It's the best time of year to cook and eat

My yearly reminder that you should be preserving summer’s bounty.

The shoulder season between summer and fall is arguably the best time of year to cook and eat. Farmers’ markets are still overflowing with all of the produce that makes summer worthwhile, but they’re starting to be joined by all the things I’d more closely associate with fall. It’s still warm enough to be outside without a jacket, but cool enough that you don’t sweat when you turn on your oven. Being in New York this time of year feels like a reward for muscling through the long, sticky days that are common in the summer. We made it through, we’ve earned this.

Each year in the last few stretches of summer, I spend some time combing the markets, texting with farmers, and cooking down my favorite vegetables to store in my freezer. A few years ago, I published the Lazy Person’s Guide to Preserving Summer Produce and it's a playbook I pull from every season. What I freeze depends on what I've been cooking and eating. Corn and green beans were particularly prevalent on my summer menus, so I cut kernels off the cob to freeze for easy access, and packed as many fistfuls of green beans in a gallon bag as I could.

I also focused on the idea of a base — something I can pull out and depending on my mood, take it in a few different directions. I’ve always made a tomato sauce base, but this year I also made tomato confit, a green herb base, and an eggplant-tomato base. These aren’t meals on their own, but they provide a foundation that’s better than anything I can buy in a store.  

Packing your freezer takes planning, time, and usually means doing the dishes a lot more than you usually do, but I can guarantee you that come winter, you’ll be glad you took the time to think ahead.

P.S. Next week, I will be sending another post for paid subscribers featuring a few great recipes to use the last bit of late summer produce. Look out for a charred salsa from my mom, giardiniera from my dad, and a corn pizza inspired by my friend Diane. Subscribe to get the recipes!

it's sauce season

The lazy person’s guide to saving summer produce

Easy tomato confit

Tomato & eggplant galette

Eggplant-tomato base

This is *very* loosely based on Alison' Roman’s Roasted Eggplant Pasta, but mostly for the framework. Use this as a base to make pasta sauces, a caponata-ish spread, or as a pizza topping. Makes about 2 pints.

3 lbs globe eggplant, sliced ¼–½”  thick

¾ - 1 cup plus two tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Cracked pepper

1 head of garlic, cloves thinly sliced

1 lb cherry or small tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange the eggplant on 2 sheet trays, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 3/4 cup olive oil. Use your hands to gently mix and make sure the slices are nicely dressed with oil. I somehow always miss some, so if there are any dry-looking slices, use a bit more oil. Roast the eggplant for 40 minutes, flipping the eggplant halfway through cooking. If any slices look like they’re burning during the cooking process, remove so they don’t burn too much.

While the eggplant is cooking, cook the tomatoes. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft and nicely toasted, about 2-3 minutes. They can go from soft to crisp very quickly, so stir occasionally and keep an eye out. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste turns a dark red and the tomatoes start to break down, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Once the eggplant is done, add it to the pot with the tomatoes and stir so it all melts together. To save for later, divide into a few containers and let cool. Pop into the freezer when mostly cool.

Green Sauce Base

This recipe has only enough olive oil to help emulsify the herbs. Use this to make a many herb pesto, as the base for a chimichurri, or swirl into soups like a pistou. Makes about 2 pints.

1 large bunch lacinato kale, leaves torn away from rubs

2 large bunches parsley, leaves and stems roughly chopped

2 large bunches basil, leaves separated from branches

Salt

Olive oil

Bowl with ice and water

Pot with lid

Food processor or immersion blender

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the herbs and cook for about 30-45 seconds. When the herbs are done, toss them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. It’s ok if you have to work in batches.

Remove the herbs from the water and squeeze as much water out as possible and add to a food processor. Add a small amount of olive oil - only enough to help emulsify the herbs. Start with less than you think and add more as needed. You want this to be more of a paste than a liquid — it’s ok if you add more oil though, you’ll just add less later.

Save in small containers so you only need to take out as much as you need for 1-2 meals.

Tomato oil vinaigrette

If after packing away your confit tomatoes, you have some leftover oil, turn it into an insanely delicious salad dressing.

1 cup leftover olive oil from confit tomatoes - there will likely be tomato seeds, pulp, and other delicious bits left in the oil. Make sure you grab that as well.

7 tablespoons red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or a mix of both

2 tablespoons grated garlic

Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Scoop of mustard, about 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian herbs

Kosher salt, to taste

Add everything to a mason jar or bottle with a tight lid. Shake vigorously. I like to let it sit for a bit before use, but you can use right away. Keep in the fridge.