September 16—October 31
Early fall is the most transitional of seasons. Even though autumn officially begins around September 20, in many years summer weather stretches well into October. Yes, late September can bring refreshingly cool days and downright chilly nights. But, often, we’ll get a stretch of Indian summer with days in the 80s and 90s that feel like August.
In fields and gardens, early fall announces itself with subtle signs. The leaves on corn stalks turn from green to golden. Tomato vines planted in May start showing their age with leaves that curl and yellow. Growth and production gradually slows.
As the season progresses, shorter and shorter days have us getting up in the dark and eating dinner as the night falls. For our deciduous trees, less daylight slows chlorophyll production, turning green leaves yellow, gold, and fiery red.
In the garden, we’re at a culinary crossroads. Late September is the height of season for Mediterranean vegetables and herbs such as tomatoes, basil, eggplant, peppers, and zucchini. We’ll harvest and enjoy them daily, especially cooked together in stews like ratatouille or ciambotta. But here in the Mid-Atlantic, the first week of October has us anxiously studying the weather report for the lowest predicted nighttime temperatures. When the forecast predicts nights below 40°F, we’re out in the evening covering vegetable and herb beds with plastic sheeting and old blankets to protect our tender plants from frost.
Cool tolerant brassicas, such as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, can survive a light frost and often taste better for it. Root vegetables are protected from the cold by the soil they grow in. These will be our mainstay vegetables as we move into late fall.
So let’s start the early fall season with with some recipes featuring both summer and fall vegetables in hearty, satisfying dishes.
Dijon Chicken with Autumn Vegetables—Plus!
Mustard-glazed chicken breasts with a crunchy, golden breadcrumb topping bake on a bed of diced potatoes, peppers, onions, chickpeas, and broccoli for a quick and easy sheet tray meal. But the best is yet to come! Think like a pro by making extra portions and turning them into two very different and delicious lunches: Chicken and Autumn Vegetable Minestrone and Caribbean Chicken Wrap sandwiches. You get three recipes in one.
Grilled Sausage with Italian Ratatouille and Crispy Polenta Wedges
Sizzling sausages right off the grill nestle in a savory vegetable stew featuring early autumn vegetables. Zucchini, peppers, onions, and eggplant simmered in a garlicky, Italian-herbed tomato sauce make a subtle change from the standard ratatouille. Accent the dish with crispy fried polenta wedges for a satisfying meal on a cool autumn night.
