It's still summer in New York. Or at least it's not the Fall I remember. The subways are still warm and wet; there's a slight breeze but the air is resisting going cold. Every day we all talk to each other like it's the last nice day of the year - "I'm gonna enjoy this one, Fall is coming" and every day it's warm again. I keep taking out my sweaters and then folding them back up again.
Late Summer Soup: fresh cranberry beans, roasted wild mushrooms, swiss chard, a broth of caramelized late summer tomatoes, garlic, and thyme.
Shell the beans. Clean the mushrooms and roast them with a little oil and salt in a high oven (450 F). Clean the leaves of the chard from the stems and blanch in salted water. Sauté garlic in a pan until brown, add chunks of tomatoes and cook until the water evaporates and they start to caramelize. Add a thyme sprig, water, and fresh beans. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until beans are tender. Add swiss chard stems, greens, and mushrooms. Season with salt and lemon juice, top with olive oil and maybe grated cheese.