November harvest recipes

A warming, make-ahead breakfast bake using giant pumpkin purée to transform plain oats into a custardy, sliceable morning dish. This recipe is ideal for feeding a crowd from a glut harvest, and reheats perfectly throughout the week. Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup.

A rich, velvety soup made from roasted Jack-O'-Lantern pumpkin with warming spices. This autumnal classic proves that carving pumpkins make excellent eating too. Serve with crusty bread for a satisfying fall meal.

The gold standard of mashed potatoes — Yukon Gold and similar yellow-fleshed varieties have a naturally buttery, creamy flesh that puts regular mash to shame. Their lower starch content means they stay silky without turning gluey. Roasted garlic takes them from great to unforgettable.

A hearty, filling stew that puts giant pumpkin's abundant flesh to excellent use alongside protein-rich red lentils and North African spices. This stew is warming, deeply satisfying, and a brilliant way to process large quantities of harvest. It tastes even better the next day.

Russet potatoes sliced accordion-style and roasted until the fanned layers crisp individually into dozens of golden, paper-thin chips while the interior stays fluffy. The dramatic presentation requires one simple technique, and the result is better than roast potatoes or baked potatoes — it's both at once. Finished with garlic herb butter.

A thick, warming winter stew built on storage potatoes and white beans in a smoky, herb-rich tomato broth. Storage potatoes break down slightly at the edges, thickening the stew naturally while remaining mostly intact. This is the cook-once-eat-all-week dish that cold weather demands, made from pantry staples.

A dazzlingly vibrant, electric-green sorbet that captures fresh kiwi at its most intense. Blended with lime juice and a simple syrup, it freezes into a smooth, scoopable dessert that's refreshing, tangy, and a stunning palate cleanser between courses.

Individual mini pavlovas — crisp outside, marshmallowy inside — piled with whipped cream and sliced kiwi. The bright acidity of kiwi cuts through the sweet cream and meringue perfectly, and the vivid green against the white looks stunning. An elegant dessert that's less intimidating than a full pavlova.

The timeless French vichyssoise-inspired soup made with storage potatoes and leeks — a silky, elegant bowl that requires almost no technique beyond patience. Storage potatoes break down into a perfectly smooth purée that needs no cream to feel luxurious, though cream makes it more so. One of the great simple soups.

A thick, nourishing soup of diced storage potatoes and creamy white beans simmered with rosemary, garlic, and a parmesan rind. The beans are partly blended to create a naturally rich, velvety broth without any cream. This is the kind of soup that improves the next day and fills the kitchen with warmth.

A quick, savory pasta sauce made from roasted pie pumpkin, Italian sausage, and sage that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. The pumpkin melts into a silky sauce that coats each noodle beautifully. This is fall's answer to weeknight bolognese.

Fluffy, spiced pancakes loaded with pumpkin purée that make fall mornings feel like a celebration. These come together as quickly as regular pancakes with the bonus of vegetable nutrition hiding in every bite. Top with maple syrup and toasted pecans.

Steel-cut oats cooked with fresh pie pumpkin purée, espresso, and pumpkin spice — all the flavors of the seasonal coffee order but in a nutrient-dense breakfast bowl. The pumpkin adds body and natural sweetness, while the espresso gives an energizing bitterness that grounds the spiced sweetness. Real pumpkin, not syrup.

Crisp-edged, fluffy-centered waffles made with a generous amount of pie pumpkin purée and plenty of warm spice. Pie pumpkin's concentrated flavor makes these waffles taste more profoundly of autumn than any other breakfast. Topped with maple butter and toasted pecans, they are the autumn weekend breakfast to beat.

A seasonal twist on classic hummus that swaps half the chickpeas for roasted ornamental pumpkin flesh, creating a dip that's smoother, lighter, and painted in shades of autumn orange. Edible ornamental varieties like Munchkin pumpkins work beautifully here. Serve with pita and crudités.

Wedges of edible ornamental pumpkin roasted until caramelized, arranged over peppery arugula with jewel-bright pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese, finished with a honey-balsamic dressing. A fall salad with visual drama equal to its flavor. Perfect for Thanksgiving or harvest gatherings.

Cubed pumpkin roasted until caramelized and paired with smoky black beans makes a filling, plant-based taco that surprises with every bite. The sweetness of the pumpkin against the lime crema and pickled jalapeño creates a satisfying contrast. A weeknight dinner that feels festive.

Caramelized wedges of roasted jack-o-lantern pumpkin arranged over peppery arugula with crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and a honey-balsamic dressing. The sweetness of the pumpkin, the salty cheese, and the tart pomegranate create a salad that feels like fall on a plate. Ready in 30 minutes and visually stunning.

Light, pillowy gnocchi made from baked russet potatoes — the key to dumpling lightness is in the potato variety. Russets' dry, starchy flesh requires far less flour than waxy potatoes, resulting in gnocchi that float like clouds rather than sit like stones. Serve with browned butter and sage.

Boiled yellow potatoes smashed flat and roasted until the edges are golden and lacey, drizzled with a vibrant herb oil the moment they come out of the oven. This is the potato dish that converts people who claim not to love potatoes. Crisp on the edges, fluffy inside, impossibly good.

A thick, golden Spanish egg and potato omelette that's equally at home as tapas, a picnic centerpiece, or a lazy weekend brunch. Yellow potatoes' waxy flesh holds its structure perfectly through the slow olive oil cook, resulting in tender slices that bind into a cohesive, satisfying cake.

Crispy baked potato skins loaded with smoky pulled pork, tangy coleslaw, and a drizzle of barbecue sauce. The skins are brushed with oil and baked until crunchy before being filled — they hold their shape beautifully. A game-day or party appetizer that uses winter storage potatoes to full effect.

A quick weeknight stir-fry where kiwi does double duty — as a natural meat tenderizer in the marinade and as a sweet-tart addition to the sauce. The result is exceptionally tender chicken in a glossy, fruit-forward sauce that's unlike any stir-fry you've had before.

A deeply comforting casserole of grated russet potatoes bound in a sour cream and cheddar sauce, baked until bubbly and golden — the American potluck staple known variously as funeral potatoes, cheesy potatoes, or hash brown casserole. Rich, crowd-pleasing, and unapologetically indulgent. The recipe everyone asks for.

Individual ornamental pumpkins transformed into the most theatrical dessert on any fall table — rich pumpkin custard set inside the pumpkin shell itself, finished with a crackling caramelized sugar top. Uses edible mini varieties as natural ramekins. Extraordinary for dinner parties.

Small ornamental pumpkins serve double duty as edible vessels for a rich, creamy soup made from their own flesh. Though often grown for decoration, many ornamental varieties like Baby Boo and Jack-Be-Little are entirely edible. An impressive dinner party presentation that wastes nothing.

Crispy twice-baked potato shells loaded with melted cheddar, crispy bacon, and sour cream — the definitive American bar appetizer made at home and miles better for it. Russet potato skins are thick and sturdy enough to hold generous fillings and develop a spectacular crunch when baked a second time.

A seasonal twist on classic hummus with roasted pie pumpkin purée swirled through tahini and chickpeas — creamy, lightly sweet, and beautifully orange. Pie pumpkin's dense, flavorful flesh adds depth that carving pumpkin cannot. Serve with pita and vegetables for an autumn mezze board centerpiece.

Thinly sliced yellow potatoes layered with sweet leeks and bathed in a rich cream and Gruyère sauce, baked until golden and bubbling. Yellow potatoes are ideal for gratin — they hold their shape through slow baking while absorbing the cream beautifully. An elegant, decadent side dish.

Pillowy homemade gnocchi made with roasted Hubbard squash instead of potato — denser, sweeter, and more complex in flavor. Served in a sage brown butter with Parmesan, these are some of the most satisfying pasta you can make at home. Worth every minute of the effort.

A velvety fall soup with deep roasted squash flavor, a hint of warming spices, and a swirl of cream finished with crunchy toasted pepitas. The roasting step is what separates this from ordinary squash soups — it caramelizes the natural sugars and adds a depth that makes this taste like it simmered all day. A warming bowl for cold autumn evenings.

A classic French bistro preparation that transforms whole leeks into a tender, luxurious side dish by braising them in broth until silky-soft, then dressing them with a sharp mustard vinaigrette while still warm. The leeks soak up the vinaigrette as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature as a starter or alongside grilled fish or chicken.

A classic Sichuan stir-fried napa cabbage dish with dried chilies and black rice vinegar. The cabbage is cooked fast on high heat, retaining a pleasant crunch while absorbing the sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. A quick weeknight side that pairs brilliantly with rice.

A hearty, nourishing soup of earthy collard greens and sweet potato in a spiced coconut broth. Inspired by West African flavours, it's warmly spiced with ginger, cumin, and smoked paprika and comes together in one pot in 45 minutes.

Large collard leaves used as low-carb wraps filled with seasoned quinoa, black beans, avocado, and salsa. The leaves are blanched briefly to make them pliable and mild. A fresh, nutritious, and surprisingly satisfying alternative to a tortilla wrap.

Velvety smooth and deeply satisfying, this soup gets its body from cauliflower and potato with no cream required. A swirl of olive oil and fresh chives on top turns a simple bowl into something worth sitting down for. Ready in 35 minutes.

Moist, generously spiced muffins made from the surprisingly useful flesh of giant Atlantic pumpkins. While grown for competition, giant pumpkins are edible and produce copious amounts of purée. These muffins are a delicious way to use up the harvest without wasting a single pound.

Radicchio cut into wedges, grilled over high heat until charred and caramelized, then drizzled with aged balsamic and scattered with Parmesan shavings. Grilling tames the bitterness dramatically and brings out a nutty sweetness. Incredibly simple, visually dramatic.

Fresh cranberry sauce that takes 15 minutes and makes the canned version completely irrelevant. Tart cranberries cooked with orange zest, cinnamon, and just enough sugar — bright, jewel-red, and perfectly balanced. The Thanksgiving table essential you'll make every year once you try it.

The secret ingredient in authentic bulgogi is Asian pear — its natural enzymes tenderize the beef and add a gentle fruity sweetness that balances the soy and sesame marinade. Thin slices of beef grilled or cooked in a cast iron pan until caramelized and lacquered. A weeknight dinner that tastes like a restaurant.

A hearty, comforting gratin where creamy white beans and slow-cooked leeks are baked together under a breadcrumb-and-Parmesan crust until bubbling and golden. This is a satisfying vegetarian main course that feels substantial and warming without being heavy. Make it on a Sunday and eat well all week — it improves as it sits.

Sweet maple syrup and earthy Brussels sprouts are a natural match. Roasted until caramelized, then tossed with toasted pecans and a warm maple-Dijon glaze, this Thanksgiving-ready side is on the table in 30 minutes and consistently the first dish to disappear.

Creamy mashed turnips — silkier and more complex than plain mashed potato — enriched with brown butter and a splash of cream. The turnip's natural pepperiness plays beautifully against the nutty, caramelized butter. Serve this alongside pot roast, roast chicken, or a holiday beef tenderloin as a sophisticated alternative to mashed potatoes.

A simple, restorative Japanese miso soup with napa cabbage and silken tofu. Unlike many miso soups, this one uses napa cabbage as the primary vegetable, giving it a gentle sweetness and body. Ready in 15 minutes, it's the bowl you reach for when you need something warming and uncomplicated.

The sneakiest vegetable upgrade: adding parsnips to mashed potato in a 50/50 split that transforms the dish into something sweeter, more complex, and more interesting without most people being able to pinpoint why. The parsnip adds an almost nutty sweetness that plays beautifully against the starchy potato, and the result is a mash you'll keep making.

Fesenjan is one of Iran's most celebrated dishes — a rich, deeply flavoured stew of chicken braised in a sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses that is simultaneously sweet, sour, nutty, and warmly spiced. Pomegranate is the heart of the dish, providing an irreplaceable tart complexity that builds into a sauce of extraordinary depth over hours of gentle simmering. This is heirloom cooking at its most magnificent.

Whole Asian pears simmered in spiced red wine until ruby-red and fragrant, then served with the reduced syrup and a dollop of mascarpone. Asian pears poach beautifully — they hold their shape better than European pears and absorb the wine's deep color and spice.

A fast weeknight preparation that strips collard greens of the extended cooking time and delivers tender, bright greens in 15 minutes. A generous amount of garlic, red pepper flakes, and a final squeeze of lemon turn this into a side you'll want with everything.

Deeply sweet and silky, this soup starts with squash roasted until caramelized before being blended with ginger, warm spices, and a touch of coconut milk. Roasting rather than boiling the squash makes an enormous difference. This is autumn in a bowl.

Thick-cut cauliflower steaks roasted until golden and caramelized, served with a bright, herby Argentinian chimichurri. This is a showstopper vegetarian main that impresses meat-eaters and vegetarians alike — hearty, flavourful, and visually dramatic.

A silky soup that roasts fennel and tomatoes together until caramelized, then blends them with broth into a velvety, sweet-savory result that's far more interesting than standard tomato soup. The fennel adds complexity and a mellow sweetness that makes you wonder what was in every tomato soup you've had before. Wonderful with crusty bread or a grilled cheese.

Jerusalem artichokes halved and roasted until golden and caramelized outside, fluffy and nutty within. Roasting is the best thing you can do to them — it concentrates their sweetness and develops a complexity that makes them utterly irresistible. The simplest preparation, the most rewarding results.

Kohlrabi cut into wedges, roasted at high heat until tender inside and caramelized on the edges, then showered with Parmesan and fresh herbs. Roasting transforms kohlrabi's mild sweetness into something almost nutty. A simple side dish that converts kohlrabi skeptics.

Humble cabbage transformed with rendered bacon fat, sweet caramelized onion, and earthy caraway seeds into something that tastes like it took hours. It comes together in 20 minutes and is the kind of side dish that gets people going back for seconds before the main course is done.

A Southern classic: turnip greens slow-cooked with smoked ham hock until silky and deeply flavorful, served with the pot likker — the intensely savory cooking liquid — and a wedge of cornbread to soak it up. This is soul food at its most honest: minimal ingredients, maximum flavor, and a tradition that stretches back generations. The greens are tender and the pot likker is liquid gold.

A beautiful, non-alcoholic holiday punch — tart cranberry juice, sweet apple cider, citrus, and ginger ale, served over ice with floating cranberries and orange slices. Festive, refreshing, and crowd-pleasing at every holiday table.

Roasted acorn squash halves filled with a savory wild rice stuffing loaded with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh herbs — a spectacular vegetarian centerpiece for a fall dinner or Thanksgiving table. The squash acts as both vessel and side dish, and the wild rice filling has enough going on to satisfy as a standalone main course.

Fresh thyme and honey turn roasted carrots into something genuinely extraordinary. The carrots caramelize in the oven while absorbing the honey glaze and thyme perfume, emerging tender, glossy, and deeply sweet with an herbal note that elevates them from simple side dish to something guests remember. This is the carrot dish that converts people who think they don't care about carrots.

Thinly sliced butternut squash is layered with a savory cream sauce, Gruyère, and fresh thyme in this elegant gratin that makes a stunning centerpiece side dish for Thanksgiving or any autumn dinner. Each layer soaks up the cream as it bakes, creating a rich, cohesive dish with a golden, bubbling crust.

Thick slabs of celeriac seared like a steak until golden and caramelized, then roasted until tender inside. Finished with a rosemary-garlic butter, these are a genuinely satisfying vegetarian centerpiece. The dense, mild sweetness of celeriac handles the aggressive searing beautifully.

A moist, warmly spiced American carrot cake loaded with freshly grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and toasted walnuts, finished with a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting. This is the definitive American celebration cake — tender, fragrant, and utterly irresistible.

A lightly spiced, amber-colored jam that transforms pounds of giant pumpkin flesh into jars of autumn sunshine. Pumpkin jam is less common than apple or berry, which makes it a wonderful talking point — and a perfect use of a harvest too large to eat fresh. Spread on warm biscuits or toast.

Layers of thinly sliced hubbard squash and Yukon Gold potatoes baked in a garlicky cream with Gruyère and Parmesan makes a rich, golden gratin that is more interesting than a classic potato dauphinoise and more substantial than a pure squash dish. This is a hearty side for roast chicken or pork.

A pure, white mushroom risotto that relies on the concentrated, nutty flavor of golden-seared mixed mushrooms and a proper Parmesan broth — no cream, no shortcuts. The rice is cooked in the traditional way, ladle by ladle, until it reaches that perfect flowing consistency known as all'onda. This is the definitive comfort food: simple, honest, and deeply rewarding when made with patience.

The definitive Southern collard greens — slow-braised for hours with a smoky ham hock until silk-soft, deeply savory, and pooled in a rich, pot-likker broth that begs for cornbread. This is the recipe that anchors holiday tables and Sunday suppers across the American South, built on patience and a handful of humble ingredients. A splash of hot sauce and a pinch of sugar are the secrets to getting the balance exactly right.

A deeply flavorful Southern-inspired braised kale slow-cooked with smoked turkey, garlic, onion, and a splash of apple cider vinegar until completely tender and infused with smoky richness. Serve with cornbread for the ultimate comfort meal.

Pears cooked in butter and brown sugar until golden and caramelized take a bowl of simple oatmeal somewhere altogether more interesting. A pinch of cardamom adds a floral warmth that plays beautifully with the pear's delicate sweetness. This is a five-minute upgrade that turns weekday breakfast into a small pleasure worth getting out of bed for.

The definitive American composed salad, invented at the Brown Derby in Hollywood and still irresistible today. Crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce are topped with rows of chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese, then drizzled with a tangy red wine vinaigrette.

A velvety, deeply savory mushroom risotto that uses a combination of dried porcini for intensity and fresh cremini for texture. The slow addition of warm broth, patient stirring, and a finishing flood of Parmesan and butter creates the silky, flowing consistency that defines great risotto.

A classic Irish-American one-pot where a spiced corned beef brisket and hearty vegetables simmer low and slow until fork-tender and deeply flavorful. Wedges of cabbage, chunky potatoes, and carrots are added toward the end so they absorb the savory broth without going mushy. This is the definitive St. Patrick's Day centerpiece, though it is far too good to make only once a year.

A whole wheel of creamy Brie is topped with tangy cranberry sauce and wrapped in golden puff pastry, then baked until the cheese is molten and the pastry is shatteringly crisp. This show-stopping appetiser takes 30 minutes, looks impossibly impressive, and disappears within minutes of hitting the table. The cranberry cuts through the richness of the Brie perfectly.

Bok choy halved and grilled over high heat until charred and smoky, then finished with a slick of miso butter that melts into the hot leaves and stalks. Grilling transforms bok choy — the leaves char and crisp at the edges while the stalks become tender and smoky. This is the side dish that surprises everyone at a summer cookout.

Roasted hubbard squash pureed with warm spices, brown sugar, and cream makes a smooth, deeply flavored pie filling that many prefer over the traditional pumpkin version. The hubbard's denser, richer flesh gives the pie a more intense squash flavor and a beautifully thick custard texture.

A deeply warming and nourishing Italian-American soup loaded with tender kale, creamy cannellini beans, aromatic vegetables, and a rich chicken or vegetable broth. Simple enough for a weeknight and hearty enough to be a full meal.

Fesenjan is one of the great stews of Persian cuisine — chicken slow-braised in a thick sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses until the flavors become dark, complex, and utterly unlike anything else. A deeply special dish worth the effort.

Whole pears are poached in a fragrant bath of red wine, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, and orange peel until they turn a deep, jewel-like burgundy color and become silky and tender throughout. The poaching liquid is then reduced to a glossy syrup that is drizzled over the finished pears. This French-inspired dessert is dramatic, delicious, and requires almost no technique.

Chicken thighs are roasted under a sticky, sweet-tart pomegranate molasses glaze that caramelises to a deep, lacquer-like finish with an intensely fruity, slightly tart complexity. This is a recipe where pomegranate is the hero — not as a garnish but as the central flavour of the sauce. Served with jewelled couscous or flatbread and a scatter of pomegranate seeds, it is a stunning and memorable dinner.

Crispy flatbread topped with wilted radicchio, crispy pancetta, and melted fontina cheese. The bitterness of the radicchio, saltiness of the pancetta, and richness of the cheese create a genuinely excellent combination. Ready in 20 minutes and impressive enough for company.

A bold, assertive salad built on radicchio's bitterness, tempered with creamy gorgonzola, sweet pears, and crunchy toasted walnuts. Dressed with a honey-walnut oil vinaigrette, it's a composed winter salad that stands up as a first course for a dinner party.

Butternut squash roasted until caramelized and tender is finished with a nutty brown butter infused with crispy sage leaves for a side dish that embodies autumn. The browned milk solids in the butter add a deep, almost nutty richness that plays beautifully against the sweet squash.

This is the restaurant method for a perfect pan-seared steak — a hot cast-iron skillet, a quick sear, then basted relentlessly with foaming rosemary-garlic butter until the meat is a perfect medium-rare. The butter, infused with rosemary and garlic as it foams, creates a fragrant, rich crust that elevates the steak to something genuinely extraordinary. A classic that never gets old.

A beautifully golden, herb-scented roast chicken is one of the most satisfying things you can make in a home kitchen, and this rosemary-garlic version is the definitive recipe. A simple rub of butter, fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon zest under and over the skin yields crackling, fragrant skin and juicy, flavorful meat throughout. This is Sunday dinner at its finest.

Rutabaga replaces the standard potato in this deeply savory beef stew, its slightly sweet, earthy flavor absorbing the rich braising liquid beautifully while holding its shape far better over long cooking times. Slow-cooked with beef chuck, carrots, onion, and a Worcestershire-spiked broth, this is the ultimate cold-weather one-pot dinner. The rutabaga is the element that makes this stew completely unforgettable.

Thinly sliced rutabaga layered with heavy cream, gruyère, and garlic and baked until bubbling and golden-crusted is a rich, warming gratin that transforms a humble winter root into a dish worthy of any holiday table. The rutabaga holds its shape better than potatoes and its slightly sweet, mustard-like flavor pairs beautifully with the nutty cheese. Serve alongside roasted lamb or beef for an elegant cold-weather dinner.

Raw Brussels sprouts, shaved paper-thin, become a tender, nutty-flavoured salad that holds up beautifully to a bold lemon-Dijon dressing. Salty pecorino and toasted almonds add crunch and richness. This is the salad that makes people realize Brussels sprouts raw are actually wonderful.

Whole quince halves poached slowly in a fragrant syrup of sugar, red wine, cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla until they turn a stunning deep rose-red and become tender enough to cut with a spoon. The resulting poached quince is elegant as a dessert served with thick cream or yogurt, alongside a cheese course, or as a festive condiment for roast pork or lamb. Most of the work is hands-off — the oven does everything.

The ultimate American party dip — creamy, cheesy, and irresistibly warm, packed with tender spinach and artichoke hearts and baked until golden and bubbly. Served with tortilla chips, toasted bread, or crackers, it disappears from the table every single time.

A quick, high-heat stir-fry that keeps mustard greens' peppery bite alive while taming their raw sharpness. Garlic, ginger, and a splash of soy sauce are all you need for a weeknight side dish that's done in under 15 minutes.

Halved acorn squash roasted until tender are filled with a savory wild rice pilaf studded with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh herbs for a showstopping autumn main or side dish. The nutty rice soaks up the sweet juices of the squash while it bakes, tying the whole dish together beautifully.

Crisp endive leaves filled with a creamy herbed goat cheese, topped with a drizzle of honey and chopped toasted pistachios. These elegant no-cook bites are ready in 15 minutes and are perfect for entertaining — the combination of bitter, creamy, sweet, and crunchy is irresistible.

Sweet butternut squash absorbs red curry paste and coconut milk beautifully in this warming Thai-inspired curry. Tender cubes of squash balance the heat of the curry paste while chickpeas add protein and body. Serve over jasmine rice for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

A no-fuss Italian-inspired pasta where broccoli practically melts into the sauce. Florets are cooked right in the pasta water until silky, then mashed with white beans, garlic, and olive oil into a creamy, protein-rich coating. On the table in under 30 minutes.

Chive oil — made by blanching chives, blending with oil, and straining — produces an intensely vivid green oil that's as beautiful as it is flavorful. Drizzle it over chilled soups, poached eggs, seared scallops, or any dish that wants a bright, herbal finishing note. A small jar of this in your refrigerator is a secret weapon.

The Provençal vegetable stew that makes summer abundance look effortless. Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers are slow-cooked with garlic and herbs until tender and their flavors meld into something greater than the sum of their parts. Eat it hot as a side, at room temperature over polenta, or cold the next day straight from the pot.