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turnips

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

Stems add beauty and flavor to summer roots

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Carrots, turnips, and beets. These are the everyday root vegetables at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market that we eat year-round. However, at this time of year, as summer harvests hit their peak, they shine. They come to market fresh from our area’s farm fields, often with their stems attached. These stems are not only pretty to look at but are edible, too.

Farmers harvest root vegetables by pulling them from the stem. These stems add nutrition and flavor to summer meals, not to mention value to your market purchases. The leafy greens of beets, turnips, and carrots are all sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Here are a few tips for getting started:

Otrembiak Farm, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Carrot tops. Clip off the green feathery tops. Wash them well and rinse them a couple of times to remove excess dirt. Select the greenest and most tender tips of the bunch and add them to soups, stocks, or to vegetables you might be roasting or braising for the night’s meal. They taste somewhat like parsley but add a distinct carrot-y flavor.

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Turnip greens. The leafy greens that top Hakurei and other white summer turnips can make a pleasantly spiced appetizer when cooked by themselves. After removing the greens, wash them well and discard any yellowed or wilted leaves. To cook, chop the greens finely, and heat up a skillet. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, freshly chopped garlic, fennel seed, coriander, cumin and/or fenugreek. Toast the spices for a minute or so, then add the turnip greens. Toss them quickly in the hot pan with tongs or two wooden spoons so that they are mixed into the spices. Once the greens have wilted, serve them with a squeeze of lemon and your favorite beverage.

Owl Wood Farm, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● Beet greens. These leaves along with their ruby-red stems have a rich flavor that is sometimes even more intense than the beets. After a good wash to remove grit, the younger leaves are delicious steamed or chopped finely for salads. Save the older leaves for stir-fries or saute them with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Other stems also can yield delicious dishes. Try, for instance, adding the stems of basil, parsley, or cilantro to soups or to stocks. Or save them and use in pesto.