Off-Season Stars

A lively twist on winter flavors

Photos and recipes by Fanny Slater

Last year’s freak snowstorm aside, Wilmington winters are more light sweater weather than sledding season. Mornings are crisp enough to finally justify that beanie collecting dust in your closet, but flip-flops remain firmly in rotation. In chillier parts of the country, this time of year belongs to slow-cooked braises and root vegetable worship — but here, we do things differently.

So instead of hitting you with a hearty, heavy menu that reads like a winter cliché, I decided to call some of my favorite summer stars out of early retirement. Tomatoes, eggplant and even blueberries are back on the menu — roasted, burst and coaxed into their boldest, most unapologetic forms.

From frittatas to rollatini to cheesecake, everything in this lineup leans bright, punchy and defiantly lively — and the rest of the dishes follow suit. Who needs snowfall when the food’s doing all the dazzling?

Chicken Posole

Yield: 4–6 servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 large cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Two 15.5-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
One 4-ounce can diced green chilies
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
Garnishes: cabbage, radishes, red onion and cilantro

1. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high. Sear chicken until lightly golden, 1–2 minutes per side, then set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil. Sauté onion with 1/2 teaspoon salt, chili powder, cumin and oregano until fragrant and translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add stock, scraping up any browned bits, then return chicken and juices. Simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Shred chicken and return to the pot with hominy and green chilies. Simmer 20 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning. Serve with lime wedges, cabbage, radishes, onion and cilantro.

Burst Tomato Frittata with Basil Oil

Yield: 4 servings

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1 1/2 cups baby tomatoes (such as cherry, grape or multicolored heirlooms)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, divided
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup grated fontina cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make basil oil: Blanch basil leaves in boiling water for a few seconds, then shock in ice water. Dry and puree with 4 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Strain and refrigerate.

2. Roast tomatoes: Heat oven to 425 F. Toss tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast 15 minutes, shaking halfway, then broil 1–2 minutes until tops darken. Lower oven to 325 F.

3. Whisk eggs with half-and-half, remaining salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

4. In a small broiler-proof skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter and sauté shallot for 1 minute. Pour in eggs, gently lifting edges so uncooked eggs flow underneath. Drop in tomatoes and fontina; cook 1–2 minutes until partially set. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan.

5. Bake 5 minutes, then broil 2–3 minutes until fluffy and lightly golden. Watch closely.

6. Cut into wedges, drizzle with basil oil, sprinkle remaining Parmesan and serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Eggplant Rollatini with Lemon-Herb Ricotta

Yield: 4–6 servings

6 medium eggplants (about 4 pounds), trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
Coarse salt
3 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups marinara sauce
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Heat oven to 425 F.

2. Sprinkle eggplant slices generously with salt and set aside to draw out moisture.

3. In a bowl, combine ricotta, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 3 tablespoons basil, parsley, 1/2 tablespoon oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Fold in the egg.

4. Pat eggplant dry, drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, season with pepper and roast until tender and lightly golden, about 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Cool to room temperature.

5. Lower oven to 400 F.

6. Drizzle a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spoon in 1/2 cup marinara. Spread a heaping tablespoon of ricotta mixture onto each eggplant slice, roll tightly and place seam-side down in the dish. Pour remaining marinara over rolls, layer with mozzarella, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and oregano, and drizzle with remaining olive oil.

7. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining basil.

Crispy Garlic Herb Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

2 large chicken breasts, butterflied into 4 cutlets
2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving

1. Heat oven to 300 F.

2. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. In a shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan with panko, oregano, thyme, parsley and garlic powder. Press chicken into mixture to coat.

3. Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden and nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake 5–8 minutes, until fully cooked.

4. Zest lemon over hot chicken and sprinkle with an extra pinch of salt. Serve with lemon wedges and cauliflower rice, pasta, roasted vegetables or a fresh salad.

Linguine with Clams

Serves: 4

1 pound linguine
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds fresh clams (such as Manila or littleneck), scrubbed
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1.Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 2 tablespoons cooking water.

2. In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until lightly golden, about 45 seconds. Add clams and toss to coat, 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add wine and lemon juice, cover and simmer until clams open, 6–8 minutes. Discard any that do not open.

3. Remove clams; let cool slightly. Remove about three-quarters of the meat from shells, chopping larger clams. Reduce cooking liquid by half, then whisk in butter. Add pasta, reserved water, salt, pepper, shelled clams, parsley and 4 tablespoons Parmesan. Toss and adjust seasoning.

4. Divide among bowls. Top with remaining clams in shells, a drizzle of olive oil and remaining Parmesan.

Roasted Blueberry Cheesecake with Candied Lemons

Yield: 8–10 servings

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice
2 lemons, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 cups fresh blueberries
Coarse salt
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 375 F.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, water, lemon zest and juice; bring to a boil. Add lemon slices and simmer until translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to dry.

3. Spread blueberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and roast until they begin to burst, 10–15 minutes.

4. Lower oven to 350 F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, butter and a pinch of salt. Press into a greased 8- or 9-inch springform or cake pan.

5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with maple syrup until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in reserved lemon syrup and vanilla. Pour over crust, top with roasted blueberries and gently swirl. Bake until just set, 30–35 minutes. Cool at room temperature 1 hour.

6. Garnish with candied lemon slices and powdered sugar. Chill 2–3 hours before slicing.