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Broccoli

Vegetables in their ‘Baby’ Stage Add a Touch of Green to Winter Market

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

For Shane Avery, Saturday mornings begin early. He rises before 5 a.m. to harvest, prep, and bring his tiny little “vegetables” – known as microgreens – to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

At 9 a.m., the market bell rings and the greens – beets, broccoli, peas, radishes, and more – sit nestled in clear reusable containers, gleaming. Soon, market goers surround his table. Often, by the market’s 1 p.m. close, Avery has sold out.

A Sampler Pack. Photo by Pattie Garrett

Avery owns Saratoga Urban Farm. The farm is based in Gansevoort and produces microgreens, wheatgrass, culinary herbs, and other products. Avery started the business a year ago and joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market last November. His clientele has expanded to include two farmers’ markets and a few local restaurants.

Microgreens are essentially vegetables in their youngest stage, harvested when the seeds from which they’re grown have produced their first true leaves.

“They’re about 10 days old,” says Avery. “At this stage, they have the strong flavor of their parent vegetable and a very high level of nutrient density.”

Pleasant Valley Farm offers pea and sunflower shoots, among other vegetables. Avery specializes in microgreens. His packages include the greens of individual vegetables and mixes.

For many, the appeal of microgreens is ease. They require minimal washing – just a quick rinse under running water and a shake dry – and little prep. They can be sprinkled over omelets, folded into sandwiches, added to stir fry dishes, casseroles, or soups. Avery offers a handout with 52 ideas for using them, one for each week of the year.

He likes them best fresh in a bowl, with a light drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Unlike sprouts, which are typically grown in water, microgreens are grown in soil. Avery soaks his seeds for a day, plants them in trays filled with an organic soil, and gives them three to four days to germinate, at which point they go under grow lights. Three to four days later, the tiny plants are ready for harvesting.

Avery times the soaking, planting, and germinating so harvests come just before market. They arrive at market 1-2 inches long, bright, crisp, and packed to remain fresh for seven days.

 

 

Farmers’ Market Broccoli Salad

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Adapted from recipe by Healthy Seasonal Recipes, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6

 

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt*
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoon brown mustard*
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled*
  • 1 shallot, minced*
  • 5 cups chopped raw broccoli*
  • 1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb*
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add bacon, shallot, broccoli, fennel, and cheese and stir to coat with the dressing.

 

NOTES

Steam broccoli for a couple of minutes to remove raw texture, if desired.

 

Cooking on a College Student’s Budget

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By Courtney Kramer

I spent the summer of 2017 as a Saratoga Farmers’ Market intern. Before that point, I had no experience whatsoever with farmers’ markets. However, I did have an innate passion for fresh meals with locally grown produce.

As a result, I came to the internship with a desire to learn how to cook better for myself and to use farmers’ markets as at least one of my sources for fresh, locally produced food.

But I knew very little about how farmers’ markets operated. I did have a lot of questions:

  • Would every stand sell fruits and vegetables?
  • Would each week bring different vendors?
  • How would non-cash transactions be handled?
  • What would happen if it rained?

I got some answers to these questions through my internship. But I also learned something more important. I learned how to cook, easily and quickly, and most importantly on the budget of a 20-year-old college student.

My grandmother is Italian. I lived seven doors away from her my entire life. I grew up with home-cooked Italian meals featuring fresh zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers along with spicy sausages and pasta.

On my own as a college student, I came to realize how much those fresh Italian dinners spoiled me. In college, I can eat in the college cafeteria or cook in my apartment. The latter option is more appealing, but time also matters: there’s school work, extracurriculars, and a social life. What could I do to cook quickly, easily and on a budget?

Broccoli from Humiston’s Vegetables, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Working for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market gave me answers to those questions. I spoke with farmers, Cornell Cooperative Extension food experts, volunteers and customers who are experts on how to use fresh produce well. A few go-to ingredients that I’ll bring back to college with me:

  • Spinach (or any other cooking green): Whether you steam it or cream it as a side dish, put it on a sandwich, wilt it into pasta, it’s flavorful, colorful and nutritious.
  • Zucchini: These massive summer squashes are the most versatile veggies around. Use them as an appetizer, a side, an entrée, or dessert. They also pair well with tomatoes.
  • Broccoli: I can bake it, steam it, or saute it in minutes.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October at High Rock Park. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.