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Shop Local, Eat Fresh

Sausage

The secret to the best breakfast sandwich? Farm fresh ingredients.

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By Emily Meagher

M&A Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

A good breakfast sandwich is a New York staple, and people tend to have strong opinions about their favorites. Does it come on a bagel, English muffin, or a biscuit? Do you top it with bacon, sausage, or no meat at all? Saratoga Farmers’ Market customers can put it to the test: the breakfast sandwich is back.

Returning for their 22nd year, with a one-year hiatus in 2020, M&A Farm’s staff dishes up stacks of breakfast menu items for customers to customize into their favorite sandwich. Served on English muffins, M&A uses local, farm-fresh eggs and meats (sausage and ham – combine them to order a “Manwich”) and provides the option to add a hash brown.

At 85, Arnold Grant continues as the farm owner and the main cook at M&A’s stand, but he has help from a big crew made up of three different generations in the family. The Grant family has owned their farm, located in Durkeetown, NY, between Fort Edward and Argyle, for over 200 years.

“My first memories are of the farm being operated as a dairy farm by my great uncle, and then by my dad, still as a dairy farm,” says Grant. In 1998, he joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market initially to sell his meats and eggs, and over a decade later the breakfast sandwiches were added. Those took off and eventually became their mainstay. Although the meats and eggs don’t come from the Grant farm anymore, they are still sourced local from their neighbors’ farms.

M&A Farm, photo provided

Over the years, M&A Farm has been a crowd favorite, as well as a Saturday farmers’ market breakfast tradition. Many customers were noticeably excited for their return last weekend as the summer market season officially began.

“It hasn’t seemed right without you,” said a customer named Linda just as we walked up to speak to owner Arnold Grant. At the same time, customers who only recently started shopping at the farmers’ market since last year’s move to the Wilton Mall were pleasantly surprised to see a new ready-to-eat option. “We’re so excited to see egg & cheese sandwiches at the market! Now we know to skip breakfast and come straight here,” noted Bethany, another market-goer.

“We’ve been open for a long time,” says Grant resolutely. “I’m hoping to pass the business on to my granddaughter. At 85, I’m getting ready to retire soon, but I’d like it to stay in the family,” he adds. It sounds like Saratoga Farmers’ Market customers will be able to enjoy the farm-fresh sandwiches for some time to come.

This week’s recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata

Breakfast Pizza

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Recipe shared by Fired Up Pizza
Makes 1 10-inch pizza

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1- 6 oz. pizza dough
● Olive oil
● 1 egg*, lightly beaten
● 1 cup of finely shredded cheddar cheese*
● Salt and pepper to taste
● Optional toppings: cooked bacon* or breakfast sausage*

Instructions
1. Stretch dough into a 10-inch circle on a sheet pan or pizza stone. Brush top of the dough with olive oil.
2. Spread the cheese evenly over the crust. Pour the egg over the top of the cheese. Add toppings, if desired.
3. Bake at 500 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

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.

(One Pan) Roasted Asparagus, Sausage, and Garlic Potatoes

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Adapted from the recipe featured on www.chelseasmessyapron.com
Serves 4 people
Cook & Prep Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market
● 1 pound potatoes* (any kind)
● 4 carrots*, sliced into thin strips
● Salt and cracked pepper
● 1/4 cup olive oil*, separated
● 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme*
● 1 Tablespoon fresh basil*
● 2 cups asparagus*
● 1 large yellow onion*
● 1 package sausage* (of choice)
● 2 cloves garlic*, minced
● 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan* or Pecorino*
● Optional: fresh parsley*

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Farmers’ Market Breakfast Hash

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Adapted from recipe in Eating Well and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • ¼ pound bulk breakfast sausage*
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small russet potato*, baked, chopped into ½ inch cubes
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach*
  • 2 large eggs*
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese*
  • freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook sausage over medium-high heat in an 8 inch cast iron skillet until browned. Add oil in needed. Add potatoes and cook until browned. Add spinach, toss until wilted.
  2. Make 2 wells in the center of the hash. Crack one egg into each well. Reduce heat to medium and cook until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until cheese is melted and egg whites are completely set. Garnish with pepper.

NOTES

Options: add onions, crispy bacon.

Spaghetti with Sausage, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Adapted from recipe by Lindsay Funston on Delish.com, shared by Courtney Kramer

Makes 4 servings

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available

  • 12 oz. spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil*
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped*
  • ¾  lbs. cooked Italian sausage links, sliced*
  • 3 cups of baby spinach*
  • ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • ¾ cup of chicken broth
  • ¾ cup of heavy cream*
  • Kosher salt for seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish*

 

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add sausage, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes and cook until sausage is browned and spinach is cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Let thicken until sauce is creamy, then add spaghetti to skillet and toss until fully coated. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.