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Creating a holiday feast at the farmers’ market

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by Julia Howard

 

Enjoying a festive meal with family and friends is at the heart of every holiday celebration. But before serving up a crowd-pleasing feast, planning is required, and the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can help.

Local farms and businesses have delicious, flavorful products to consider when brainstorming dinner ideas. We recommend finding fresh ingredients at the farmers’ market before gathering recipes so that your meal comes together quickly and effortlessly. Let’s begin with the main course.

Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

The main course should be a show-stopping dish, and local farms have various options. Grass-fed and finished beef roasts, brisket, and classic cuts like NY strip steak and ribeye are available, as well as veal cutlets, steaks, and roasts. Beefitswhatsfordinner.com has many recipes, like a maple-glazed rib roast, round roast with chocolate-port sauce, and classic braised beef brisket.

Goat roasts, rib roasts, riblets, chops, and shanks are available at the farmers’ market, making goat another delicious main course option. 

For poultry, whole turkeys are available, half turkeys, and parts for smaller gatherings. Farms bring whole chickens for roasting, and seasoned chickens are available from King Creek Farms. Squash Villa Farm brings fresh ducks, and they recommend preordering. Ask the farmer for the best cooking methods and cooking time per pound.

Pork makes an excellent holiday main course, and pasture-raised pork tenderloin, roasts, and chops are available from Pork and Greens and Jireh Farm. 

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Pattie Garrett

For mouth-watering side dishes, we look to healthful, locally-grown produce packed with flavor. Farms are bringing everything from fresh salad greens and herbs to root vegetables, and options are boundless if you create a menu from what’s available at the farmers’ market.

You can make latkes with russet potatoes or sweet potatoes and onions. Roasted carrots are easy to prepare and pair well with any main course. Parsnips and rutabagas make creamy purees that can be enhanced with garlic and fresh herbs. A tray of crispy, savory smashed potatoes is easy to make and a holiday favorite. Even local apples and honey can make a sweet rice kugel side dish.

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Shaved carrots or Brussels sprouts sing with simple vinaigrettes for light side dishes. Salads with bitter greens balance rich meats and starches. And microgreens and shoots offer a refreshing burst of flavor to holiday foods.

Other must-haves for the holiday table are kimchi and pak dong from Puckers Pickles, artisan sourdough bread from Night Work Bread, and applesauce from Saratoga Apple, just to name a few.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign

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.

Accidental Turkey

By

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Adapted from the recipe by Ina Garten
Prep time: 1 hr 50 min
Cook: 45 min and based on weight

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● Kosher salt
● 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves*, minced
● Grated zest of one lemon
● 1 fresh turkey* (12-14 pounds)
● 1 large yellow onion*, unpeeled and cut into eighths
● 1 lemon, quartered
● 10 sprigs thyme*
● ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
● Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine salt, rosemary, and lemon zest.
2. Wash turkey inside and out. Drain well and pat dry.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture into the turkey’s cavity and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs.
4. Place turkey in a shallow dish to catch drips and wrap the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.
5. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge uncovered so the skin can dry out.
6. On the day of roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
7. Place onions, lemon, and thyme in the cavity. Using kitchen string, tie together legs and tie wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Roast turkey for 45 minutes after placing in the oven, legs first.
9. Brush turkey with fat. After doing so, return the turkey to pan.
10. Then, lower temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for another hour or so, until it is 160 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh area.
11. Remove from oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
12. Carve and serve with pan juices.

Lion’s Mane Scampi

By

Photo by Emily Meagher

Recipe shared by
The Mushroom Shop
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available
at the farmers’ market
● 8 oz linguine or fettuccine*,
or other pasta of choice
● ½ lb lion’s mane mushrooms*
● 4 Tbsp butter*
● 2 Tbsp olive oil
● 3 garlic cloves*, minced
● 1 shallot*, diced
● ½ cup white wine
● ½ lemon, juiced
● Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Boil salted water in a medium or large pot. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes for linguine or fettuccine (or per packaging instructions).
2. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Tear the lion’s mane into shrimp-sized pieces.
4. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Saute the garlic cloves and shallot for 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the lion’s mane and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Deglaze with the white wine, add another 2 tablespoons of butter and the lemon juice. Add salt to taste.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, remove from heat. Toss well to ensure an even coating of the pasta. Enjoy!

Sheet Pan Chicken with Carrots, Potatoes, & Carrot Top Pesto

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables
● 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and legs*
● 2 bunches rainbow carrots*
● 1.5 pounds red or gold potatoes*, cut in half
● 2 tablespoons olive oil
● 2 teaspoons kosher salt
● 1 teaspoon paprika
● ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Carrot Top Pesto
● 2 cups packed carrot tops*
● ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil*
● ½ cup walnut halves, plus extra for serving
● ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
● 2 cloves garlic*
● ½ lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
● ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
● ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the chicken, carrots, and potatoes on the sheet pan and drizzle on the olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, paprika, and black pepper. Use clean hands to toss all of the ingredients together and rub the spices into the chicken and vegetables. Arrange in a single layer with the chicken skin facing up.
2. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 degrees F and the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
3. While the chicken and vegetables are roasting prepare the carrot top pesto by combining the carrot tops, olive oil, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is thoroughly combined and smooth.
4. Transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables to a serving platter, and drizzle on the pesto. Top with additional chopped walnuts if desired and serve immediately.

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Lamb Satay

By

iStock

Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, shared by Elihu Farm

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 1 pound boneless sirloin lamb* (or whole boneless sirloin roast*, or a boneless half shoulder*)
● ½ cup soy sauce
● ¼ cup water
● ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
● 4 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter*
● 1 Tablespoon garlic*, minced
● 2 teaspoons ginger, grated or minced
● 1 Tablespoon lime or lemon juice
● 20 bamboo skewers

Instructions
1. Combine soy sauce, water, cayenne, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and lemon or lime juice in a bowl.
2. Cut lamb into thin strips, and marinate for 2-3 hours. (It’s easier to cut thin strips of lamb that are frozen and haven’t completely thawed.)
3. Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. Thread the lamb strips on the skewers. Put a strip of foil along the edge of the grill to protect the ends of the skewers. Grill 1-2 minutes on each side.

Variation: Marinate a boneless shoulder roast overnight, and grill to rare or medium-rare. Slice thinly.