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salad

Farmers’ Market Green Salad

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Adapted from the recipe featured in Cook’s Illustrated and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the Salad’s Base:

  • A handful of mesclun leaves*
  • A handful of arugula*
  • A handful of mustard greens*
  • Add herbs such as parsley*, basil*, dill*, or other favorites*

For the Croutons:

  • 5 cups of ¾ inch bread cubes from ciabatta or crusty rustic loaf*
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1½ teaspoons very finely minced shallot*
  • ½ teaspoon mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon table salt
  • 3 Tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. For the salad: Toss greens together in a large bowl.
  2. For the croutons: Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with water and salt. Toss, squeezing gently so the bread absorbs water. Heat olive oil and soaked bread cubes in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes
  3. For the vinaigrette: Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until mixture looks milky and no lumps of mayonnaise remain. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on the surface as you whisk, stop the addition of oil and whisk the mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in a slow stream. The mixture should be glossy and slightly thickened with no pools of oil on the surface.

Notes

  • Season croutons with favorite dried herbs and spices.
  • Top with microgreens, veggies, fruit, crumbly cheese, seeds, or nuts.

Pizza That’s All About Spring

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By Himanee Gupta

 

A few weeks ago, an e-mail from The New York Times’ Cooking newsletter was headlined, “The best pizza topping is salad.” It featured a recipe for a simple green and white pizza made with either homemade or store-bought dough, mozzarella cheese, and that early spring favorite – pea shoots.

It looked delicious, and it affirmed the fact that a little imagination and a trip to the Wednesday or Saturday Saratoga Farmers’ Markets could produce a pizza topped with salads even better than that.

Burger’s Market Garden, photo by Graciela Colston (herbs)

I spent the winter baking bread made from a sourdough starter I had procured from a farm in the Adirondacks last fall. At this time of year, I start hungering for homemade pizza, so I decided to turn some of my starter into pizza dough and to top the pizza with the early greens and dainty fresh vegetables that are starting to show up at the market in farmers’ stalls.

For that pizza, I began by pre-heating a cast-iron skillet in my oven to 500F degrees. A pizza stone will work just as well. While the oven heated, I stretched the dough I had prepared earlier onto a piece of parchment paper, and then let my imagination go.

Leaning Birch, photo by Graciela Colston

I started with a brushing of olive oil, and then a layer of chopped green garlic from my farm Squash Villa. Over that came a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and then a salad mix from the Gomez Veggie Ville that included baby kale and spinach leaves. I had a jar of pickled vegetables from Puckers Gourmet Pickles that included some bell pepper slices so I fished those out and added them on along with some sautéed oyster mushrooms from The Mushroom Shop, LLC and sliced radishes from Lovin’ Mama Farm. I added another layer of mozzarella cheese, and then some topped arugula, and a bit of parmesan cheese on top. I then slid the pizza, parchment, and all, into the hot pan and let it bake for about 12 minutes.

The Mushroom Shop, photo by Graciela Colston

The result was a pizza that tasted like spring: crisp, nutty, mildly spicy, fresh, good, and green.

Spring in Saratoga is about those words – fresh, good, and green. At farmers’ markets, we bask in that freshness with an abundance of small seasonal wonders. If you’re looking for peppers, tomatoes, sweet onions, or zucchini, wait a bit longer. But now is the perfect time to create your own salad-topped pizzas with the types of produce that are in season from now through late May such as ramps, green garlic, and chives. Blend these aromatic alliums with roasted carrots, beets, radishes, and Hakurei turnips and spread them over a simple store-bought or homemade pizza dough. For an added boost of flavor, roll the dough through a mix of perennial herbs like sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary whose first sprigs are now being clipped and brought to market from overwintered plants. And try a sprinkling of lemony sorrel or nutty arugula on top. 

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 in downtown Saratoga Springs. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

Chicken Spinach Salad with Butternut Squash

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Recipe by The Roasted Root, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar*
  • 1 Tablespoon honey*
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the chicken and butternut squash:

  • 1 pound boneless chicken tenders or breasts*
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cups butternut squash*, peeled and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Salad:

  • 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach*
  • ½ cup raw pecan halves
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 1 large green apple*, cored and sliced

Instructions

  1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl until smooth.
  2. For the chicken and butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Place chicken in a casserole dish. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with oregano, and paprika. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Roast the squash and chicken in the oven for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden brown. Continue to cook the chicken until cooked through.
  3. For the Salad: Place spinach in a bowl or on individual plates. Top with pecans, raisins, squash, chicken, and apples. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

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Recipe by Pork & Greens

Makes 4 servings

This one-dish salad is easily customizable with seasonal ingredients and your favorite flavor of pork bacon. This salad also works well using any fresh salad greens and crumbled sausage.

Ingredients

  • ½ lb bacon*, chopped 
  • 12 oz. spinach*, torn into bite-sized pieces 
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar* (or lemon juice) 
  • Optional: 2-3 oil-packed anchovy fillets and 1 Tbs capers 
  • 1/2 oz. radish microgreens* 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • a few tablespoons of fresh herbs* 

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove from the pan and chop into pieces. Do not drain off the fat, as this becomes the dressing! 
  2. Turn off heat. Stir in the anchovies and capers. Whisk in the vinegar. Add spinach. Stir until greens are wilted, do not over-cook. 
  3. Season with salt, pepper, radish microgreens, and herbs. Serve on a platter or right out of the skillet.

 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Roasted Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet

Yields: 4 servings 

Ingredients 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market 

For the salad: 

  • 3 medium-size beets or 1 large beet* 
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced* 
  • 1 bag baby lettuce* 
  • 1 handful pea shoots or microgreens* 
  •  ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese* 
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts 

For the vinaigrette 

  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons minced red or yellow onion* 
  • 2 teaspoons honey* 
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Trim the stem end off of each beet, wrap in a piece of aluminum foil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast beets for 1-2 hours or until they are tender when pierced with a paring knife. 
  2. Allow the beets to cool and gently rub off the skin. The beets can be used at this point or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  3. When ready to serve, slice the beets into ¼ inch slices and arrange them on a serving platter. Layer on the sliced apple, baby lettuce, pea shoots, feta cheese, and walnuts and set aside. 
  4. To make the dressing combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, minced onion, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in the jar or a small blender and blend on high for 15-30 seconds or until completely smooth. If you do not have a blender small enough for this quantity, simply whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. 
  5. Pour dressing over the plated salad and serve immediately.

Eating Fresh and Flavorful in the Winter

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By Marisa Kerkvliet

We probably all have memories of the farmers’ market during the summer months. Tables stacked full of brightly colored fruits and vegetables and bustling isles full of customers. During the winter, the farmers’ market might not be the first place you think to go on a Saturday morning. If you have yet to venture into the winter market, you may be surprised that there is far more fresh produce than you think! Not to mention the booths full of other kitchen staples like honey, meat, and fresh bread.

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Root crops such as beets, potatoes, turnips, and carrots are hearty and do well in cold storage many months after the fall harvest. Winter squash can be kept for months and is still delicious when roasted or baked, even in the early spring. Brassicas such as kale and cabbage are also available. Did you know that kale leaves become sweeter after they withstand frosty weather? You can find fresh, sweet greens like lettuce, spinach, pea shoots, and microgreens.

Saratoga Apple, photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

This week’s recipe features sweet roasted beets and fresh apples complemented by salty feta cheese and a tangy honey dijon vinaigrette. The salad is rounded out with the freshest of greens. The recipe can easily be adapted with ingredients available at the market. If pea shoots are not available, use microgreens instead or stick with the baby lettuce. If beets aren’t your thing, pour this dressing over the greens, apple, and feta to make a light side salad.

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Roasting beets in foil is an excellent way to cook them while retaining flavor and sweetness. After roasting, the skin should easily slip off. The exact cooking time for the beets varies greatly depending on the size. Medium size beets, about 3 inches in diameter, will typically take about an hour to fully cook. Winter beets at the market are often much larger, about 6 inches, and can take up to 2 full hours to cook. Roasted beets keep well in the fridge, so consider roasting more than you need so you can use the rest throughout the week. 

I am a freelance recipe developer and food photographer with a background in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. I focus on sharing seasonal whole-food recipes for the whole family. You can find me and see more of my work on my Instagram @lemon.thyme.kitchen.

This week’s recipe: Roasted Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette