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Chicken Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash

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Recipe by The Roasted Root, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar*
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup*
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the chicken and butternut squash:

  • 1 pound boneless chicken tenders or breasts*
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cups butternut squash*, peeled and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Salad:

  • 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach*
  • ½ cup raw pecan halves
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 1 large green apple*, cored and sliced

Instructions

  1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl until smooth.
  2. For the chicken and butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Place chicken in a casserole dish. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with oregano, and paprika. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Roast the squash and chicken in the oven for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden brown. Continue to cook the chicken until cooked through.
  3. For the Salad: Place spinach in a bowl or on individual plates. Top with pecans, raisins, squash, chicken, and apples. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Whatever Soup

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Recipe by Samin Nosrat, NYT, and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 medium onions*, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves*, sliced
  • 6 to 8 cups diced vegetables*(carrots, celeriac, chard, mushrooms, cabbage, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, winter squash)
  • 1½ pounds raw boneless chicken
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and garlic.
  2. Reduce the heat to a medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the chicken and vegetables in the pot. Add enough chicken stock to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  4. Cook until the flavors have come together and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove raw chicken from soup when cooked, allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred and return it to the soup.
  5. Add more hot liquid if needed.
  6. Serve hot.

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Roast Heritage Chicken with Carrots

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Recipe courtesy of Squash Villa Farm

“Heritage breed chickens have well-developed flavor. Cooking them slower and at a lower temperature allows the legs and thighs to cook fully without overcooking the breasts.”

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Whole heritage chicken* (Delaware, Ameraucana, or another breed)
  • 2 Tbls melted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion*, thickly sliced
  • 4 carrots* cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 bulb of garlic*, split into cloves
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  
  2. Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow to warm to ambient temperature. 
  3. Remove any leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Brush the outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the breasts loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the meat from overcooking. Place the onions, carrots, and whole garlic cloves in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
  4. Roast the chicken covered, breast up for 30 minutes per pound. The juices will run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest. If the carrots aren’t tender, continue roasting until tender. 

Breeds Bring Many Benefits to Local Farms

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By Julia Howard

Local farmers, who offer their products at Saratoga Farmers’ Market, raise specific breeds of animals for various reasons: good temperament, ability to improve cropland and wildlife habitat, ability to produce high-quality meat and poultry, and to produce products such as wool.

Ameraucana rooster at Squash Villa Farm, photo provided.

Jim and Himanee Gupta-Carlson’s Squash Villa Farm in Schaghticoke is home to several heritage breeds of chicken, including Ameraucanas. This species lays remarkable green eggs and produces dark, lean meat, an attribute of its active nature. 

“Ameraucana chickens take approximately six to twelve months to reach a harvestable size, compared to other breeds that can mature in just weeks,” says Jim. But Ameraucana chickens are well worth the wait. Their flavor is rich and complex and perfect for roasting and simmering in sauce or stew. 

Angus cattle at Longlesson Farm, photo provided.

At Longlesson Farm in Buskirk, Angus cows happily graze on 450 acres, rotating between fields. One of the farm’s owners, Christophe Robert, explains that their cows breed with the best Angus bulls. Christophe bases bull selection on calving ease, growth, and meat quality, but they also focus on docility and maternal attributes.

Natural colored Romney fleece from Elihu Farm, photo provided.

 

Mary and Bob Pratt,  from Elihu Farm in Easton, have been breeding sheep for over 30 years.  

“We realized that having a greater variety of fleeces would work better for our sales,” says Mary Pratt. “That meant we’d have long wool (from Romneys) and medium wool (from crossbred sheep).” 

Pratt notes that the breed does not affect the taste of lamb, which mainly depends on what they eat and how long they hang at the butcher.

 

 

Hebron Valley Veal owners Ariel Garland and Matt Campbell attribute the remarkable taste of their products, in part, to their whole-milk-fed calves from the farm’s herd of pastured Holsteins. That breed is notable for its milk production.

Pork and Greens, photo provided.

At Pork and Greens in Castleton, pigs of various breeds spend their time rooting, grazing, and lazing through their wooded spaces. A mix of species ensures diversity in characteristics and genetics, according to farm owner Isabel Buenaga. 

And, at Ramble Creek Farm in Greenwich, Josh Carnes takes pride in his herd of grass-fed Angus and Hereford cattle. It’s also home to forest-raised heritage-bred pigs and pasture-raised poultry.

This week’s recipe: Roast Heritage Chicken with Carrots

Simple Solutions to the Dinner Dilemma

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By Julia Howard

While there are usually easy meal solutions for breakfast and lunch, simple, healthy dinner ideas are no easy feat. Finding a recipe that your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, something that doesn’t take hours to prep and cook, and something that won’t take an hour to clean up. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

Photo from iStock.

Sheet Pan Dinners

For an effortless, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are one of our favorite approaches to dinner. Choose your favorite seasonal vegetable(s) and pair it with a protein like chicken, pork, or beef. Think steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes, sausages with apples and carrots, chicken with mushrooms and tomatoes (tomatoes will return to the market in Feb.). The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Photo from iStock

Farmers’ Market Frittatas

Frittatas can be very easy to make and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Ingredients include eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs (optional, and returning to the market in Feb.), cheese, and bacon or sausage – or omit for a vegetarian option. Simply sautee the vegetables, add cooked bacon and herbs, pour whisked eggs over the mixture, top with cheese, and broil for 3-4 minutes. We love M&A Farm’s recipe and remember that you can put just about anything in your frittata.

Photo of carrot and ginger soup by Pattie Garrett.

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals to make. Simply chop up your vegetables, sautee the aromatics (leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, but the list goes on), add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer, then puree or leave chunky depending on the soup and your preference. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Photo from iStock.

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Meals

Slow cookers and Instant Pots have turned complicated, time-consuming meals into one-pot wonders. A quick Google search can reveal recipes for anything from tacos to pot roast to soups and stews. Once your ingredients are in the pot, you typically don’t need to pay attention to them until the meal is cooked and ready to serve. 

This weeks recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata

Chicken Noodle Soup

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iStock

Recipe by Adam and Joanne Gallagher
Prep & Cook Time: 40mins
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 2 tablespoons butter* or olive oil
  • 1 large onion*, chopped
  • 2 large carrots*, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic*, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme* or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast*
  • 8 cups chicken stock, low sodium, or broth or use homemade stock
  • 5 ounces egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley*, finely chopped
  • Water or more stock, as needed

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring every few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften; 5 to 6 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, while stirring the garlic around the pan, for about 1 minute.
  3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a low simmer. Taste the soup then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Depending on the stock used, you might need to add 1 or more teaspoons of salt.
  4. Submerge the chicken thighs into the soup so that the broth covers them. Bring the soup back to a low simmer then partially cover the pot with a lid and cook, stirring a few times until the chicken thighs are cooked through; about 20 minutes.
  5. If, during this time, the broth seems low, add a splash more stock or a bit of water. Turn the heat to medium-low.
  6. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Stir the noodles into the soup and cook until done, 6 to 10 minutes depending on the type of noodles used.
  7. While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into strips or dice into cubes. Slide the chicken back into the pot and then taste the soup once more for seasoning. Adjust with more salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the parsley and serve.