seasonal cooking

Stone Fruit Ricotta Crostinis

Do you ever just need a break from it all? I don’t mean, like, go all Eat Pray Love on me. More like, when you wake up one day and you just have this moment of clarity. You don’t feel like cooking, or thinking about cooking, or writing about cooking, or photographing cooking. And it is summer and you are traveling for weeks on end – work, vacations, weddings, blah blah blah. And so you just don’t.

You hear me? Or is it just me? Well, that’s been my summer so far. And I am perfectly okay with it. I certainly have not sworn off cooking, and I have eaten well, in my home and otherwise.

But today — today we are back. Playing and experimenting and taste testing. It feels good.

I can hardly call this a recipe, but it’s a start. Pack these up for your next picnic or outdoor movie or winery visit. Or serve them at a party. Embrace the art of not cooking.

Stone Fruit Ricotta Crostini

For each person:
2 slices baguette or small ciabatta bread, grilled or toasted
2 tablespoons ricotta
Freshly ground black pepper
About 4 thin slices stone fruit (eg, peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries), peeled if desired
1 slice prosciutto or Serrano ham, if desired, torn into pieces
Honey, balsamic vinegar, arugala, if desired

Spread ricotta on bread. Sprinkle with pepper. If desired, drizzle lightly with honey or balsamic vinegar. Place fruit slices over ricotta. Top with prosciutto. If desired, garnish with arugala, or serve alongside.

Creamy Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

I’m a sucker for all things pumpkin, and I loved the idea of combining it with sausage for a spicy kick. This 2-pot dish came together in under 20 minutes, perfect for a weeknight.

The original recipe called for fennel, which is not my thing; cubed, roasted squash would also be a good addition. I prefer saucier skillet dishes rather than baked, but do what you like. Don’t overseason: the flavors will intensify as the dish cooks.

Creamy Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

Inspired by Leave A Happy Plate
Serves 4-5

1/2 lb whole wheat shell or other short pasta
1/2 lb spicy ground pork sausage
1/2 cup 1% or 2% plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
2/3 cup Half and Half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Red pepper flakes, if desired
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

If you like baked pasta, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and oil, stopping 1 minute early. Drain.

In a large oven-proof skillet, brown and crumble sausage. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk togther yogurt, pumpkin, Half and Half, seasonings and Parmesan.

Toss pasta and sausage in the skillet. Pour sauce on top, stirring to combine. If baking, top with additional Parmesan, if desired, and place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Otherwise, heat on the stove over medium-low heat until heated through.

Chicken with Apple Brandy Sauce (Poulet Vallée d’Auge)

It’s apple season, and I’m in heaven. Last weekend I was finally able to get out to the orchards to pick apples, but I spent the next three days on the road. The apples have been taunting me ever since.

But right now it’s raining, I have nowhere to be, and this recipe was calling to me from my to-do list.

Poulet Vallée d’Auge is a traditional French recipe from the Normandy region (I say that as if I have any idea what that actually means…) combining apples and Calvados, or apple brandy, with chicken and mushrooms. I *love* apples in savory dishes, and this one did not disappoint.

You can pull it off on a weeknight — plan for about 90 minutes of cooking time — but I’d lean toward a crisp fall weekend. Serve with potatoes or rice (or skip the starch altogether, like I did), and green beans.

Poulet Vallée d’Auge

(Chicken and Apples in Brandy Cream Sauce)

Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 small to medium firm-tart apples, peeled, cored, quartered
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 chicken (3 1/2-4 lbs), quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise ¼” thick
2 small or 1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup Calvados (or other apple brandy)
2/3 cup apple cider
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, trimmed, halved
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 large egg yolk

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add apples and cook, turning occasionally, until golden in spots, 10–12 minutes. Transfer apples to a plate and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high and add oil to pot. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook chicken until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to another plate; set aside.

Add leek and shallots to pot; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add Calvados, and ignite with a long match or lighter. After flames die down, return pot to heat and add cider. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Return reserved chicken to pot and add thyme, bay leaf, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer, adding reserved apples back to pot halfway through, until chicken is cooked through, 20–25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and softened, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushrooms to a plate.

Whisk crème fraîche and egg yolk in a small bowl. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and apples to a baking sheet and remove pot from heat. Whisk crème fraîche mixture into cooking liquid in pot. Gently mix in chicken, apples, and mushrooms.