Favorite Recipes and Spices for September
Lynley Jones
Ah, September. What a month. Everything’s ripe and ready for the cooking, and finally (blessedly!) it’s not too hot to cook it. In the first half of the month, the last of the peaches, nectarines and plums will say their goodbyes; and at some point this month the apples will arrive (hooray!). Corn is everywhere, good tomatoes are still easy to find, greens are flourishing, and there are peppers a’plenty. But don’t blink, because everything’s about to change.
Cooking Strategies and Spices
In September, there are three things to keep in mind:
1) Use it or lose it
This is IT. The last of summer. Grab on and savor every last bit of it. Stone fruits and tomatoes are here today, but gone tomorrow. If you see something ripe and delicious at the market, grab it NOW. Because tomorrow, next week, next month, everything’s gonna change…
2) Hello, Fall
By the end of this month, it will really and truly be fall. Cooler weather is here, the apples are coming, and right behind them will be the winter squashes. Don’t rush it, but get ready.
3) The return of routine
Yep, back to school. And also, back to “normal” life: reasonable bedtimes, up with the sun, and no more sneaking out early on Friday afternoons. It’s time to hunker down, put your shoes and socks back on and prepare for a little more structure around mealtimes.
September-Friendly Spices
In my house, September is not just about readjusting to routines, it’s also about reacquainting ourselves with the inside of our kitchen. Cooking is starting to happen on the stove and in the oven again, not just on the grill. And with the cooler weather, the warming spices start creeping back into our repertoire. Here are some September cooking faves:
Aleppo Pepper - Packed with flavor and just enough heat to warm things up nicely. An easy sprinkle to help finish off grilling season and round the corner into fall.
Bay Leaves - As we re-enter the season of stovetop and oven cooking, bay leaves start making frequent appearances in sauces, soups and stews. A quintessential addition to so many things.
Cumin - The champion spice of all those Mexican dishes that make brilliant use of the things in season right now: corn, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and so much more.
Sumac and Sage Seasoning - My own versatile blend that makes it easy to get dinner on the table and get on with things in this busy season. The sumac brings a bright citrusy note that plays nicely against the herbal depth of sage.
Fave September recipes
Below are my favorite recipes for September. Lots of solid ideas for getting back into a school schedule: weeknight dinners, kid-friendly lunches, reliable breakfasts. Plus, recipes to make good use of seasonal ingredients, like the last of the fresh tomatoes (sigh), and those first glorious apples.
Weeknight Dinners
Easy baked chicken with the sweet tang of apricot juice and Worcestershire umami. Super simple prep, then nearly all the cooking time is hands-off.
Ground beef and Swiss chard simmered together in beer, then combined with gruyere cheese in a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and more cheese.
Vegetables layered with corn tortillas, roasted chiles, pureed tomatoes, Mexican crema and a little shredded chicken. Serve with beans or refried beans.
Crispy fried tostadas with hot, creamy beans and crunchy cold toppings. Like a gourmet party-salad on an edible plate - easy and delicious casual dinner, lunch or snack.
Pork chops seared and braised on the stovetop in white wine and herbs. Simple enough for a weeknight, but sophisticated enough for any occasion.
Kid-Friendly Lunches
Super simple and tasty applesauce spiced with cinnamon. You don’t even need to peel the apples!
Rice bowls made with shredded Chicken Adobo and sauce on top of garlicky brown rice with spinach, spring onions, cilantro, Aleppo pepper and toasted almonds.
Chicken, avocados, tomatoes and cilantro rolled up with a black bean spread. Simple-but-fun recipe kids can make for their own lunches.
Beer-simmered seasoned ground beef and refried beans rolled into a burrito with cheese and herbs. You can make it ahead and freeze it. Or heck, just eat it now.
Named "miracle" tuna by my son's elementary school friends, who said it was a "miracle" because every kid loved it - even kids who didn't like tuna!
No-Nonsense Breakfasts
Half the flour in this recipe is whole wheat flour. This makes for a more substantial breakfast, without dramatically changing the taste. You can make a big batch and rewarm them for a quick, nourishing breakfast during the week.
My foolproof method for making smoothies. Berries, yogurt and milk, plus extras if you want!
Sweet, juicy peaches with basil and a hint of cinnamon, mounded onto mascarpone-slathered sourdough toast.
Coconutty rolled oats topped with blueberries and bananas make for one of the most delicious (and healthiest) ways to start your day. Best of all, it cooks in 5 minutes.
Nubby steel-cut oats spiked with cinnamon, drizzled with maple syrup, and topped with fruit and nuts of your choice.
…September-friendly ideas from 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning:
Grilled zucchini, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes and red peppers seasoned with Sumac and Sage seasoning, tossed with pasta and showered with grated pecorino-Romano and minced herbs. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
Vegetarian kabobs made with Indian paneer cheese, which grills without melting! Macerate everything in a Sumac and Sage blend sauce with Aleppo pepper, then dollop more sauce on the finished kabobs before serving. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
Grilled corn on the cob dressed with Sumac and Sage seasoning and other spices, then topped with shredded parmesan and minced parsley. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
More September recipe ideas…
A spicy Indian-style curry that uses the whole beet plant from root to leaf. Caramelized beet cubes sauteed along with their stems and leaves in a mixture of onions, garlic, ginger, chiles and Indian spices, and served over spiced yogurt.
Caramelized eggplant, sauteed with preserved lemon, leeks and herbs. Funky, spunky and addictive.
Macerated apples baked into a rustic tart and served with a sweet brown butter sauce infused with thyme.
Carrots, celery, corn, herbs, and whatever else you bring home from the farmer’s market, simmered with chicken and alphabet noodles.
Salsa made from garlic, roasted tomatoes and serrano chiles, ground together in a molcajete (mortar and pestle) and served warm.
Miles of mangoes and flaky puff pastry make for a fairly simple but impressive dessert, especially when topped with homemade Cajeta de Leche.
The classic French dish, with succulent chicken bathed in a rich, golden broth. All those cloves of garlic turn creamy, mild and spreadable in the slow oven braise. Be sure to have lots of crusty French bread nearby to sop up every last drop.
Swiss chard sauteed with onions and garlic, a pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes and sumac.
A South Indian approach combining thinly-sliced green beans with coconut, Indian spices and a hint of chile.
Tacos filled with grilled summer veggies for your next party - or for dinner tonight.
Tomatillos and chiles roasted together and blended with onions and cilantro. This green salsa is cool, crisp, spicy and a little tangy, perfect on tacos or tostadas, or dolloped on fried or scrambled eggs.
Creamy, cheesy, pasta-y and really doesn't take much longer than the boxed version.
Sweet or spicy Italian-style sausages, braised in a little beer with soft, sweet peppers and onions. Easy weeknight dinner or football-watching crowd-pleaser.
Pasta with ricotta cheese, sauteed Tuscan kale, cherry tomatoes and lots of love. Quick, satisfying weeknight dinner or side.
Juicy tomatoes, grilled corn kernels, red onions and cilantro, with a squeeze of lime and just a hint of mild pepper. Simple to make and full of flavor (plan to lick the bowl).
A seasonal vegetarian crowd-pleaser of a soup that is a super-delicious meal in a bowl.
Grilled pizza topped with grilled summer veggies - zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, peppers and herbs - strewn over herbed goat cheese that's been slathered onto crisp pizza crust.
Cutting the kale into thin chiffonade helps it to mingle with all the other flavors and textures of this delicious salad.
Gorgeous greens combine with earthy cremini mushrooms and the zing of red pepper flakes. Delicious on their own, with scrambled or fried eggs, on a tomato or steak sandwich, or scattered on top of Grilled Pizza.
More from Adventure Kitchen:
Some of my favorite recipes to get back in the swing of things: breakfasts to feel good about, lunchbox options, and weeknight dinners you can get on the table without losing your mind.
Two types of recipes to lighten the load in an insanely busy time of year: 30 minutes or less; or over 30 minutes but easy and partially unattended.
All our best Adventure Kitchen recipes for fall. The air is brisk, the leaves are falling, the apples are plentiful and we’ve got some cooking to do.
This post was originally published in September, 2020.
tags recipes, spices, seasonal, Sumac and Sage Seasoning, paprika, bay leaves, cumin, whole cumin, Ground Cumin, September
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