30 Recipes to Make in September (2024)

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Roasted Chicken and Acorn Squash with Sumac Brown Butter

Here, pre-salting the chicken makes for savory flavor throughout and helps crisp up the skin. Browning the butter adds nutty depth to the sauce, while a flourish of sumac and Aleppo pepper — though not fresh ingredients — adds a fresh, bright flavor to the finished dish.

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02of 30

Apple-Ham Quiche

Thin apple and ham slices are rolled together and set in a tender, herby custard sprinkled with sharp white cheddar. For a quicker weeknight dinner, use a frozen nine-inch deep-dish pie shell, par-baked according to package instructions.

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03of 30

Mayan Pepita-Chicken Stew

This chicken stew is seasoned with a carefully toasted mix of seeds and spices, which are ground into a coarse paste with roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. Stirred into the stew toward the end of the cooking process, the paste both thickens and seasons this warming fall dish.

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04of 30

Sweet Potato Fritters with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

These sweet potato fritters are incredibly lacy and crispy, perfectly matched with a tangy lemon-tahini sauce. Be sure to cook them gently over medium heat so they cook through and crisp up without burning. Baby kale on the side rounds the meal out.

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05of 30

Cracked Shrimp with Pineapple-Habanero Relish

Chef Carla Hall's take on Bahamian cracked conch yields tender, extra-crispy shrimp with the help of a rolling pin to flatten and tenderize the flesh. Hold the shrimp by the tail when "cracking" them to make sure the tail doesn't separate from the rest of the meat.

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06of 30

Crispy Ricotta-Kale Tacos

Be sure to heat the tortillas in a hot skillet before stuffing them with the ricotta-kale mixture. Warming them up first makes them more pliable and less likely to break during the stuffing and cooking process. Opt for high-quality organic yellow corn tortillas; they tend to be chewier and more satisfying when fried.

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07of 30

Roasted Merguez Sausage with Apples and Onions

For this sheet pan dinner, use Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, which hold their shape better during roasting than other varieties. Plus, their pleasant sweetness balances the intensely spiced merguez sausage.

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08of 30

Whole Baked Pumpkin Soup

Baking pumpkins whole traps steam inside the vegetable, resulting in a lush, velvety pumpkin purée and making the skins easy to remove. A simple reduction of dry white wine mingles with butter to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin. The recipe was one prepared by Copenhagen chef Christian F. Puglisi at a week-long culinary retreat at Rocca delle Tre Contrade in Sicily.

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09of 30

Miso Caramel-Apple Danish

With filling options more numerous than their flaky layers, Danish have legions of fans across the globe. This upgrade on the classic cream cheese filling stars a sweet and savory tango of buttery miso-enriched caramel brushed over wafer-thin slices of apple.

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10of 30

Mezcal Negroni

This riff on the classic gin and Campari co*cktail has an earthy richness courtesy of smoky mezcal. Carpano Antica Formula vermouth is full-bodied and flavored with herbs and spices, lending dry, barely sweet flavor to this Negroni. Cocchi Americano and a generous citrus garnish bring a light, citrusy bite.

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11of 30

Patty Melts with Charred Scallion-Chipotle Mayo

Classic versions of the patty melt often include caramelized onions, but those take time, so here cookbook author Molly Stevens leans on quick-charred scallions instead. Chipotle-spiked mayonnaise adds an extra dose of lushness and a punch of smoky heat. For the cheese, semisoft cheeses like Oaxaca or Monterey Jack add a satisfying tang, but any good melting cheese works — cheddar or Swiss are perfectly delicious stand-ins.

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12of 30

Roasted Butternut Squash with Chorizo-Spiced Kale

With its earthy sweetness and dense texture, butternut squash makes a hearty vegetable steak. Chef Damian Sansonetti highlights its complexity with his chorizo spice mix. He blooms the blend of cumin, Pimentón, and coriander in oil to release their aromas, which provide a smoky foundation for this shoulder-season dish.

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13of 30

Spicy Tofu and Zucchini Stew

Sommelier Annie Shi, co-owner of King in New York City, grew up going to Korean restaurants with her family. Memories of dishes like Soondubu Jjigae, a spicy Korean tofu stew, became inspiration for a quick and easy stew of tofu and vegetables that she makes for cozy weeknight dinners. Anna Theoktisto's rendition of Shi's recipe features an umami-rich broth powered by Korean fermented soybean paste and a smart shortcut dashi (made using a store-bought sachet filled with dried anchovies, shrimp, and kelp). Shi likes to pair this tofu stew with Beaujolais: "Beaujolais has an incredible ability to cut through spice, and the brambly red fruit complements stronger flavors. I like to serve my Beaujolais with a good chill to bring out the freshness — another wonderful point of contrast to the savory stew."

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14of 30

Tira de Asado (Argentinean-Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs)

League of Kitchens cooking instructor Mirta Rinaldi shared this recipe for Tira de Asado, Argentinean-style grilled beef short ribs. The meaty short ribs are a favorite asado recipe, and to go with them, Rinaldi makes a Balsamic Chimichurri. You can make a meal out of the ribs or cut them into thirds for sharing. While three-bone ribs are traditional, four-bone short ribs work, too.

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15of 30

Poached Pears in Muscat

Languedoc and Mediterranean France make beautifully aromatic, sweet Muscat dessert wines that soak into these poached pears. This recipe, which writer Steve Hoffman tasted in the town of Autignac, replaces the usual sugar with honey and counters the sweetness and floral notes of the reduced wine with some of the resinous and earthy aromas of the area's famous wild scrubland — namely bay, thyme, and fennel. A knife inserted into a poached pear should encounter about the same resistance as room-temperature butter.

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16of 30

Crispy Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with Marinara and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Feathery and dramatic, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms (also known as maitake) become delightfully crispy when fried. You know they are nearly ready when the oil's sizzle starts to subside. Here, prepared marinara and freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese give these crispy mushrooms Italian-American flair.

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17of 30

Lemony Chicken Thighs with Burst Tomatoes and Swiss Chard Pesto

Tender tomatoes add bites of sweetness throughout this simple but deeply flavorful pan-roasted chicken dinner. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are browned on the stovetop and then transferred to the oven, where they bake with lemon slices, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Served with crusty bread for sopping up the lemony pan juices and fresh, garlicky Swiss chard pesto, the roast chicken thighs are especially good with this wine pairing from Micah Clark, Wine Director at The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena, California. "Oaky Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite late summer bottles," he says. "One with a lot of Sémillon works with the rich chicken and the bright lemon in this dish."

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18of 30

Mission Fig, Elderberry, and Mixed Greens Salad

Winemaker Tara Gomez belongs to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. This salad of seasonal fruits, herbs, and flowers balanced with bold leafy greens and a simple, bright lemon dressing — from a feast at Camins 2 Dreams, the winery she runs with her wife Mireia Taribó — includes traditional Chumash ingredients, like the aromatic hummingbird sage called for in both the dressing and the salad. More fragrant and less bitter than other types of sage, hummingbird sage is native to the cool coastal parts of Santa Barbara County. Though not quite the same, common sage will work well. Elderberries, considered a medicinal plant, grow wild in the region. Used whole, they're lightly fragrant and offer a hint of sweetness.

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19of 30

Roasted Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb

Roasting eggplant until it's creamy and custardy makes it the perfect base for layering with a rich, meaty sauce in this moussaka, which is topped with a rich layer of ricotta and mozzarella cheese in place of béchamel sauce. Don't worry if the eggplant slices look dry when flipped; they will continue to release moisture during the remainder of the roasting time. Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, Beverage Director at WM Restaurants in Sacramento, California, picked a perfect wine pairing for this cozy dish: "Go for a Cabernet Sauvignon and Agiorgitiko blend for this dish; the plum and cherry notes and warm spices in the wine balance the richness of the eggplant and lamb."

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20of 30

Lobster Risotto

A small pinch of saffron goes a long way in imparting a vibrant golden hue and floral fragrance to this creamy lobster risotto. Pre-cooked lobster and bottled clam juice deliver robust layers of flavor with a minimum amount of effort, making this a perfect weeknight supper. Pair it with a bottle of white Bordeaux, recommends sommelier Tonya Pitts of Les Dames D'Escoffier International, San Francisco. "I love white Bordeaux with this easy dish. It highlights the lobster and creaminess of the risotto, ultimately becoming intertwined with the flavor and textures."

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21of 30

Chocolate and Fig Cake

The large range of figs called for in this dense, fudgy chocolate cake recipe leaves the decoration and texture up to you. Four ounces of figs creates two small rings around the cake, while the full 12 ounces of fruit will cover the entire top with a jammy layer and require a few more minutes in the oven to fully bake.

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22of 30

Hatch Chiles Rellenos

Hatch chiles stand out for their balanced sweet heat that takes on a subtle smokiness and buttery quality once roasted. Here, recipe developer Paige Grandjean (whose aunt married into the Franzoy family, which first commercialized Hatch chiles in the early 1900s) uses the roasted chiles to make Hatch chiles rellenos, oozing with asadero cheese. Whipped egg whites give the simple batter a delicate structure, frying up golden brown and airy, encasing the flavorful Hatch chiles. Fold the egg whites into the batter just before frying to keep it nice and fluffy. Try this with Grandjean's quick and easy homemade red chile sauce.

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23of 30

Fresh Figs with Labneh and Carob Molasses

This dessert is a seasonal special at Beit Rima in San Francisco. It's a simple dish, but striking: a geometric bloom of fresh figs laid atop a layer of labneh and topped with carob molasses, olive oil, toasted sesame seeds and hazelnuts, and a shower of black pepper. "This is a dish we do every year when figs are in season, using figs from a local farm with amazing 30-year-old organic fig trees," says Samir Mogannam, chef and owner of Beit Rima. "Our customers go [wild] for this dish every summer. It never gets old. It can be eaten as an appetizer, cheese plate, or dessert." Each bite combines a gentle sweetness from the figs glossed in molasses; a floral, creamy freshness from the olive oil and labneh; and a playground of different textures. Carob molasses is a staple Middle Eastern ingredient — it's a dark, thick, sweet syrup with a subtle chocolate flavor. The final dish is an intoxicating combination of olive oil, figs, and carob, all produce that grows on trees in the Levant.

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24of 30

Zucchini, Corn, and Shrimp Flatbread

Store-bought naan flatbreads get toasty on the grill, layered with mascarpone cheese, sweet shrimp, juicy corn, and tender ribbons of fresh zucchini. Don't skimp on the garnish of smoked paprika — it adds a dash of vibrant color and enhances the smoky flavor. This recipe was inspired by a favorite combination of wine director Mikayla Cohen of Starr Restaurant Group in Philadelphia and New York City, who loves to match toasty flatbreads with a white wine — specifically with Keplinger Eldorado Sierra Foothills White Rhône Blend. "The creamy mascarpone base pairs perfectly with Keplinger Eldorado's blend of Viognier, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc," she says.

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25of 30

Saganaki Halloumi (Cypriot Fried Halloumi)

Halloumi cheese is fried in clarified butter, then brushed in a spiced honey and served with lemon yogurt, brandy-basted nectarines, and fresh tomatoes in this sweet and savory appetizer from Christian Hernandez, chef de cuisine of March in Houston. Sommeliers June Rodil and Mark Sayre pair a bottle of 2020 Benanti Etna Bianco, from Sicily, with this vibrant dish. "Carricante inherently has peachy stone-fruit and melon notes and a texture that goes really well with the squeaky Saganaki Halloumi," they say. "It's bright and fresh, with a lovely coastal salinity."

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26of 30

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

This satisfying one-pot meal of silky chicken and tender dumplings starts with searing chicken thighs to render fat to cook the mirepoix in, building a flavorful base for this classic dish. Self-rising flour, buttermilk, and butter are the only ingredients in the pillowy dumplings, which come together in the final minutes, cooking right in the creamy soup. This recipe was inspired by Clara Klein, sommelier at Sunday Vinyl in Denver, who likes to pair chicken and dumplings with a glass of Chardonnay. "Chicken and Chardonnay is a match made in heaven," she says. "It's basically a warm hug from your grandma. That little whisper of tang and richness from the wine is like adding a dollop of crème fraîche to the final bowl." Of course, there's no reason you can't have both.

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27of 30

Fregula cun Cocciula (Sardinian Fregola with Clams)

This dish spotlights perfectly steamed clams and chewy fregola, a small round pasta from Sardinia, in a golden, spicy, briny broth. Place the clams in a colander and scrub them well under cold running water to remove any grit before steaming. The recipe, which Goodnight Hospitality culinary director Amber Burling developed for March restaurant in Houston, is especially delicious when matched with a Sardinian Vermentino. Sommeliers June Rodil and Mark Sayre, also of March, love it with the 2019 Vigne Rada Stria Vermentino di Sardegna. "Sardinian Vermentino is round, fleshy, and lemon curd–like, and you need that body to go with the heat of the clams," they say. "The salty, briny, orchard-fruit notes combat the richness of the fregola and heat from the red pepper flakes in the Fregula cun Cocciula."

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28of 30

Curried Pumpkin and Buss Up Shut (Paratha Roti)

Chef Nina Compton's Curried Pumpkin is packed with warm spices, aromatic ginger, and rich coconut milk for a perfectly balanced bite. Fresh habanero chiles add a touch of fruity heat to the chunks of tender pumpkin and softened callaloo leaves. Buss up shut gets its name from "busted-up shirt," which describes the flatbread's torn, crinkled texture, perfect for sopping up flavorful curry. Drizzle the curry with pumpkin seed salsa for a mild crunch and punch of garlic.

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29of 30

Pear, Honey, and Parmigiano-Reggiano Tart

This sweet and savory dessert tart pairs Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper with juicy pears and a drizzle of fragrant honey. The addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano to the pastry dough gives cookbook author Kate Leahy's already flaky crust an extra richness and a subtle nutty flavor. It's a perfect dessert to pair with a sweet dessert wine.

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30of 30

Steak, Potatoes, and Tomatoes with Quick Chimichurri

Here, juicy late-summer tomatoes, verdant fresh herbs, and golden potatoes pair with simply seared and sliced steaks. This recipe works well with boneless strip and hanger steaks, two cuts that render juicy, exceptionally tender meat that are countered with the chimichurri. This recipe can easily be doubled for a crowd. The dish is inspired by Matthew Conway, sommelier and owner of The Tippling House in Charleston, who encourages you to level-up this easy steak dinner with a chilled bottle of red wine. "The most overlooked aspect of food and wine pairing is temperature. Steak and Syrah isn't revolutionary, but try that red wine cold with hot, fatty steak. The combination of flavor and temperature variation will leave you wanting another bite."

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