The last of summer (and the first of autumn)

 

I’ve been suffering from what I call Late Summer Syndrome – that realisation that it’s almost over for another year, and the need to cram into it as much as possible. So, in the last week or so I have been to our local wildlife park (Bears! Wolves! Other animals!), our most local vineyard (their Blanc de blancs in very good!), and had a meal on the riverside terrace of our favourite local pizzeria.

The syndrome also tends to extend into my cooking, and a sudden rush of things made with the last of the seasons’ tomatoes and aubergines, with the odd courgette thrown in for good measure.

So, this weekend, I will be making red rice with roasted tomatoes and oranges (a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe, the first vegan thing I’ve ever made that my husband has asked to have again), and earlier this week there was Rachel Roddy’s courgette and pancetta pasta (from her new book An A-Z of Pasta, much recommended), and an aubergine and basil puff pastry tart.

Pasta with courgettes and pancetta

This comes from Nigel Slater’s Spring/Summer Greenfeast, which I’ve been meaning to buy for some time, and finally ordered a couple of weeks ago, perhaps forgetting how little of the summer was actually left. A warning with this one – although it does not require marinating, it does take a bit of time.

Start by preparing the aubergines – he says 700g, two medium aubergines, for two, I actually think that’s a bit much, but more on that later. Cut them in half, then score the cut sides. Place skin side down in a roasting tray, and drizzle with olive oil. Season and then roast for an hour, until soft.

Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry (or take the ready rolled sheet out of its packet, if you’re me), score a line around the edge to create a border, then chill for half an hour. When the aubergine is done, take it out, and put the pastry in for ten minutes.

While that’s happening, make the tart filling. Scoop the aubergine flesh out of the skins, and place in a bowl. Mush it up with a fork. But basil, pine nuts, olive oil and any juices from the roasting tray (disgard the skins) in a food processor or similar and blend. Fold this into the mushed up aubergine.

After ten minutes, take out the pastry, push the middle of it down, and pile on the aubergine and basil filling. I didn’t use all of the aubergine, and I still had potentially too much – in future I’d stick with one aubergine rather than the two the recipe suggests. Scatter on some more pine nuts – I also added some feta, one of his suggested additions. Put back in the oven for ten minutes.

Ready for final session in the oven

Finished product. Yes, I forgot to take a photo until after I'd started eating. You would think I'd know better by now, wouldn't you? 

This worked out well, although as I said I think I’d do less aubergine. I also think it needed the feta, it might have verged on dullness without it.

So, almost farewell summer. The approach of autumn isn’t too dreadful, I suppose – I also made an autumn/winter favourite, red cabbage and cashew biryani this week (another Hugh F-W vegan number the husband actively likes!).  Next week I am finally visiting my parents in Northumberland, having not seen them since Christmas 2019!

After that, who knows? This time last year, I knew it was going to be a long, hard winter (although I’m not sure even pessimist me realised how long and hard), but after that we’d have the vaccine and everything would be alright. Hmm. This winter, I have no idea. I can think of varying scenarios, from getting kids vaccinated and therefore reaching a point where numbers start to fall, to needing another lockdown in a month or so, to a vaccine resistant variant, and completely back to square one.

Who knows? Still, in any of the above scenarios, at least we can always eat.