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vegetables

Pumpkin Puree

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Recipe by Tonia Schemmel, Feasting at Home

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Yields 1 ½ – 3 cups (1 small pumpkin equals approximately one 15 oz. can)

Making pumpkin puree from scratch is simple and an excellent alternative to canned pumpkin. Add puree to smoothies, baked goods (like pancakes, muffins, scones, bread, and pumpkin pie, of course!), soups, and even baby food. The puree can also be frozen in portions for later use.

Ingredients

  • 1 or more pie pumpkins from the farmers’ market
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy middle part. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
  3. Place halves, flesh side down, on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 50 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
  5. Once the pumpkin is cool, scoop out of the skin and process in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Adapted from the recipe for Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yields approximately 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F
  2. Soak pumpkin seeds in a bowl of water and massage them a bit to help remove the pulp. Scoop out the seeds and discard the pulp.
  3. Place 1 cup of pumpkin seeds in a small pot,  with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, do not rinse, and pat dry.  
  4. Once dry, place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place on the middle rack in the oven, and stir every 5 minutes. Watch very carefully between minutes 10-15. You want them to toast, but not burn. 
  5. Remove from oven, fluff them a bit with the spatula, then let them cool completely, about 20 minutes.  They should be beautifully golden and crispy.

NOTES

Variations galore! Before roasting, toss pumpkin seeds with 1 teaspoon olive oil and add desired seasonings: 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, sesame seeds, cumin, etc.

Bark Hill Farm brings a bounty of flowers and vegetables to the farmers’ market

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By Julia Howard

 

Amy Hoge cares deeply about living things, from the countless flowers and vegetables that she grows to the cats, chickens, and six dogs that live on her farm. “It gets noisy around here,” she laughs in response to the farm’s name. Bark Hill Farm, located in Hebron in Washington County, is one of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newest vendors.

Seven years ago, Amy and her family purchased an 11-acre plot with an 1800s farmhouse that stands on the property. In 2020, Amy decided to shift from her career as a veterinary technician to pursue farming full-time.

“The decision to start Bark Hill Farm felt right for my family and me as we pivoted through 2020,” Amy says. “It was time to pursue my passion for growing flowers and vegetables and making them available to the community.”

Bark Hill Farm, Photo by Pattie Garrett

 

Amy grows approximately forty varieties of seasonal vegetables and several types of flowers on three-quarters of an acre. The rest of the property is pasture and woodland that she utilizes for grazing laying hens and hay production.

“I believe that locally-grown, nutritious food is something that our community deserves access to. The same can be said about our flowers; I love seeing the joy they bring to people, and I feel good knowing that our growing methods are good for the environment.” Amy explains.

Bark Hill Farm is Certified Naturally Grown, meaning there is no use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or GMOs.

Bark Hill Farm, Photo by Pattie Garrett

As a female business owner in agriculture, Amy takes each day with its blessings and challenges. “I love offering new products as the weeks change, and I love the community aspect of growing for local markets and getting to talk directly with customers,” Amy says. “It’s also challenging to grow as a business without outgrowing what I can handle.”

You can find Bark Hill Farm at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays from 3-6 pm at High Rock Park and the Spa City Farmers’ Market on Sundays. Seasonal varieties of produce and flowers are available at Bark Hill’s farmstand, open seven days a week at 2079 County Rt 47, Hebron, and through the farm’s CSA, available at www.barkhillfarm.com.

This week’s recipe: Roasted Root Vegetable

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. This Saturday is the final market at the Wilton Mall for the season. Markets will return to High Rock Park on Wednesday, June 1. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Whatever Soup

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Recipe by Samin Nosrat, NYT, and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 medium onions*, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves*, sliced
  • 6 to 8 cups diced vegetables*(carrots, celeriac, chard, mushrooms, cabbage, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, winter squash)
  • 1½ pounds raw boneless chicken
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and garlic.
  2. Reduce the heat to a medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the chicken and vegetables in the pot. Add enough chicken stock to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  4. Cook until the flavors have come together and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove raw chicken from soup when cooked, allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred and return it to the soup.
  5. Add more hot liquid if needed.
  6. Serve hot.

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

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 no easy feat. Finding a recipe that your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, something that doesn’t take hours to prep and cook, and something that won’t take an hour to clean up. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

Photo from iStock.

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, chicken with mushrooms and tomatoes (tomatoes will return to the market in Feb.). The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Photo from iStock

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.

Photo of carrot and ginger soup by Pattie Garrett.

Simple Soups

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

Photo from iStock.

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 for anything from tacos to pot roast 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. 

This weeks recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata

Sheet Pan Chicken with Carrots, Potatoes, & Carrot Top Pesto

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables
● 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and legs*
● 2 bunches rainbow carrots*
● 1.5 pounds red or gold potatoes*, cut in half
● 2 tablespoons olive oil
● 2 teaspoons kosher salt
● 1 teaspoon paprika
● ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Carrot Top Pesto
● 2 cups packed carrot tops*
● ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil*
● ½ cup walnut halves, plus extra for serving
● ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
● 2 cloves garlic*
● ½ lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
● ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
● ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the chicken, carrots, and potatoes on the sheet pan and drizzle on the olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, paprika, and black pepper. Use clean hands to toss all of the ingredients together and rub the spices into the chicken and vegetables. Arrange in a single layer with the chicken skin facing up.
2. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 degrees F and the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
3. While the chicken and vegetables are roasting prepare the carrot top pesto by combining the carrot tops, olive oil, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is thoroughly combined and smooth.
4. Transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables to a serving platter, and drizzle on the pesto. Top with additional chopped walnuts if desired and serve immediately.

Photo by Marisa Kerkvliet

Summer Vegetable Stir Fry

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iStock

Adapted from the recipe by Alyssa Rivers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 tablespoon olive oil*
● 1 red bell pepper*, sliced
● 1 yellow bell pepper*, sliced
● 1 cup sugar snap peas*
● 1 cup carrots*, sliced
● 1 cup mushrooms*, sliced
● 1 cup zucchini* or yellow summer squash*, sliced
● 2 cups broccoli*
● 2 cups bok choy*
● ¼ cup soy sauce
● 3 garlic cloves*, minced
● 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
● 1 teaspoon sesame oil
● 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
● 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Optional: chopped green onions* and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions
1. In a wok or large skillet, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, peas, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and bok choy. Sauté 2-3 minutes until veggies are almost tender.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, chicken or vegetable broth, and cornstarch.
3. Pour over veggies and cook until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes:
● Customize your stir fry by adding in protein. Chicken, pork, shrimp, and beef are all available at the farmers’ market.
● Make your stir fry with seasonal vegetables: asparagus, bean sprouts, cauliflower, tomatoes, and corn all make delicious additions.
● Spice it up by adding crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha.
● Serve over brown or white rice, noodles, ramen, lo mein, zoodles, or wilted greens.