A Lite Fall

Fall cooking once conjured up visions of long-simmering stews and briskets. But tastes have changed: We like our vegetables fresh and seasonal, and we worry about our health. Lighter cooking that utilizes the fall harvest is becoming the norm.

It makes sense. Why not enjoy fall produce in light, vibrant cooking and save the heavier dishes for the occasional truly cold days later in the winter?

The harvest menu that follows uses shiny purple eggplants, sun-ripened tomatoes, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet red peppers and Italian prune plums.

This tomato soup has more body than typical tomato soups. It’s rich and satisfying with almost no fat. Although it can be served chilled or hot, I far prefer this soup steaming, dolloped with a cool spoonful of light sour cream or yogurt. You can make several batches of this soup and freeze them while tomatoes are still flavorful.

SPICED TOMATO SOUP

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sweet onion, minced

3 pounds large ripe tomatoes, skinned, halved, juiced and seeded, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 to 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar, depending on acid in tomatoes

Salt

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Cayenne pepper

Light sour cream or low-fat yogurt, optional

Heat oil in 3-quart non-aluminum pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, cumin, cloves, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer, covered, until tomatoes are cooked, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

Puree soup with tomato paste in processor or blender until uniformly textured. Add remaining sugar as needed. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen up to 3 months. Serve hot or chilled with dollop of light sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

112 calories; 328 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.85 grams fiber.

Bow-tie pasta (farfalle) tossed with a tumble of colorful fall vegetables makes an appealing main dish. The two fresh herbs enhance the flavor of the vegetables. The garlic, onion and eggplant are sauteed together for full flavor, while the squash and red pepper are added to the boiling pasta water the last three minutes of cooking.

HARVEST PASTA WITH FRESH BASIL AND MINT

2 (12-ounce) medium firm eggplants, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 small red onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 large cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces farfalle or bow-tie pasta

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup mixed julienned basil and mint

Crushed hot red pepper, optional

Toss eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place in colander and weight down with heavy object. Let drain 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant with cold water (do not pat dry).

Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, red onions and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 3 minutes, stirring only as necessary. Add garlic. Cook until eggplant is almost tender but still holds shape and is not mushy, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta al dente in boiling salted water. Add zucchini, yellow squash and sweet red pepper when pasta has about 3 more minutes to cook. When boiling resumes (about 3 minutes), stir well. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid. Drain pasta and vegetables. Toss with eggplant mixture, vinegar and about 1/3 cup cooking liquid.

Mix in cheese and adjust seasonings to taste. Toss with julienned herbs and crushed red pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

464 calories; 901 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 2.96 grams fiber.

Fragrant with cinnamon and loaded with plums, this cake is appealingly moist and full-flavored. It’s delicious the day it’s baked but even more so the day following because the fruit moistens the cake on standing. Once Italian prune plums are no longer available, use any firm tart plum cut into a 1/2-inch dice; just be sure you have about 3 1/3 cups of diced plums.

FRESH PLUM BUNDT CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

3 cups plus 3 tablespoons cake flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 cup buttermilk

22 small firm Italian prune plums, about 1 1/3 pounds total, halved, pitted, each half quartered (about 3 1/3 cups)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Glaze

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Strawberry or vanilla ice cream, optional

Generously grease 12-cup-bundt cake pan. Coat lightly with flour, tapping out excess over sink. Set aside.

Sift together 3 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt onto sheet of wax paper. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat 3 minutes until thick and smooth. Add sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix well to combine.

Combine plums, walnuts and remaining 3 tablespoons flour in plastic food bag. Shake to coat evenly. Stir plum mixture into batter with wooden spoon (it will be very thick). Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bang pan on counter to settle batter. Smooth surface with spatula.

Bake on center rack of oven at 350 degrees until wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack placed on baking sheet. Brush warm cake with hot Glaze, reapplying glaze as it drips onto baking sheet.

Let cake cool completely. Can be served day it’s baked, but preferably following day. Store at room temperature, covered.

Cake is best eaten warm. To reheat, place on oven-proof serving plate. Bake at 350 degrees until just warm, about 8 to 10 minutes. Or heat in microwave oven on MEDIUM power (50%) until just warm, about 4 minutes. Do not overheat. Press powdered sugar through fine sieve over top of cake. Serve with ice cream. Makes 1 large bundt cake, about 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

666 calories; 271 mg sodium; 127 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 89 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.98 gram fiber.

Glaze

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons half and half

Heat butter in small saucepan over high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Add brown sugar and half and half. Stir until smooth.