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Recipes

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 challenging. Finding a recipe your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, a wholesome meal that doesn’t take hours to prepare and cook and won’t require piles of dishes. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

 

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, or chicken with mushrooms and leeks. The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

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.

Carrot and ginger soup, photo by Pattie Garrett

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals. 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 of texture. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Beef Stew

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 from tacos to pot roasts 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. 

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 up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Pepper-Encrusted Beef Tenderloin with Braised Red Cabbage

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A pepper-encrusted beef tenderloin can be served with braised red cabbage and Saratoga Garlic aioli. This main course is perfect for a small gathering and pairs wonderfully with Galway Rock’s Reserve Riesling.

 

Adapted from the recipes by Dixie Elliott and Holly Nilsson

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the braised red cabbage:

  • 6 cups red cabbage*, chopped
  • 1 apple*, peeled and slice
  • ½ onion*, slivered
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar*
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • ⅓ cup water (you may need more)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the beef tenderloin:

  • 1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp sea salt 
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 2 ½ lb beef tenderloin*

Instructions

For the braised red cabbage:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook covered for 90 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the beef tenderloin:

  1. Combine peppercorns , salt , cumin , paprika , coriander , cinnamon , cardamom and nutmeg in a bowl. Rub 1 tablespoon of oil over beef. Coat beef all over with spice mix.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with a Summer Vegetable and Kamut Salad

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet of lemonthymekitchen.com

Prep Time: 35 minutes, plus four hours of marinating time 

Cook Time: 1 hour 

Servings: 4 servings 

Ingredients:

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

 

For the chicken: 

1 cup plain Greek yogurt * 

½ lemon, juiced 

2 cloves garlic* 

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves* 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast* 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

 

For the salad:

1 cup kamut 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1-pint cherry tomatoes*, cut in half

1 small cucumber*, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper*, thinly sliced

½ green bell pepper*, thinly sliced

½ small red onion*, thinly sliced

½ cup crumbled feta cheese* 

¼ cup chopped fresh dill* 

 

For the vinaigrette:

1 lemon, juiced 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

½ teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves*, minced

1 clove garlic*, minced 

1 teaspoon honey*

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

Savoring the flavors of summer

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By Marisa Kerkvliet

 

Let’s celebrate the flavors of the end of summer with a recipe packed with herbs, peppers, and tomatoes. Chicken can be cooked on the stovetop on cooler days or on the grill for some of your last outdoor entertaining.

Kamut is an ancient grain and is closely related to wheat. It has a hearty toothsome texture and holds up very well in salads. If you have trouble finding kamut, spelt, farro, or wheat berries may be used.

Marisa Kerkvliet is a freelance recipe developer and food photographer with a background in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. Her recipes are centered around seasonal ingredients for the whole family to enjoy. She can be found on Instagram @lemon.thyme.kitchen.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Bucatini Pasta with Squash Blossoms & Summer Zucchini

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Adapted from the recipe by Jenny at Hellomydumpling.com

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Bucatini for 2
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 zucchinis*, sliced on a diagonal
  • 2 cloves garlic*, minced
  • 1/4 cup pecorino* + more for garnish
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 5 squash blossoms*, stems & pistils removed, petals left whole
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt generously, and cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta water.

In a large sautée pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add the pasta water and pasta, and cook stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes more. Add the cheese and lemon juice, salt (if needed), and pepper. Serve in two shallow bowls topped with the squash blossoms and more cheese.

Shakshuka

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Recipe by Suzy Karadsheh, The Mediterranean Dish

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Makes 6 servings

 

Shakshuka is made with gently poached eggs in a simmering mixture of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic.

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion*, chopped
  • 2 green peppers*, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves*, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 medium tomatoes*, chopped (about 6 cups chopped tomatoes)
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 6 large eggs*
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley*
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint*

Instructions

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add the onions, green peppers, garlic, spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook a bit longer to allow the mixture to reduce and thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
  3. Using a wooden spoon, make 6 indentations, or “wells,” in the tomato mixture (make sure the indentations are spaced out). Gently crack an egg into each indention.
  4. Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and cook on low until the egg whites are set.
  5. Uncover and add the fresh parsley and mint. You can add more black pepper or crushed red pepper if you like. Serve with crusty bread of your choice.

Notes

  • Leftovers will keep for 1 to 2 days if stored properly in the fridge in tight-lid glass containers. Warm over medium heat, adding a little more liquid to the shakshuka sauce if needed.
  • If you want to add meat, cook about ½ ground beef or ground lamb in some extra virgin olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Once fully cooked, remove the meat from the skillet, wipe the skillet well and follow steps #1 and #2 to make the shakshuka sauce, only this time, add the cooked ground meat to the skillet to simmer with the tomatoes for 15 minutes or so before adding the eggs.