Saratoga Farmers' Market

salad

Farmers’ Market Green Salad

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Photo by Pattie Garrett

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.

Spinach Salad with Dates

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Adapted from NYTCooking

INGREDIENTS

 * Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

1 Tablespoon wine vinegar

½ medium red onion,* thinly sliced

½ cup dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 small pitas, roughly torn into ½ inch pieces

½ cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped

6 ounces fresh spinach leaves* 

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Put vinegar, onion, and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then drain and discard any residual vinegar.
  2. Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is golden. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in the lemon zest. Set aside to cool.
  3. When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with pita mixture in a large bowl. Add date and onion mixture, remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil, and lemon juice.

Hearty Radish Greens Salad

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Adapted from the recipe in Chef Ramzi’s ‘The Culinary Heritage of Lebanon’ and shared by www.tasteofbeirut.com

This salad is a balance of flavors and textures. Radish greens provide body and earthiness and a bit of bite, apples offer sweetness, scallions some slight tanginess, and the garbanzo beans and cucumber are mellowing. Also, Radish greens offer six times more Vitamin C than the actual radish! They are rich in calcium and potassium, full of antioxidants, and act as a powerful digestive aid.

INGREDIENTS 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Greens from 2 bunches of radishes*
  • 1 teaspoon of mashed or crushed garlic* with a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil*
  • 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup of apples*, chopped
  • 3 purple or white scallions*, finely chopped
  • 1 cup of cucumbers*, chopped
  • 1 can of cooked garbanzo beans

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the radish greens. Chop them coarsely.
  2. Make the dressing by mixing the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.
  3. Add to the radish greens the apples, cucumber, scallions and garbanzo beans. Mix and pour the dressing.

Strawberry Rhubarb Salad

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Adapted from the recipe from Southern Living and shared by My Saratoga Table

Serves: 6

 

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups, 1-inch diagonally sliced rhubarb* (3 large stalks)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice (from one small orange)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from one small lemon)
  • 20 ounces fresh strawberries*, quartered lengthwise (about 3 cups)
  • ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup small mint leaves*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Stir together water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb to the pan, cook for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Cover and let stand until rhubarb is tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove rhubarb with a slotted spoon, reserve rhubarb syrup.
  2. Stir together orange juice, lemon juice, and 2 Tablespoons rhubarb syrup in a large bowl. Add rhubarb, strawberries, almonds, and mint. Stir gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

 

NOTES: There’ll be remaining rhubarb syrup that can be used for another purpose (ice cream, cake, salad dressing, etc.)

Tossed Apple and Kale Salad

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Looking for a crisp and festive complement to your holiday table? Try this quick and healthy starter, compliments of chef and yoga instructor Meg Affonso.

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 bunch kale*
  • 1 pound firm apples*
  • ½  cup pumpkin or squash seeds*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup*
  • Salt, to taste

 

Orange Mustard Vinaigrette

  • 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon (or other) mustard
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup*
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 shallot*, minced

 

Preparation

  1. Lightly toast pumpkin seeds in a pan with olive oil and salt. Remove.
  2. Remove kale leaves from stems and tear into bite-size pieces. Steam in water until wilted. Drain and set aside.
  3. Chop apples into bite-size chunks.
  4. Combine kale and apples, and toss with maple syrup.
  5. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle over kale and apples.
  6. Top with pumpkin seeds. Toss lightly and serve.