Grapevine January 25 2009 Market

this week
-What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Cooking Ideas - Wilted Escarole Salad

Despite managing the market for five winters, I am still amazed by how much produce is harvested in the winter. Despite the December storms, many crops are recovering. Arugula, spinach, escarole - who says you can't find locally grown green vegetable in the winter?

Deep Roots Farm is back this week as is Kookoolan Farms. Lisa at Jacobs Creamery has extended her vacation and won't be back until February. Otherwise, all the regular vendors will be there.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

Apples, kiwi and pears will be available this week. Asian pears should be available as well.

Many crops are recovering from the December storms. You should find many more greens this week including arugula, escarole, collards, kale and spinach. Salad mixes and braising mixes should be readily available as well. Winter squashes, beets, carrots, celeriac, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, radishes and turnips should be plentiful this weekend.

It may be January but that doesn't mean you can't work in the garden. Garden Color will have a wide variety of hellebores and Greengable Farm will potted tulips and daffodils as well as cut flowers.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who's coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Deep Roots Farm
Garden Color

OUT
Jacobs Creamery (back in February)
Honeyhill Nursery (back in February)

Cooking Ideas - Wilted Escarole Salad

Salads don't need to be cold and the green doesn't need to be lettuce. This recipe works just as well with any winter green mix. The bacon is optional. You can add nuts instead or do without. Enjoy!

Wilted Escarole Salad
1 lb. escarole (about one head)
3 T chopped shallot
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
2 slices bacon, cooked and broken into bits (optional)

Wash the escarole, dry and tear into bite size pieces.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add the shallot, and cook until the onion is softened. Add the escarole and saute for a minute or two. Add vinegar, cover pan and remove from heat.

Remove lid after a few minutes. The escarole should be wilted but still bright in color. Place escarole into a serving bowl. Add the bacon (optional),salt and pepper to taste and toss. Serve warm.

You'll find a printable version of the recipe here.

Grapevine January 11 2009 Market

this week
- What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Cooking Ideas - Buffalo Chili

I hope everyone had a good holiday season despite the weather. I walked over to the market site on the morning of December 21st around 10am. The temperature was 23 degrees and I measured 14 inches of snow on the ground. We hate canceling markets but the 21st just was not a good day.


As you can see from this photo from Deep Roots Farm, many of the farmers faced the same challenges we did in the city. Crops are recovering for the most part. Deep Roots Farm and a few other farms need to take some time off from the market to give the crops time to recover from the cold damage and to rebuild hoophouses and greenhouses.

Kookoolan Farms and Jacobs Creamery are off this week for planned and well earned vacations. Both will be back January 25th.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

It's definitely winter but there is still fruit available. Apples and pears are plentiful. Greengable Farm returns to the market this week and is bringing kiwifruit. As for nuts, you'll find chestnuts, hazelnuts and walnuts.

The December storms definitely hit the area farms pretty hard but there is a good stock of vegetables available. Winter squashes, beets, carrots, celeriac, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, radishes and turnips should be plentiful this weekend. Some winter greens like chard will be down for a while but you'll still find plenty of kale, salad mixes and braising mixes.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who's coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Greengable Farm

OUT
Blossom Vinegars (back in March)
Deep Roots Farm (back in February)
Happy Harvest Farm (back in April)
Kookoolan Farms (back Jan 25)
Jacobs Creamery (back Jan 25)
Linda Brand Crab
Rick Steffen Farm (back in March)
Salmon Creek Hydroponics (back in March)
Savory et Sweet (back in May)
Vanveen Bulb (back in March)

Cooking Ideas - Buffalo Chili

Here's a recipe by Carrie Floyd at Culinate. Chili always seems to taste better in winter. In her preface to the recipe, Carrie notes that she adapted her recipe from a vegetarian chili recipe by Deborah Madison. So feel free to drop the bison if you wish. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chili

Ingredients
~ Vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (or 1 bell pepper), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground buffalo (see Note)
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Spanish paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped, with juice
8 cups cooked pinto or black beans, with cooking broth (or water)
1 to 2 Tbsp. chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
~ Salt
~ Sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, chopped white onions, and tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)

Steps

Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a large, heavy pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in celery (or bell pepper) and garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Push the vegetables to the outside edge of the pot and place the ground meat in the middle. With the end of the spoon, break up the meat and cook for several minutes, occasionally flipping the meat over to brown the other side, until the meat is no longer pink.

Stir the vegetables into the meat, adding extra oil if the meat is beginning to stick to the bottom of the pot. Add the chili powder, paprika, and cumin, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped tomatoes with their juice, the cooked beans and the bean broth, and, if necessary, extra water to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan. (Add as much water as you like, depending on how thick or soupy you like your chili.)

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, then cook, partially covered, for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and add more water if the chili begins to stick. Add chipotles and season to taste with salt. Serve hot, with sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, chopped white onions, and tortilla chips, if desired.