Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market Recip

Fava Leaves

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:34:00 GMT

Apparently, fava leaves are the new "it" ingredient. And you can be hip too, when you pick some up at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. I got this bunch from Singing Frogs Farm, a new vendor based in Sebastopol at the market. Fava is often planted as a cover crop to help restore nitrogen to the soil, but the leaves are quite delicious. And they are a heck of a lot easier to use than fava beans. This week, since the bunch of fava leaves I got was so huge, I made two recipes for the price of one!

Open Face Fava Leaf Sandwiches

4 thin slices pancetta (italian bacon)

2 slices multigrain bread

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

2 radishes, srubbed and thinly sliced

10 fava leaves, chopped or left whole

freshly ground pepper

Cook the pancetta slices in a pan over medium heat until cripsy, turning to cook both sides (this will not take long, so keep a close eye on them). Drain pancetta slices on a paper towel. Toast or do not toast the bread, according to your preference. Top each slice of bread with half of the ricotta cheese. Place two slices of pancetta on each slice of bread, then top with radishes, and finally fava leaves. Cut sandwiches in two and grind a bit of pepper over the slices. Serves two as an appetizer.

Fava Leaf Ramen

1 tsp vegetable oil

8 baby carrots, sliced thinly on the diagonal

1/4 cup minced onion

3 cups water

1 1/2 tblsp soy sauce

1/2 tblsp fish sauce

1 or 2 ramen noodle cakes (depending on the size of the cake)

1 cup fava leaves

1/3 cup shredded cabbage

2 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham

2 tsp sriracha sauce (thai hot chili sauce) *optional

Heat the oil in a pot and cook the carrots and onion in the oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the water, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce and fish sauce, and the noodle cake. Heat for about 2 minutes until noodles are soft. Add fava leaves and cabbage and remove pot from heat. Stir greens into the soup, and then pour into two bowls. Top each serving with some ham and a teaspoon of sriracha sauce (if you like spicy stuff). Serves 2. (This recipe was inspired by a post from Food Woolf.)

Green Garlic

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:03:00 GMT

Green Garlic is garlic that has been harvested before the garlic bulbs have time to mature. It is definitely a spring time only treat, and can be used however you use garlic. Find them all over the place right now at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. I roasted these puppies and put them in simple quesadillas.

Roasted Green Garlic Quesadillas

1 bunch green garlic, rinsed and trimmed

olive oil for drizzling

salt and pepper

8 tortillas

4 ounces of your favorite mild cheese

salsa (optional)

Place green garlic on a foil lined baking pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then roast in a 400 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, turning green garlic once during roasting time. Roughly chop roasted green garlic. Heat 1 tortilla in a pan over medium heat, sprinkling one ounce of cheese over the top of the tortilla. Top with some roasted green garlic and a second tortilla. Once cheese has melted, flip quesadilla over to heat the other side. Turn out onto a plate and cut into quarters. Repeat with more tortillas, cheese, and roasted green garlic. Serve as is, or with a side of salsa. Makes enough green garlic for at least 4 quesadillas.

Broccoli

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:04:00 GMT

Even if President George H. W. Bush is not a fan of broccoli, I am pretty sure he would not turn his nose up at this delicious dish I made with fresh broccoli from the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market.

Broccoli au Gratin

1 1/2 pounds broccoli

3 tblsp butter

3 tblsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

a dash or two of Worchestershire sauce (optional)

1 1/2 cups warm milk

2/3 cup shredded cheese (any kind you prefer)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)

butter for greasing the casserole dish

Rinse and cut broccoli into flowerets, using stems as well. Trim off stems, peel them with a veggie peeler, and then cut them into disks. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and salt, and stir, cooking flour and butter together for about 3 minutes. Slowly stir in warm milk to flour butter mixture. Add Worchestershire sauce if you want to, or omit. Stir until thickened. Add 2/3 cup of your favorite cheese, grated into the mixture. Stir until melted. In a pot with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of salted water to a boil. Add disks first, then flowerets. Cover pot and steam for 3 minutes, until broccoli is not quite done. Grease a casserole dish with butter, then drain broccoli and place in casserole. Pour cheese sauce over the broccoli. Top casserole with panko breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Taco Seasoning

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:00:00 GMT

One of the newest vendors at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market is Jane from The Handmade Pantry. Jane makes awesome seasoning mixes, salad dressing mixes, granolas, and more. These are made without weird chemicals that big food companies often put in their convenience foods. No MSG here! I used the Taco Seasoning mix to make my take on Shepherd's Pie. Yum!

Southwestern Shepherd's Pie

4 ounces chopped cooked steak, or chicken, or leftover taco meat

2 tsp Taco Seasoning Mix from The Handmade Pantry

½ cup diced carrots

¼ cup diced parsnips

2 cloves minced garlic

2 chopped green onions

1 tblsp butter

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

6 diced crimini mushrooms

1 tblsp butter

1 tblsp flour

½ cup milk

1 ½ tsp Taco Seasoning Mix from The Handmade Pantry

¼ cup mashed potatoes

additional milk (if needed)

butter

sprinkling of Taco Seasoning Mix from The Handmade Pantry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop up steak (or use cooked chicken, or leftover cooked taco meat). Sprinkle a bit of Taco Seasoning Mix onto meat and toss to coat. Put meat into two separate 6 oz size ramekins. Cook carrots, parsnips, garlic, and green onions in 1 tblsp butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add red bell pepper and crimini mushrooms to veggie mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes. Top meat with veggie mixture. In a small pan, melt 1 tblsp butter. Sprinkle flour over the butter and stir, cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk and 1 ½ tsp Taco Seasoning Mix to the butter and flour. Whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick and smooth. Top veggie mixture with sauce. Spread mashed potatoes (diluted with a bit of milk if necessary) over the top of each ramekin and then brush the tops of the potatoes with melted butter. Sprinkle a bit more Taco Seasoning Mix over each ramekin. Place in oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until mashed potatoes are golden and pies are hot. Serves 2.

I made mine in heart shaped ramekins for me and Mr. Cricket. Awww, true love!

Rainbow Chard

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:20:00 GMT

Beautiful rainbow chard is a wonderful, low-calorie source of vitamins K, A, and C. And it tastes great braised, steamed or sauteed. This simple vegetarian meal can literally be made in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Pasta with Rainbow Chard

1 bunch rainbow chard

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces dry pasta (I used penne)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of sundried tomato (in oil), minced

3 ounces of fresh mozzarella, chopped into pieces

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Rinse and trim the chard leaves, leaving about 3 inches of the stem. Remove the stems from the leaves, and then chop stems into small dice. Roll leaves and cut into strips. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chard stems, cooking for about 3 minutes. Add chard leaves and garlic. Cook until leaves have wilted. Add sun dried tomatoes and cheese. Cook just until cheese is melting. Add drained hot pasta to the pan and toss to combine. You can add a small pinch of red pepper flakes if you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Asparagus

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:49:00 GMT

I love spring! And the first spring veggie is now at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market: asparagus! Whether you like thick spears or thin ones, grab a bunch or two and roast them in the oven for an amazing side dish/appetizer. I used roasted asparagus in this simple sandwich. I was trying to come up with a catchy name for it, like BLT, and my sister suggested ABC (for Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheese)! Yum!

ABC Sandwich (Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheese)

1 bunch asparagus

olive oil for drizzling

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon prepared pesto

2 tablespoons prepared mayonnaise

2 mini baguettes, or two 6-inch sections from a baguette

4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked until crispy

2 slices of provolone cheese (2 oz total)

arugula leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare asparagus by holding each spear and bending it until it breaks naturally. Discard the lower portion of the spear. Place the spears on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 10 to 12 minutes until spears are done. While spears are roasting, combine pesto and mayo. Slice bread lengthwise and spread pesto-mayo on bread. Layer bacon, asparagus, cheese, and arugula on sandwiches. If the asparagus are very thick, slice them lengthwise before adding to sandwiches. Makes 2 sandwiches, with leftover asparagus.

Scallops and Spring

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:40:00 GMT

Spring is nearly here at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market, and you can tell by the pots of daffodils that are appearing in the stalls. Grab last of the season lemons and garlic to make this simple appetizer.

Seared Scallops with Lemon and Garlic

zest of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

a few grinds of pepper

1 tablespoon snipped chives

1 clove of garlic, grated on the zester

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 large scallops

1 tablespoon butter

In a bowl, combine the zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chives, and garlic. Whisk in olive oil. Set vinaigrette aside. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Rinse scallops, and then pat them all dry with paper towels. Add butter to skillet, then sear the scallops on one side for 2 minutes; turn and sear on the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Do not crowd the skillet, or scallops will not get a nice sear. Immediately place the scallops in the bowl with the vinaigrette, gently tossing them to coat them with the sauce. Serve 3 scallops per person. Makes 4 appetizer servings.

Chervil

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Chervil is an herb that resembles parsley, and rhymes with gerbil. Tee hee! Chervil has a peppery, kind of fennel flavor. It's used often in French cooking, as a part of "fines herbs" and it goes great with eggs. I picked up a bunch of chervil from Triple T at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market, and put them in this recipe for deviled eggs. I made a platter of them for my friend's party, and they disappeared in a flash.

Deviled Eggs with Chervil

6 eggs

1/4 cup to 1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh chervil, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

chervil sprigs for decoration

Place eggs in a large pot, so that they fit in one layer. Cover eggs with cold water at least 2 inches over eggs. Heat to boiling, boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat, and let eggs sit tightly covered for 13 minutes. Remove lid and put pot with eggs under cold running water to chill hard boiled eggs. Once eggs have cooled, carefully peel eggs. (It is easier to peel eggs that are not super fresh, so wait a few days after buying your eggs to make this recipe). Slice a very small piece of egg from either side (lengthwise) so the deviled egg will remain stable when placed on a plate.

Carefully cut eggs in half lengthwise, and remove yolks into a bowl. Add mayonnaise, minced fresh chervil, salt, paprika, and prepared mustard to yolks and stir well. Spoon egg yolk filling into empty egg white halves. Decorate each deviled egg with a small sprig of chervil and serve. Makes 12 deviled egg halves.

Chocolates

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:10:00 GMT

Valentine's Day is this Sunday. It is officially time to PANIC. Just kidding, no need to panic, just head to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market for loads of delicious chocolate. There is a new chocolate vendor at the market: Peter's Chocolates from Sebastopol. Doug Peters makes small batches of truffles and caramel turtles and wraps them in adorable pink and brown packages. Peter's Chocolates is at the Wednesday market. And of course everyone loves Gandolf's Fine Chocolate, who is at the market on Saturdays. Grab a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, a dozen oysters from Santa Rosa Seafood, and a few truffles this week at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market! See, no need to panic.

Beets

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:39:00 GMT

I decided to get all fancy-schmancy at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market this week. I picked up two bunches of beets, a golden one and a red one. I roasted them in aluminum foil, but I kept the golden ones separated from the red ones. After they were roasted, I peeled them, and then sliced them lengthwise to have a flat surface from which to cut little hearts. I have a few small cookie cutters, and they were perfect for this purpose. The rest of the beet slices went into a marinade of orange juice, salt, sugar, pepper, and olive oil, along with a bit of shallots and orange segments. The red beets got blood oranges, and the golden beets got navel oranges. After the beets had marinated in color appropriate marinades, I placed a few hearts at the top of each plate, and then spooned a mound of each beet salad below it, topped with a few crumbles of soft goat cheese.

Romantic Beet Salad (This Heart Beets For You)
2 bunches of beets, one golden, one red
1 small blood orange
1 small navel orange
2 pinches salt
1/2 tsp sugar
freshly ground pepper
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp thinly sliced shallots
1 oz fresh goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim beets. Each bunch should have beets large enough to cut small hearts from. Rinse and place golden beets on one sheet of aluminum, and red beets on another sheet of aluminum. Wrap aluminum around beets. Place in oven and roast for about 40 minutes, until beets are tender. Remove beets from oven and allow to cool.

Carefully pinch skins off beets to peel them, keeping the golden and red beets separated. Slice beets lengthwise. Using a small heart shaped cookie cutter, cut hearts out of beet slices. Cut remaining beets into bite sized pieces. Over a bowl, slice segments of blood orange, allowing juice to gather in bowl. Set segments aside. Add 1 pinch salt, ¼ tsp sugar, a few grinds of pepper, and 1 tblsp olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add blood orange segments, 1 tblsp of shallots (rings separated), and red beets to mixture. Toss red beets with the dressing VERY carefully, so as not to damage the hearts.

Repeat with a navel orange and the golden beets in a separate bowl. Allow beets to marinate for at least 15 minutes. Right before serving, place heart shapes on top of plate, then spoon two mounds of beets (one red, one golden) below the heart shapes. Top with crumbled fresh goat cheese. Makes 2 to 3 servings.