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Strip Steak with Salsa Verdi

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Adapted from the recipe by Milk Street Magazine, shared by Pattie Garrett of My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

 

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves*
  • ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
  • ¼ cup drained capers, rinsed
  • 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
  • 1 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary*
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
  • 1 garlic clove*
  • ground black pepper
  • ½ cup olive oil*
  • kosher salt
  • Two 14 to 16-ounce strip steaks* (about 1½ inch thick), halved crosswise and patted dry
  • 1 Tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a food processor, combine the parsley, half of the almonds, and the capers, anchovies, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic and ½ teaspoon pepper. Process until finely chopped, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process, scraping bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Add the remaining almonds and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12 inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until beginning to smoke. Add the steaks reduce to medium and cook until well browned on both sides and 120 degrees at the center for medium-rare, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer the steaks to a wire rack and set over a rimmed baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks, arrange on a platter or plates and pour over any accumulated juices. Serve with the salsa verde.

Note: Janet Lampman of Lewis Waite Farm recommends giving the meat time to thaw completely. Before preparing the thawed steak, give it 30 minutes on the kitchen counter to come to room temperature. Then, dry it with a paper towel and then seasoning.

Pack a Spring Picnic at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

Spring takes its time coming to the Saratoga area. Still, as we near the end of April, we can feel the change: balmier breezes, spots of sunshine, receding snowlines and daffodils and crocuses starting to bloom.

With the beckoning of better days, we invite you to visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market for the final two Saturdays of our indoor market with picnicking in mind. Fill your basket with our vendors’ newest items and head into the Saratoga Spa State Park for a feast.

 

Here are a few of our newest treats to consider:

  • Apple Cider Elixir. This beverage prepared by Beth Trattel of Something’s Brewing features all natural ingredients and no added sugar. It blends sweetness with a twist of tart for a thirst-quenching sensation. Try it with a lemon garnish.
  • The Everything Croissant. For a starter snack, try this newest offering from Mrs. Londons. It takes the concept of the “everything bagel” and applies it to the croissant, creating a light yet savory pastry that features a cream cheese swirl and an “everything” topping.
  • Fermented veggies. Puckers Gourmet Pickles’ Kelley Hillis has been delighting market goers with her lacto-fermented pickles, kim chi, and sauerkraut for years. This year, she has unrolled something new: crunchy crisp vegetables preserved the natural way. Stop by the Puckers table for a jar of asparagus, dilly beans, and even beets.
  • Buck Mountain Cheese. Nettle Meadow Farm is introducing this goat cheese with an Adirondack touch for spring. Buck Mountain is fresh and unaged, symbolizing the newness spring, and encrusted with juniper, sumac, rosemary, and thyme. The herbs embody the fresh smell of the thawing ground.
  • Vanilla Ricotta Tea Biscuit. No spring picnic is complete without a sweet touch at the end. For that, try Marcie Place’s latest creation at The Chocolate Spoon. The biscuit is light and fluffy as a biscuit should be but decadently delicious like a dessert should be as well. If you’ve finished your elixir, try pairing it with a cup of Upper Hudson Coffee from Something’s Brewing or a glass of milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 21 and 28. at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. The outdoor season at High Rock Park begins 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5.

CHEESE & HERB QUICHE

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Adapted from the recipe by Anna Helm Baxter and featured on www.womansday.com

Total time: 2 hrs

Makes 16 servings

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients currently available farmers’ market

  • 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion*, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 4 large eggs*
  • 1 c. crème fraîche*
  • 1 c. whole milk*
  • 4 1/2 oz. extra-sharp cheese*, coarsely grated (about 11/2 cups)
  • 2 tbsp. chopped chives
  • 1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley*, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  1. Make pie crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add 1/4 cup ice water and pulse until dough comes together into a ball. Divide dough in half, shape each into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  2. Working 1 at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll dough piece into 16 x 7-inch rectangles, then place into two 13 x 4-inch rectangular tart pans with removable bottoms; cut away excess. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
  3. Heat oven to 375°F. Place tart pans on a large baking sheet. Place a large sheet of non-stick foil inside each and fill with pie weights. Bake 15 minutes, then carefully remove foil and weights and bake until bottoms feel dry and sandy and are starting to turn golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
  4. Make filling: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil on medium and cook onion and pinch each salt and pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until starting to caramelize, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, crème fraîche, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir in cheese, chives, parsley, and onion. Fill tart shells with egg mixture and bake until just set in center, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: The pie crust can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month and the quiche can be baked up to 1 day ahead of time. Two round tart pans may be used in place of rectangular pans.

Maple Yogurt Cake

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Adapted from the recipe by Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Serves 8

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 cup plain yogurt*
  • 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons maple sugar* from Slate Valley Farms, divided (see note)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • a good pinch salt
  • one large apple* of a variety that holds its shape when cooked


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 360° F and line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. Set aside 1 rounded tablespoon of the maple sugar for the topping.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, the remaining maple sugar, eggs, and oil.
  4. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Peel the apple, then core, quarter, and slice it thinly. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and whisk it in quickly, until just combined. Don’t worry about lumps and do not overmix.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, arrange the apple slices on top, starting from the outside, and sprinkle with the reserved maple sugar.
  6. Put into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If you feel the apple slices might be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of parchment paper.
  7. Lift the cake cautiously out of the pan and transfer to a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

Substitute 3/4 cup maple syrup and use just 3/4 cup yogurt to make up for the extra moisture.

Baked Apples

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Adapted from recipes shared by Christine Gaud of Saratoga Apple and ‘bakes apples’ on Foodnetwork.com

Makes 4 servings

Prep and cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 large baking apples*, such as Honeycrisp
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Wash and core apples, leaving enough of the core at the base of the apple to contain the filling.
  3. Combine the butter, cinnamon, and chopped nuts in a small bowl. Roll log shapes of the mixture and press enough into each apple to fill the core.
  4. Fill a 2-quart baking dish with about 3/4 cup water, or enough to cover the bottom. Place the apples upright in the dish. Bake until the apples are soft and the filling is browned, 1 hour.

Root Vegetables with Herb Biscuits

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Adapted from recipe by Local Milk, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

  • 2 cups fennel*, ½ inch pieces
  • 2 cups parsnips*, ½ inch pieces
  • 2 cups celery root* (celeriac) ½ inch pieces
  • 2 cups carrots*, ½ inch pieces
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup shallot*, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic*, minced
  • 1½ cup celery, diced

Sauce:

  • 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter*
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese*
  • 1½ teaspoons sugar
  • juice of half a lemon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Biscuit:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary*
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme*
  • 4 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter*, diced
  • 1 cup buttermilk*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Steam fennel, parsnips, celery root, carrots until just tender.
  2. Heat olive oil in skillet until shimmering. Saute the shallots, garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add celery and cook until tender. In a large bowl, toss with the steamed vegetables.
  3. Sauce:
  4. Melt butter in a dutch oven. Whisk in a cup of flour. Cook to thicken (roux). Slowly whisk in vegetable stock. Add cheese, sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper. Whisk to melt the cheese completely. Simmer while whisking until very thick. Remove from heat.
  5. Stir vegetables into the sauce. Stir occasionally.
  6. Biscuit:
  7. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, rosemary, thyme, and cheese. Cut in butter with pastry cutter until pieces are smaller than peas. Using a folk, stir in buttermilk to just combine.
  8. Drop the biscuit batter on top of the vegetable sauce to cover. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown, bubbling, and topping is cooked through.