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Baked Goat Cheese

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Adapted from the recipe by America’s Test Kitchen, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6

 

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the goat cheese:

  • 3 ounces Melba Toasts, white, (2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 large eggs*
  • 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives*
  • 12 ounces goat cheese*, firm
  • olive oil

For vinaigrette and salad:

  • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot
  • 6 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 14 cups hearty greens*
  • ground black pepper

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. For the goat cheese: In a food processor, process Melba toasts to fine even crumbs, about 1½ minutes. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl and stir in pepper. Whisk eggs and mustard in medium bowl until combined. Combine thyme and chives in small bowl.
  2. Divide cheese into 12 evenly sized pieces. Coat each with herbs. Transfer to egg mixture, turn each piece to coat, transfer to Melba crumbs and turn each piece to coat, pressing crumbs into cheese. Freeze the cheese until firm, about 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to the upper position, heat to 475 degrees.
  3. Remove the cheese from freezer and brush tops and sides evenly with oil. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and cheese is slightly soft, 7 to 9 minutes, longer if the cheese is completely frozen. Using a thin metal spatula, transfer cheese to a paper towel-lined plate and cool for 3 minutes.
  4. For vinaigrette and salad: Combine vinegar, mustard, and shallot in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Season to taste with pepper.
  5. Place greens in large bowl, drizzle vinaigrette over and toss to coat. Divide greens among plates and place 2 rounds goat cheese on each salad. Serve immediately.

NOTES

If needed, roll each piece of cheese into a ball and roll the ball in the herb, egg, and crumbs. Then flatten each ball into a disk about 1½ inches wide and 1 inch thick.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

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Adapted from the recipe by Edible Capital District, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

 

INGREDIENTS

*Items currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

  • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion*, finely chopped
  • 1 pound fresh spinach*, chopped
  • 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese*
  • 6 large egg whites*
  • 1 large egg*
  • ⅓ cup fat-free, no added salt, cottage cheese
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add fresh spinach, a handful at a time, and toss until wilted and set aside. Repeat until all spinach is wilted.
  3. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly in prepared pie plate. Top with spinach mixture.
  4. Whisk together egg whites, egg, cottage cheese, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach.
  5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market Launches Online Ordering App

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

One challenge that comes with buying fresh food directly from local farmers is the drive for convenience: Farmers and other food vendors at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can only sell what they grow, raise, or make in a particular time period, and in order to avoid spoilage, they bring to market what they anticipate they can sell. As a result, shoppers who arrive at the market later in the morning might find that a hoped-for item is no longer available.

A new app aims to streamline your shopping experience with local farms and businesses. Known as FreshFoodNY, it will enable shoppers to pre-order desired items from participating vendors and pick up their goods at the market.

“We’re thrilled to try out this new tool,” says Saratoga Farmers’ Market administrator Julia Howard. “Our hope is that it will make local food more accessible and easy to shop for.”

The free app was developed by the Farmers Market Federation of New York in partnership with Crave Food Systems, a food technology firm based in Rhode Island. The app is available for iOS and Android devices. Once downloaded, market goers can search out their favorite vendors in advance and see what items are available. The app allows shoppers to place an order, make payment, and identify a pick-up time and locale on a menu of options provided by the vendor.

The Farmers Market Federation created the app as part of its mission to strengthen the state’s food economy by making it more convenient for residents to buy directly from farmers. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s decision to participate in the project supports this mission and aims to build closer relationships between market shoppers and area farmers.

So far, eight vendors have joined the program: Argyle Cheese Farmer, Ballston Lake Apiaries, The Chocolate Spoon, Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes, Longlesson Farm, M&A Farm, Nettle Meadow Farm, Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, and Yankee Distillers. Joining the project in May will be Denison Farms and Ramble Creek Farm.

Howard anticipates that more vendors will join the program next month when the market begins its twice-weekly outdoor season.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through April 28 at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. The market moves outdoors to High Park Park in May and will be 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow our updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mayan Spice Chocolate Chili

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Shared by Saratoga Chocolate Co.

Serves 8-10

Prep time: 20

Cook time: 1 hr

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1.5 lb ground Longlesson beef*
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 orange pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 2 large onions*, diced
  • 2 jalapenos seeded and minced
  • 3 cloves garlic*, minced
  • 1.5 Tbsp Chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 1-15 oz can of diced tomatoes (locally grown & canned if possible!)
  • 1 small can tomatoes paste
  • 2 cups beef broth, more water if needed
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • ¼ cup Saratoga Chocolate Co. Mayan Spice Hot Chocolate mix*
  • Salt & pepper to taste

 

Instructions

  1. In a well oiled dutch oven brown beef on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, dusting with salt and pepper for flavor.  
  2. Set aside beef in a bowl. In the same Dutch oven, add a touch of oil and saute onions, pepper, and jalapeno until softened.
  3. Add back the beef, and sprinkle the mixture with spices. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and broth and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle in the hot chocolate mixture and stir well. Cover a let simmer for 1 hour.
  4. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro, sour cream, and/or an over-easy egg. Enjoy!
Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Farmers’ Market Cheese Plate

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Cheese plate by My Saratoga Kitchen Table, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

A cheese plate is a perfect approach to entertaining and snacking. Simply assemble a variety of textures and flavors to showcase local food available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • Kunik by Nettle Meadow
  • Fig & Honey Fromage Frais by Nettle Meadow
  • Honeycomb from Ballston Lake Apiaries
  • Pecorina al Tartufo by Dancing Ewe
  • Glory (yogurt cheese) by Argyle Cheese Farmer
  • Wild Frost Grape Jelly by Anna Mae’s Jams & Jellies
  • Baguette from Mrs. London’s
  • Semolina bread from Murray Hollow Bakehouse
  • Rosemary & Olive crackers by Saratoga Cracker Co.
  • Plums from Saratoga Apple
  • Giardiniera by Puckers Pickles
  • Ginger Cayenne Cookies from The Chocolate Spoon.
  • Scarborough Fair Hummus by Freddy’s Rockin’ Hummus

Selecting the cheese and accompaniments

  1. Introduce a combination local cheeses from these basic categories: aged, firm, soft, blue.
  2. Offer a selection of slices of bread, including crusty and soft.
  3. Jarred condiments offer complimentary flavors. Try jams, jellies, fermented vegetables, and hummus.
  4. Seasonal fruits balance the cheeses.