The end of summer means many things to me: Labor Day barbecues, back-to-school excitement, shorter days and ... loads of tomatoes. Yes, I’m talking tomatoes -- cherry tomatoes, to be exact. It's the time of year when the garden is lobbing bushels of vegetables at us faster than a tennis ball machine, and it’s all that we can do to keep up.

Our tomato plants have chugged along this summer in a cooler-than-usual climate, and suddenly seem to have picked up steam in a last-minute hurrah to the end of summer. The bushes are heavy with red and yellow fruit begging to be picked. We oblige and pop them into our mouths and pile them into bowls for snacking. The best way to eat a ripe cherry tomato is straight up and warm from the vine, in my opinion. It’s nature's candy at its best.

Yet, there are only so many tomatoes that can be munched on or tossed into salads in a day. That’s when it's time to get creative with the bounty, and this recipe does just that. It’s a light and simple dinner that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, and most important, it lets the cherry tomato shine.

Linguine With Cherry Tomatoes and Lemony Breadcrumb Gremolata

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Breadcrumb Gremolata:

1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pasta:

1 pound linguine or spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Prepare the gremolata: Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet until light golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Add the parsley, cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to collapse and release their juices but still retain their shape, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with the salt and pepper, and then taste for additional seasoning.

Add the linguine to the skillet and stir to coat. Add half of the gremolata and toss to combine. If the pasta is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to moisten slightly. You don’t want the pasta to be gloopy.

Divide the pasta among serving plates and sprinkle with the remaining gremolata. Garnish with the basil, if using. Serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Here’s the thing: It’s fun to eat with your fingers. Skewering puts the fun in food, taking ordinary recipes and sticking it to them (pun intended), along with an assortment of dipping sauces -- because dipping a stick in a sauce is half the fun of eating food on a skewer. It’s a lively presentation inviting interaction, and it’s also a great way to encourage your kids to eat their food, or to feed a crowd with do-ahead cocktail party bites.

These Asian-spiced morsels take the humble, comforting meatball (a consistent crowd-pleaser in its own right) and ramps it up with a sweet and spicy blend of ground turkey, ginger, cilantro and garlic. They are fragrant and addictively good, perfect for entertaining or family food. Paired with a sweet-and-sour chili sauce for dipping or drizzling, they are guaranteed to be gobbled up.

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Chili Sauce

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Makes about 20 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs

Meatballs:

2 pounds lean ground turkey

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 scallions, white parts finely chopped, green parts thinly sliced and reserved for garnish

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red jalapeno chili pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chili Sauce:

1 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (red chili paste)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Vegetable oil for pan frying

Combine all of the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl and mix without overmixing. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls (wet your hands from time to time to prevent sticking). Arrange on a plate, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.

Prepare the chili sauce: Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cool to room temperature.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in one layer without overcrowding and flatten slightly. Cook until brown on both sides and thoroughly cooked through the center, 6 to 8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Spear the meatballs with small skewers. Garnish with the green scallions. Serve with the Chili Sauce for dipping or drizzling.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

There is a magical window of time when fresh figs are abundant, and now is the time. Soft and fragrant, fresh figs are oh-so-ethereal to eat. Their flavor is delicate yet nuanced. Depending on the variety, they can be sweet and winey, honeyed or grassy.

Black Mission figs are the smallest -- dark and furtively sweet. Brown Turkey figs are larger, striated in brown and yellow, and pleasingly sweet like honey. Calimyrna figs are perhaps the prettiest -- green and golden like wheatgrass, with a nutty vegetal flavor.

When figs are ripe, they are luscious to eat straight up, but if you are lucky to have too many, then layer them into sandwiches and salads, or perch them atop pizzas and bruschetta.

This salad is studded with Brown Turkey figs, and fortified with farro grains, feta cheese and pistachios for the right balance of sweet, salt and heft. If you prefer a leafier salad, then halve the amount of farro.

Fig and Farro Salad With Feta and Mint

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Serves 4

1/2 cup semi-pearled farro

1 1/2 cups water

Dressing:

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 to 4 ounces baby arugula

1/2 small radicchio head, shredded

6 Brown Turkey figs, stemmed and quartered

2 ounces crumbled feta or fresh goat cheese

1/4 cup mint leaves, torn if large

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios

Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

Cook the farro: Combine the farro and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and cool the farro to room temperature.

Make the dressing: Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the oil in a steady stream, whisking to emulsify.

Assemble the salad: Combine the arugula and radicchio in a serving bowl. Scatter the farro over the salad and top with the figs, cheese and mint. Drizzle some of the dressing and gently toss to combine. Add more dressing to your taste. Garnish with the pistachios and lemon zest and serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS