This is my favorite time of year in terms of hunting-and-gathering. My local farmer's market is now in full swing and enough of the growing season has passed that they are, in fact, selling locally grown produce. The market, which transforms the M&T bank's parking lot into a bustling, burst of color and smells, starts off a bit sadly in early May with boxes of trucked in fruits and greens. Surely that defies the entire purpose of a local market?
Up until last weekend I've been traveling and busy and the Sundays have slipped by. Now the market has the real stuff, the good stuff, the things that make me feel like a kid in a candy store. So I finally get to dig out my cloth tote bags, stroll down the sun-warmed sidewalk into town to see what they have to offer.
I duck in under the white-beige tents into piles and piles of leafy greens of delicate chartreuse and darkest blue greens...kales, chards, lettuces, spinach, harbs...where to begin...and where to stop? Before coming here my one stop was at the ATM, and I have a budget to stick to, but how can buying vegetables ever be the wrong thing to do?
Quickly my arms are burdened by gritty carrots, beets and salad greens, forcing me to stop and unload on the little wooden table by the register so I can double back and gather more.
As I shop I play food pairing games in my head...the kale will go with lentils and grilled shrimp, parsley becomes a foil to the soft sweetness of eggplant and delicate ricotta, crunchy carrots are destined to add texture to my lunch salads, their sugary flavor playing off the peppery hit of arugula. And there are real treasures to be found, never before have I seen white beets, and next to them organically grown Chioggias with their gorgeous striped interiors! Both the white and red beets have luscious leafy tops to be gently wilted in olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Not only will this be very tasty week for me and my boys, but our bodies will be chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.
I round off my purchase with bunches of both Thumbelina and purple carrots, a box of impossibly red and sweet strawberries, a loaf of crusty peasant bread, and joy-of-all-joys: hand made sheep's milk ricotta...so pale and silky soft.
Many meals will come out of this bounty, but I will share 2 quick recipes using the cheese:
Eggplant Dip with Garlic and Ricotta
This one was inspired by a friend of a friend who served this at her art opening recently.
It's not a very pretty item, hence no sexy food picture
- 1 large eggplant
- 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- salt & pepper
- parsley
Split the eggplant in half, grill or oven roast it until it is soft and mushy, approximately 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool a little.
Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry garlic until just a little golden on the edges.
Scrape out the eggplant into the pan and let it cook for a few minutes to meld with the garlic.
Transfer the mix into a food processer and pulse until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, add eggplant mixture, chopped parsley, ricotta, salt and pepper. Mix until well-blended and adjust seasoning. Serve with bread or as a side dish. I also tried substituting goat cheese once but I got a grainy result. I'll have to test that one again as the flavor was fantastic but the texture not. I'm wondering if the eggplant was too hot and the chevre curdled.....live and cook and learn
Whilst grilling the eggplant my youngest came tearing through the yard all sweaty and hungry after hours on his skateboard. He needed a quick snack, so I made this for him.
Strawberries with Ricotta and Balsamic Vinegar
Slice up strawberries, add dollops of ricotta, a tiny dash of salt for brightness and drizzle with balsamic.
In less than 30 seconds it was gone, as was he. Left behind: an empty bowl and the fading sound of skateboard wheels clattering on asphalt as he disappeared into the balmy evening. Happy kid, happy Mom.
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