This luscious fruit crisp is a perfect dessert for an early fall evening. Look to September’s harvest and gather late-season stone fruit and autumnal pears for this homey baked dessert. Then fortify the filling and topping with dried fruit and nuts for extra substance, sweetness and texture.

The key to a good fruit crisp is to combine a bounty of fruits at their peak in flavor, enhanced with a dusting of sugar and spice. Use a light hand with the sugar; let the fruit do the heavy lifting to sweeten the dish. The topping should be crisp and crumbly, not cloyingly sweet. Add oats and nuts for a hearty, crunchy texture. (This is why the dessert is called a crisp and not a crumble. A crumble does not include oats and relies on flour to create a clumpier topping.) For a garnish, add a simple dollop of gently sweetened whipped cream to complement the luscious fruit.

This recipe is forgiving, so rely on it as a template. You can switch in other fruits or berries to your taste, but try to provide a variety of textures and color. Ideally, use a vessel that allows for a deep, evenly distributed layer of fruit. Spread a thick layer of streusel topping evenly over the filling. The streusel can be made gluten-free by substituting gluten-free oats or quinoa oats and using a gluten-free flour blend. You can also make a double batch of the topping and refrigerate it for up to one week or freeze for up to one month for a future crisp.

Pear and Plum Crisp With Walnut Streusel

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Streusel Topping:

1 cup regular or gluten-free oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut in cubes

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons Calvados or Poire Williams brandy (optional)

Filling:

5 ripe but still firm pears, such as Bartlett, Bosc or Anjou, peeled and cored, cut in 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

8 pitted dried prunes, thickly sliced

4 plums, cut in bite-size pieces

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Prepare the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the topping ingredients except the butter and nuts. Pulse once or twice to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter pieces are pea-sized, 3 to 4 pulses. Transfer the streusel to a bowl and stir in the walnuts. Cover and refrigerate until use.

Prepare the whipped cream: Beat the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer with a wire whisk until thickened. Add the sugar and brandy, if using. Continue to beat until soft peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until use. (The cream can be made up to 3 hours in advance. Refrigerate until use.)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pears in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice (this will prevent them from discoloring). Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon the fruit into a 2- to 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Spread the streusel evenly over the top and around the edges.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the crisp is bubbly, the pears are soft and the topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Remove and cool slightly to allow the flavors to develop and the filling to set. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

While you might call this salad a side dish, it deserves to be the main attraction. It’s a sumptuous platter composed of roasted carrots, baby arugula and bright herbs scattered over a bed of toasted pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous). Each component is given respect.

The extra step of toasting the couscous lends a golden, nutty flavor to the bowl, which ripples with spice. The natural sweetness of the carrots is amplified by roasting the roots to crisp tenderness. Wisps of baby arugula weave throughout the salad, adding a peppery bite, and an herbaceous shower of garden herbs adds leafy freshness.

If possible, use rainbow carrots to add more color to the salad. Make sure the carrots are even in thickness, so they will cook at the same rate. You can halve them lengthwise or cut them in half crosswise on the diagonal. Many herbs will work in this salad, such as dill, chervil, mint, parsley and cilantro. Use what you like.

Roasted Carrot Salad With Arugula and Pearl Couscous

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous

1 1/2 cups water

Kosher salt

1 clove garlic, grated

1 small red jalapeno pepper, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper) -- optional

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 to 1 1/2 pounds thin rainbow carrots, ends trimmed, peeled

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups baby arugula

1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving

1/3 cup chopped herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, chervil

2 to 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Add the couscous and toast over medium heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the couscous to a bowl. Drizzle with a little oil if sticky, then add the garlic, jalapeno or cayenne pepper (if using), the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, cumin and coriander. Let stand at room temperature while you roast the carrots.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the carrots in a large bowl. Lightly drizzle with oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 20 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove and cool to room temperature.

Scatter the arugula on a serving platter or in a wide, shallow serving bowl. Spoon the couscous over and around the arugula. Arrange the carrots on top. Squeeze half a lemon over the salad, then sprinkle the herbs, pine nuts and remaining lemon zest over the salad.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

Late summer yields a bounty of summer vegetables. Eggplant rollatini is a light and bright gratin that will put any excess eggplant to use. The eggplant is sliced in long strips and roasted. A ricotta filling is then rolled up in the strips and nestled in a marinara sauce, and the dish is gratineed in the oven.

There are several steps to this recipe, but don’t be deterred. Each step is straightforward, and this dish comes together easily. The good news is that each component can be prepared ahead, and you can assemble the dish at your leisure. A recipe for the tomato sauce is provided, but if you want a shorter step, simply use a high-quality prepared marinara or tomato-basil sauce.

Eggplant Rollatini

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Sauce:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (18-ounce) jar crushed Italian plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Eggplant:

2 medium globe eggplants, each 12 to 16 ounces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cheese:

12 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, drained

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese

1 large egg

1 garlic clove, grated

2 to 3 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make the sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and red pepper and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Spread the sauce in a 2-quart baking dish. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Trim the ends of the eggplants. Thinly slice the eggplants lengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the eggplant in one layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender and golden brown in spots, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Whisk the cheeses, egg, garlic, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper in a bowl. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on the base of an eggplant slice. Starting at the base, roll the eggplant up. Arrange, seam-side down, in the sauce in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.

Top each roll with a small dollop of the remaining ricotta. Sprinkle additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the rolls. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with additional basil and serve warm.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood