Savory late- summer stew

Warm Tomato and White Bean Stew

September tomatoes ― sweet, juicy, and ripe almost to bursting ― might just be the best of the year. The trick is to get our fill of them before cold weather arrives and we have to resign ourselves to dull, pink, mealy winter tomatoes.

One great way is to make this barely warm tomato and white-bean stew a quick staple for back-to-school evenings.

It’s a slightly heartier version of the classic caprese salad of tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella (now widely available in supermarkets).

Stirred for just a moment with the warmed tomatoes and basil, the cheese melts into strings. The gooey concoction, which takes less than 10 minutes on the stove (not long enough to heat up the house on a warm night), is delicious scooped up with a piece of crusty bread ― all you need to make the stew a meal.