A Menu to Savor the Final Moments of Summer

A creamy corn soup, chicken with a peppery stew and a fresh take on peach Melba round out David Tanis’s late-season menu.

The weather is warm, but the sun sets earlier, the surest sign that summer is nearly over. At my local market, the year’s last corn is piled high, and there are big baskets of shapely sweet peppers in every hue. It seems quite wonderful that stone fruits are still around — peaches, nectarines and plums. So I look no further. For right there in front of me, the essential produce for my dinner is on colorful display: corn soup, a savory stew of peppers and onions, and peaches for dessert. Of course, any of the dishes in this menu could also stand alone. Made with little more than freshly picked sweet corn, onions and water, the velvety soup is divine — and calls for no cream or dairy. The lovely creaminess comes from a thorough whizzing in the blender. But for the silkiest texture, it’s best to pass the puréed soup through a fine-mesh sieve. It’s an extra step, but worth it: It moves a wonderful soup into the sublime. Finish it with a drizzle of olive oil and torn basil leaves.