Culinary Corner: Not Ready for Fall

To a chef, there aren't only four seasons. There are seasons within seasons, and they don't necessarily follow the calendar.

Especially in the warmer months, some produce items are always coming into season as others are going out and fall is not much different. Winter squash always starts showing up in late summer, right when tomatoes, corn, berries, and stone fruit are still rocking.

Pumpkin spice and caramel apple might be on everybody's menus already, but I am not ready for fall. Or at least not the same tired fall flavors every menu leans on. I am ready to cook with the fall foods, but hanging on to the summertime flavors a little longer.

Winter squash by itself usually pulls you toward the same three flavors every fall: sage, brown butter, maple. Nothing wrong with any of them, but they skip right past what else is still going on in the market.

Right now, you can find a ripe black plum and a delicata squash at the same market stand, or in the same backyard garden. That's the moment I want to point to, and it’s one of my favorite times of the year.

There's an old idea in cooking that things that grow together go together. Usually that means place: wine and the food from the same region, herbs and the vegetables they grow next to. I think it holds for time too.

This squash and this plum have nothing to do with each other in most kitchens, but right now they're growing at the same time, in the same place. So are red shiso and a bunch of other fresh herbs, still going strong before the first frost. Last week it might have been peaches or blackberries instead of plums. By the time you're reading this, it might be neither, and that's fine.

These foods don’t just belong to one season, they belong to many.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Black Plum Glaze & Shiso

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Roasted Squash

• 2 medium delicata squash, about 1½ lb / 680g total
• 1½ tbsp olive oil (20ml / 18g)
• 1 to 1¼ tsp kosher salt (5–7g)

Black Plum Glaze

• 3 medium black plums, pitted, skin on, about 10–11 oz / 300g
• 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar (30ml / 28g)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt (4g)
• 1 tbsp honey (15g), optional, add only if the plums taste tart
• 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter (14g), optional, for gloss, omit for dairy-free

Fresh Plum & Shiso Topping

• 2 medium black plums, small dice, skin on, about 10 oz / 280g
• 2 tsp rice vinegar (10ml / 10g)
• ½ tsp kosher salt (3g)
• 8–10 red shiso leaves, finely shredded
• 1 tsp neutral oil (5ml), optional

Instructions

1. Prep: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. If desired slice into ½-inch (1.25cm) half-moons, skin on. Toss with the oil and salt, spread in a single layer on the sheet pan. Roast 20–25 minutes, flipping once, until edges are caramelized, and centers are tender.
3. While the squash roasts, make the glaze: purée the plums whole (skin on) until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan with vinegar and salt. Simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally, 12–15 minutes, until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste; add honey only if it needs rounding out.
4. Coat the squash with about half of the glaze and return to the oven. Timing depends on how thick your glaze already is, usually 2 to 10 more minutes, until it's sticky and jammy, reminiscent of barbecue sauce.
5. Whisk the butter into the remaining glaze, if using.
6. Toss the diced plum with the rice vinegar, salt, shiso, and oil, if using.
7. To serve: spoon warm glaze over the roasted squash, then top with the fresh plum-shiso mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What if I can't find black plums or red shiso?

   That's ok! The plums are doing three jobs, body, acid, and sugar, and the shiso is the aromatic. Anything with those same properties works. Peaches may still be around wherever you are, and they're intriguing with bourbon or ouzo or ginger. Raspberry and mint. Tomato, even green tomato, with basil. 
   
   Still have plum but no shiso? Basil works there too. Adjust the vinegar and sugar to taste, green tomato especially will need a bit more sugar since it doesn't have its own.

2. Can I use a different winter squash?

   Certainly! Any winter squash will work similarly. Delicata does have particularly thin skin, so other squash you may choose to peel, or just leave the skin on the plate. You could also cut the squash differently or stuff it before glazing.

3. What should I serve with this dish?

   This dish works great as a component of a vegetarian or vegan meal with some whole grains and a salad. I love it with corn on the cob and an arugula salad, but it is also incredible with roast duck or pork. In fact, this glaze works well on meats like ribs or roasted or grilled poultry. The cooking process is basically the same!

4. Can I prep any of the components ahead of time?

   Certainly! The glaze itself should be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for a few months. The marinated plum garnish should really be done at the time of service, but you could increase the vinegar and sugar and treat it like a relish. This also keeps for up to 7 days in the fridge.

About the Author: Chef Dave Miller

Chef Dave Miller is the Program Director at the Culinary Institute of Virginia in Norfolk, Virginia. A chef-educator with over 30 years of experience, he breaks down what makes food exceptional through practical technique and deeper culinary understanding.