Pile the roasted vegetables into a bowl and toss with ½ cup citrus vinaigrette.

  Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the couscous, garlic, thyme, and chile flakes. Cook according to the package directions. Drain and remove the thyme sprig and garlic clove. Let cool.

  Add the couscous, sunflower seeds, and cilantro to the vegetables and gently toss everything together. Taste and season with more vinaigrette, salt, black pepper, and chile flakes until the salad is nicely balanced and zingy. Crumble the feta over the top and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

  Brussels Sprouts

  At long last, most people have discovered that when you cook them right (i.e., don’t boil them into oblivion), Brussels sprouts are nuggets of sweet, nutty flavor.

  Tiny cabbages. Much of a sprout’s sweetness comes from riding in and out of warm—but not hot—days and cool nights. Frost makes them super sweet, but too much heat makes them bitter. Sprouts are essentially tiny cabbages, so choose those that look like a good cabbage should—tightly closed and firm. The size itself doesn’t really affect the flavor.