Take advantage of the season’s last cherry tomatoes on the vine with this easy one-skillet stovetop dinner. Begin by roasting the tomatoes until they begin to break down and release their juices. Once this happens, stir in fresh garlic, briny capers and herb sprigs to round out the flavors and mingle with the juices, creating a light and luscious sauce. Then add whitefish fillets to the pan sauce, transfer to the oven, and let them roast in the pan juices.

Make this recipe with any thick whitefish, such as sea bass, halibut or swordfish. Choose fillets that are center-cut and about 3/4 inch thick. The fish will roast quickly; cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish. It's cooked when it’s opaque though the center and easily flakes.

Dinner couldn’t be any simpler -- or more delicious.

Roasted Sea Bass With Blistered Tomato and Caper Sauce

Active time: 30 to 35 minutes

Total time: 30 to 35 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes (left on the vine, optional)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on the fish

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, oregano or marjoram

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 heaping tablespoons drained capers

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 center-cut whitefish fillets, such as sea bass or halibut, each about 6 ounces

Finely grated lemon zest

With a paring knife, make a small incision in the tomatoes. (This step will hasten their cooking process.)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

If using the stovetop, heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down and release their juices, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, herb sprigs, garlic, capers and vinegar. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors, stirring frequently.

Brush the fish with the oil and season with salt and black pepper. Nestle the fish in the pan between the tomatoes. Transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until the fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Garnish with lemon zest and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

If you have the luxury -- I mean, the problem -- of too many end-of-season tomatoes, then this confit is for you. Confit is an ancient form of preservation in which perishable food is slowly cooked at a low temperature in fat and then stored in fat. It was (and is) an efficient and safe method to cook and store meat and fish that would otherwise perish. The term "confit" also applies to preserving fruits and vegetables, which may be slowly cooked in oil or a sugar syrup -- a method that yields jams, chutneys and candied fruit.

This end-of-summer confit is a rich, bright and buttery blend of tomatoes and garlic. The key to the recipe is its simplicity of ingredients and the slow cooking time, which allows the tomatoes to reduce to a juicy sludge and a whole head of garlic to collapse and melt into a buttery paste. Your reward is a savory jam with myriad uses. Smear the confit on crostini, spoon a dollop into a bowl of pasta, use as a pizza sauce, or dilute it with cream for a silky, rich soup. No matter the use, it will be a warm and sunny memory of summer’s tomato bounty.

Tomato and Garlic Confit

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

1 large garlic head

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds cherry or heirloom tomatoes

2 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

To roast the garlic, slice off the top of the head, about 1/4 inch. Place on a piece of foil, cut side up, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap the foil up over the garlic and crimp to seal. Place in a small baking pan or on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the cloves are very soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the bulb. Remove the garlic and cool to the touch. Squeeze out the garlic cloves onto a work surface and mash to form a paste.

While the garlic roasts, cook the tomatoes: Combine the tomatoes and 1/3 cup oil in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes begin to break down, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add the herb sprigs and continue to cook over medium-low heat until all the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce thickens, 30 to 40 minutes more, stirring occasionally while breaking up the tomatoes with the wooden spoon.

Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to meld the flavors. Taste for seasoning.

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. The confit may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

Summer is winding down, which is a great excuse to have a paella party. Vibrant and flavorful, studded with smoky sausage, chicken and fresh shellfish, a paella shouts "fiesta." It’s a fun dish to enjoy outdoors, family-style, while the weather is still warm and the days are long.

A paella might sound intimidating, but it’s easy to make with the right ingredients and by following a few important steps. While a grill is desirable, it’s not necessary. A grill can accommodate the size of a large paella pan, unlike many stovetops, and the fire will add a smoky backdrop to the dish. If you don’t have a grill, you can also make a paella on the stovetop.

Use a large paella pan or cast-iron pan (at least 12 inches in diameter). Note that the wider the pan, the more surface area you have to spread the rice, which allows as many grains as possible to brown and crisp on the bottom of the pan while cooking. This coveted crispy bottom is called the socarrat, which is considered the holy grail of paella. To achieve this crispy delicacy, it’s critical that you do not stir the paella once the rice is spread in the pan. While it cooks, rotate the pan to ensure even cooking, and listen for crackling sounds that signify the rice is done.

Do not rush your paella. It’s essentially a layered dish relying on the seasoning, flavor and accumulated juices of each ingredient to contribute to the whole. Use a homemade or good-quality chicken stock for the broth. If you are in the mood to splurge, add a generous pinch of saffron to the stock for its perfume and the golden hue it imparts to the dish.

Take the time to cook the soffritto, which consists of a slurry of aromatics (onion, garlic, tomato and wine), that create the flavor base for the paella. Season each of the proteins and choose a variety for flavor, texture and eating fun. I often use a trinity of Spanish chorizo, chicken thighs and jumbo shrimp, and then may add more shellfish depending on availability. The heat and smoke of the chorizo adds important flavor to the dish. Chicken thigh meat is juicy and flavorful and won’t dry out while the paella cooks. Briny shrimp are sweet and fun to eat with your fingers. Mussels, clams, scallops and calamari are also great seafood additions to a paella.

The instructions below are for grilling a paella. If you are making it on the stovetop, use a large cast-iron pan and cook over medium heat. Partially cover the pan when you add the shellfish in the end to hasten the cooking.

Paella

Active Time: about 1 hour

Total Time: about 1 hour

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

4 large plum (Roma) tomatoes, halved lengthwise

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound large (16/18) shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails intact

Extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

1 medium yellow onion, chopped, about 1 cup

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 cups paella rice (Bomba or Valencia), rinsed

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Lemon wedges for serving

Grate the cut sides of the tomatoes on a box grater. Discard the skins and transfer the pulp and juices to a small bowl. You should have about 1 cup. (Alternatively, use 1 cup crushed Italian plum tomatoes.)

Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the saffron, if using, and keep warm over low heat.

Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and the cumin, and season with salt and black pepper. Place the shrimp in a separate bowl and season with salt and black pepper.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Preheat a 12- to 15-inch paella pan or large cast-iron skillet for about 10 minutes. (Or heat a large cast-iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the chorizo and cook until the chorizo is golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the sausage to a bowl. There should be rendered fat from the chorizo remaining in the pan. If not, add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Arrange the chicken in one layer in the paella pan and cook until colored on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the chorizo. (The chicken will not be cooked all the way through at this point.)

If the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion and saute until softened without coloring, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes with juices and the wine and stir to combine. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture thickens and darkens slightly, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in the broth and gently stir to combine. Smooth the rice in an even layer in the pan. At this point, do not stir the rice any further.

Arrange the chicken and chorizo over the rice, nudging the pieces slightly into the rice, then drizzle with any accumulated juices from the bowl.

Cook the paella, with the grill lid closed, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is exposed, turning the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking, about 20 minutes.

Nestle the shrimp (hinge-side down) into the rice and continue to cook, with the grill lid closed, until the shrimp are cooked through and the rice is making a crackling sound, 10 to 12 minutes more, rotating the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking. (Note: If you are cooking on the stovetop, partially cover the pan once you add the shellfish to hasten their cooking process.)

Remove the paella from the grill. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the parsley over the paella and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood