Saratoga Farmers' Market

Carrots

Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins

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Recipe by Cookie and Kate
Prep & Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 2 cups packed almond meal or almond flour (10 ounces)
● 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
● 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
● 1 teaspoon baking soda
● ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
● Optional mix-ins: ½ cup chopped walnuts, raisins, chocolate chips
● ½ cup honey* or maple syrup*
● 3 eggs*
● 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
● 1 cup grated apple* (about 1 ½ apples)
● 1 cup peeled and grated carrots* (about 3 carrots)

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and optional mix-ins, if using.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, eggs and butter. Whisk in the grated apple and carrots. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool completely before storing.
5. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If you like them warm, reheat them on low power in the microwave.


Notes:
MAKE THEM NUT FREE: (The muffins will no longer be gluten free with this variation) 2 cups whole wheat flour can be used as an alternative to the almond meal. Increase the butter to 8 tablespoons (1 stick) and reduce the oats to 1 cup.

Pantry Pot Pie

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Pantry Pot Pie, photo by Pattie Garrett

Shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 1 10-inch skillet or 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
For filling:
● 2 Tablespoons oil (or butter*)
● ½ onion*, chopped
● 1 garlic clove, minced
● 1 teaspoon dried thyme
● 2 carrots*, diced
● 1 cup potatoes*, peeled, cooked, and diced
● 1 cup of mixed vegetables*, frozen, canned or fresh
● 1 10 ½ ounces can of cream of celery (or chicken, mushroom etc)
● ½ can of milk (or ½ cup)
● 1 chicken breast*, skinless, cooked, and diced.
● Salt and pepper
For the pie crust (One ten-inch pie crust):
● 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
● ½ teaspoon salt
● ½ cup vegetable shortening
● 3 to 4 Tablespoons cold water

Instructions
1. For the filling: In an oven safe skillet, heat oil. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and thyme. Add carrots and cook until carrots start to soften. Add potatoes and mixed vegetables. Pour in 1 can of cream of celery and ½ cup of milk (1/2 can of milk). Add more milk if needed, up to a full can of milk. Add the cooked chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

2. For the pie crust: Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. Add 1 to 2 more teaspoons of water if needed.

3. Gather dough into ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured board. With floured rolling pin, roll dough 2 inches larger than skillet. Fold into quarters and unfold on top of skillet with filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or longer.

Farm to Pantry: Making meals with ingredients on hand

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By Julia Howard

Pleasant Valley Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Our responsibility, by direction, is to stay at home and only head out for essentials when absolutely necessary. As we settle in safely for the weeks to come, many are looking to foods that store well, foods that are easy to prepare, and, most importantly, foods that are available right now.

While food bloggers hail smart and savvy ‘pantry meals’ that utilize canned goods, rice, and beans, the farmers’ market offers an expanded palette of foods that are easy to store and last longer than most produce found at grocery stores.

Vegetables like onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots are often at the core of savory, hearty meals. They are durable and have a good shelf life, and these vegetables work well in diverse meals depending on preparation methods and seasonings. Please note that garlic is currently unavailable at market.

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Milk, butter, cheese, and eggs are staples that most of us keep in constant rotation in the refrigerator. These binding ingredients are often what pulls the meal together. Milk may be used to create a creamy finish to soups and sauces like a classic roux – which is made from butter, flour, and milk. Eggs can be used to create satisfying omelettes and frittatas with endless possibilities for fillings. Cheese is essential for homemade pizza, quesadillas, baked ziti, and numerous other dishes.

Saratoga Apple, photo by Pattie Garrett

Shelf-stable vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, and turnips can last for several weeks when kept in a cool, dry place. These vegetables can be the main stars of any meal, soup, or salad, and they are high in nutritional value. Even fruits like apples can keep for 2-3 weeks. Having a variety of these long-lasting fruits and vegetables inspires cooking that’s creative, comforting, and simple.

Meat and poultry are necessities for most, and they can be bought directly from farmers. Ground beef, whole chickens, and steaks and roasts can be kept frozen and thawed under refrigeration once you are ready to prepare them. Leftovers from a large roast or a whole roasted chicken may be used in a variety of dishes and soups as well.

While shopping at the farmers’ market, please remember to follow universal precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Please try to send one member of the household to shop and give 6’ space while shopping. Only touch products that you commit to buy and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after shopping.

If you plan to shop for something specific, please check our website and social media pages for updates. These are changeable times and we are working to keep you up to date with vendor and product availability each week.

 

This week’s recipe: Pantry Pot Pie

Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

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Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Recipe by Cook’s Illustrated, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients
● 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter*, cut into ½ inch pieces
● 1 shallot*, minced
● 1 cup chicken broth
● 1 cup apple cider*
● 6 sprigs fresh thyme*
● 2 bay leaves
● salt and pepper
● 1 pound carrots*, peeled and sliced about ¼ inch thick
● 1 pound sweet potatoes*, peeled halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
● ¼ cup coarsely chopped candied ginger
● 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
● 3 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro*

Instructions
1. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add broth, cider, thyme, bay leaves, 1½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots and sweet potatoes, stir to combine and return to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 14 minutes.

2. Remove pot from heat. Discard thyme springs and bay leaves and stir in candied ginger. Push vegetable mixture to sides of the pot. Add mustard and remaining 2 Tablespoons butter to center and whisk into cooking liquid. Stir to coat vegetable mixture with sauce, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Lamb Stew

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Recipe by Natasha’s Kitchen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Serves 8 people

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 4 oz bacon*, chopped into 1/4″ strips
● 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb* or lamb shoulder* trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
● 1/2 Tbsp sea salt for the lamb plus 1 tsp for stew
● 1 tsp black pepper for lamb plus 1/2 tsp for stew
● 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
● 1 large yellow onion*, diced
● 4 garlic cloves*, minced
● 1 1/2 cups red wine*
● 1 lb mushrooms*, thickly sliced
● 4 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
● 1 Tbsp tomato paste
● 2 bay leaves
● 1/2 tsp dried thyme
● 1 1/2 lbs small potatoes* halved or quartered into 1″ pieces
● 4 medium carrots*, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
● 1/4 cup parsley*, finely chopped for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.
  2. While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.
  3. Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
  4. Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Stir in potatoes and carrots, making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.

Stems add beauty and flavor to summer roots

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Carrots, turnips, and beets. These are the everyday root vegetables at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market that we eat year-round. However, at this time of year, as summer harvests hit their peak, they shine. They come to market fresh from our area’s farm fields, often with their stems attached. These stems are not only pretty to look at but are edible, too.

Farmers harvest root vegetables by pulling them from the stem. These stems add nutrition and flavor to summer meals, not to mention value to your market purchases. The leafy greens of beets, turnips, and carrots are all sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Here are a few tips for getting started:

Otrembiak Farm, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Carrot tops. Clip off the green feathery tops. Wash them well and rinse them a couple of times to remove excess dirt. Select the greenest and most tender tips of the bunch and add them to soups, stocks, or to vegetables you might be roasting or braising for the night’s meal. They taste somewhat like parsley but add a distinct carrot-y flavor.

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Turnip greens. The leafy greens that top Hakurei and other white summer turnips can make a pleasantly spiced appetizer when cooked by themselves. After removing the greens, wash them well and discard any yellowed or wilted leaves. To cook, chop the greens finely, and heat up a skillet. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, freshly chopped garlic, fennel seed, coriander, cumin and/or fenugreek. Toast the spices for a minute or so, then add the turnip greens. Toss them quickly in the hot pan with tongs or two wooden spoons so that they are mixed into the spices. Once the greens have wilted, serve them with a squeeze of lemon and your favorite beverage.

Owl Wood Farm, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Beet greens. These leaves along with their ruby-red stems have a rich flavor that is sometimes even more intense than the beets. After a good wash to remove grit, the younger leaves are delicious steamed or chopped finely for salads. Save the older leaves for stir-fries or saute them with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Other stems also can yield delicious dishes. Try, for instance, adding the stems of basil, parsley, or cilantro to soups or to stocks. Or save them and use in pesto.