Itâs no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes weâre whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
October 3
Fritters to cherish summer
This was the summer I became a person who likes summer. I don’t know if itâs because I spent a lot of it in air-conditioning, but for the first time summer didnât feel like a soupy slog I simply had to endure. I embraced the sweat running down my back, relished the late sunsets, and enjoyed every farmers market. I am fully in denial that itâs over, and just this week bought four pounds of zucchini to make me feel better. I made zucchini keftedes for dinner to use up my hopefully-not-last-of-the-season stash. Eyeballing almost everything, I definitely skipped the mint (because I hate it so), and used olive oil instead of canola for frying. The breadcrumbs are a genius touchâthe reason, I believe, these fritters are juicy and tender rather than gummy and soggy, the way fritters bound with flour tend to be. They were gone a little too soon, just like my first favorite summer. âShilpa Uskokovic, senior test kitchen editor
Tomato tart
I sliced my last bunch (perhaps for the year?) of tiny heirloom tomatoes thinly to layer onto mascarpone-slicked puff pastry, a nod to a late-summer classic from the New York Times. My version made some tweaks, but I think the similarities are obvious. I layered in whisper-thin wedges from a quarter of a red onion, dusted it with ancho chile flakes, and drizzled the whole thing with olive oil that Iâd infused with a grated garlic clove. When the tart emerged from the oven, edges puffed, I dolloped on mounds of cottage cheese, doused with more olive oil, and sprinkled it with a shower of chopped cilantro. Ah, summer. We barely knew ye. âJoe Sevier, senior editor, SEO and cooking
Branzino for Monday supper
When I cook fish at home, I usually default to salmon. Itâs not too pricey and widely available (plus there are enough salmon recipes to fill up a whole year of meals). But I also love branzino. Iâll always order it at a restaurant, and every time I make it Iâm reminded how delicious it can be with just salt, pepper, lemon, and some herbs. The branzino this week was extra special because it came from Seatopia, a sustainable seafood subscription box, and was incredibly high-quality. I crisped up the skin and served it simply with a salsa verde, the last of the seasonâs farmers market tomatoes, and farfalle pasta. Most definitely the best Monday night supper I could dream up. âKate Kassin, editorial operations manager
Halloumi pasta salad
For the very first time in my life, I grew tomatoes. I watched a lot (I mean a lot) of YouTube videos, spoke to anyone I could at the community garden for advice, and got my hands dirty. The reward: plump beefsteak tomatoes. This is the gift that keeps on givingâeven in the first week of October Iâm still getting the love apple straight from the vine. Iâve eaten them straight up, on sandwiches, and the latest, in this Orechiette Salad With Halloumi Croutons from Yossy Arefi. Buttery fried cubes of halloumi get mixed with cooked pasta, Persian cucumbers, red onion, tender greens, and of course juicy tomato chunks. When tossed with a simple, vinegary dressing, all of the flavors sing. âNina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Cookies for any and all cravings
The best cookie hack? Make a double batch of dough, portion it out into balls on a sheet pan, freeze for about 10 minutes so they wonât stick together, then store in a zip-top bag in the freezer. This way, theyâre ready to be baked off whenever I get a hankering for sweets. Iâve been making a different cookie recipe each week in my quest to be a more confident baker. Iâve learned about dough hydration, melted butter vs. softened, and so much more. This recipe has been on my want-to-make list for a while nowâIâm toffeeâs biggest fan. After making these, Iâm not sure Iâll want to try another recipe. Skor bars are a non-negotiable addition; the cookies have the perfect toffee-to-chocolate ratio and wonderful texture. âUrmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
