Saratoga Farmers' Market

milk

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

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

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Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 6

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 12 ounces of pasta*
● 2 teaspoons olive oil
● ½ cup onion*, minced
● 2 garlic cloves*, minced
● 10 ounces fresh spinach*, roughly chopped
● 1-ounce fresh basil, chopped
● 1 cup ricotta cheese*
● ¼ cup milk*
● freshly ground pepper
● 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese or Pecorino cheese

Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
3. Add spinach and basil to the skillet and stir until wilted.
4. Add ricotta cheese and milk to skillet and stir well.
5. Drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup or so of the cooking water.
6. Combine cooked pasta and ricotta mixture in a large bowl. If too thick, add a bit of the cooking water to the mixture.
7. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of cheese per serving.

Buttery Breakfast Casserole

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Recipe by Melissa Clark of New York Times Cooking
Serves 6-8
Prep & cook time: 1 ½ hour, plus 4 hours of overnight chilling

Ingredients:
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 1 pound croissants* (about 5 to 7), split in half lengthwise
● 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for baking dish
● 1 bunch scallions* (6 to 7), white and light green parts thinly sliced, greens reserved
● ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage*, casings removed
● 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage*
● 8 large eggs*
● 3 cups whole milk*
● 1 cup heavy cream*
● 8 ounces Gruyère or other smooth-melting, creamy cheese*, grated (2 cups)
● 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
● 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes (watch carefully to see that they do not burn). Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.
2. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add sliced scallions and sausage meat; cook, breaking up meat with a fork until mixture is well browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in sage, and remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, toss together croissants and sausage mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, salt and pepper.
4. Lightly oil a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Turn croissant mixture into the pan, spreading it out evenly over the bottom. Pour custard into pan, pressing croissants down gently to help absorb the liquid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. When you’re ready to bake the casserole, heat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Transfer to oven and bake until casserole is golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallion tops before serving.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Adapted from the recipe by Ed Howard, featured on Allrecipes.com
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
● 1/3 cup white sugar
● 1 teaspoon baking soda
● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
● 1/2 teaspoon salt
● 1 egg*, lightly beaten
● 1/2 cup vegetable or coconut oil
● 1/4 cup milk*
● 1 tablespoon lemon juice
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 1 cup zucchini*, shredded
● 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate pieces*
● Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix egg, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a bowl; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full.
  3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Quiche Lorraine

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Adapted from the recipe by King Arthur Flour
Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 45 mins

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saturday farmers’ market

CRUST
Your favorite single pie crust recipe or a store-bought premade crust.

FILLING
3/4 pound bacon*
1 large yellow onion*, peeled
2 tablespoons butter*
salt and pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream*
1/4 cup milk* (whole, low-fat, or skim, your choice)
6 large eggs*
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Roll the prepared crust into a 12″ circle (to fit a 9″ pie pan). Prick it all over with a fork. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.
3. To make the filling: Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Let it cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, roughly chop it up.
4. Dice the onion into medium-sized pieces (about 1/2″). Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion has softened and is just starting to brown. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, and eggs. Add the bacon, onions, cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Don’t overfill! If you find you have too much filling, just leave a little out, baking it alongside the pie in a custard cup, if desired.
6. Bake the quiche for about 40 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center should feel just set.
7. Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers.