Savor the flavor of early fall bounty

Although we bid farewell to the weekly farmers markets (at least until next spring) we’re still savoring the early fall bounty we snagged on their last day. Our menus have been filled with leafy greens, new sweet potatoes, late corn, crisp apples and lovely lima beans. And I’ve included recipes for a few dishes featuring these fresh ingredients.

Some of the ears of corn had been nibbled a bit by little borers, so they weren’t ideal to serve steamed. Instead, I stripped the kernels from the cob and simmered them with the lima beans, adding just enough minced onion to brighten the flavor of the succotash. There are other versions that call for diced tomato, but I find the acidity dominates and hides the subtle sweetness of the corn. For a decadent variation, stir in some butter and a splash of heavy cream.

Sweet potatoes (except when they’re smashed and smothered with marshmallows) have a rich, almost nutty flavor that’s perfect for the simple salad in the photo. Before baking the potatoes, try to cut out any brown spots, as these will blacken during cooking. Red onion (also known as salad onion) adds a mild bite to balance the soft texture of the potato and beans. I used small, white cannellini beans (because I had some in the cupboard) but you could substitute kidney or black beans for different color combinations. And if you don’t like sweet potatoes, this recipe could also be made with roasted beets, parsnips or golden potatoes.

One of the signatures of fall is the range of apple varieties suddenly available. Even the grocery aisles have more than the tired piles of Delicious (which don’t usually live up to their name). We found lots of choices at the farmers market and, after some debate, decided to bring home a sack of Honeycrisp. By the time Jack asked me to bake an apple pie, I’d eaten all but three small apples - not quite enough for a pie, time to improvise.

I remembered there was a partial bag of previously frozen cherries in the refrigerator. I drained off the excess liquid and tossed them in with the apples and cornstarch (to thicken the juices). To save some calories, I left out the bottom crust and made a healthy crumble top with rolled oats. Mixing the melted butter into the dry ingredients for the topping produces a smoother texture (and avoids dry spots that tend to burn). Although I couldn’t exactly call it a pie, there weren’t any leftovers.

Succotash

1 C fresh lima beans
2 C fresh corn cut from cob
1 T minced onion
1 T butter
1/4 C heavy cream
salt & pepper, to taste

Cook lima beans in boiling water until barely tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Stir in corn, onion, butter and cream. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until corn is cooked, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

Sweet Potato & Bean Salad

2 sweet potatoes
15-oz can cannellini beans
1/3 C minced red onion
1/4 C finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
2 T balsamic vinegar
3 C arugula
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese
toasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-size pieces. Place them in a baking pan, sprinkle with seasoning and toss with olive oil until coated. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes. Rinse and drain the beans and place in a serving bowl with potatoes, onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice and vinegar; drizzle 2/3 over the beans and potato mixture. Toss the salad gently to coat with vinaigrette. Arrange greens on six salad plates and mound sweet potato mixture in the center of each. Garnish with cheese and nuts; drizzle with remaining dressing. Yield: 6 servings.

Apple & Cherry Oat Crumble

Filling:
3 apples, peeled cored and sliced
1 1/2 C pitted cherries (drained, if frozen)
1/3 C sugar
1 T orange juice
1 t orange zest
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T cornstarch

Topping:
1 C oats
1/2 C brown sugar
2/3 C flour
1/4 t allspice
1/2 C butter
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Coat a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour in fruit mixture; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour and allspice. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the vanilla. Gradually add the melted butter to the oat mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Spread the topping over the fruit. Bake until apples are tender and the crust is browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Send comments, questions or recipe ideas to capeflavors@comcast.net.