Market News

Calendar of Events


Sponsored by:

Concerned Citizens for Springfield

 

 

 

 

Our Recipes

QUICK SUMMER SQUASH

   It’s squash season, so it’s time to be creative. Take several types of summer squash and either slice them or cut them into small chunks. Heat some olive oil in a pan until it just begins to smoke. Throw in some cut up garlic, and then the squash. Stir it around every so often, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and you have an easy, pretty, tasty dish.

   Or take the small squash and slice down the middle lengthwise. Put it into the pan cut side down. Let it get slightly brown and blistered and turn it over. Do the same for that side and when it’s tender, serve.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

CREAMED VEGETABLE SOUPS

Don’t use eggplant, or green beans, but almost anything else goes. Remember that you don’t have to be exact when making soup. If you like onions, use a lot of them; if you aren’t fond of them, use less. You can add milk or cream to these, or if you want them without that’s also fine.

If you can make your own chicken or beef stock, that is best. Otherwise use a good canned broth like College Inn, (don’t use their low fat (they’re really all low-fat) because it has no taste) or a good bullion cube like Knorr. You can use a good vegetable broth of bullion cube also if you want this vegetarian.

If you want your soup thicker, cook some peeled potatoes with your vegetables. Puree everything together and it will be thicker.

INGREDIENTS: onions, butter or vegetable oil, vegetable of your choice, cut up, chicken/beef/vegetable broth, cream or evaporated skim milk, herbs or spices of your choice. Italian seasonings go well with tomatoes, marjoram or dill with summer squash, curry with many things. Salt and pepper.

Saute onions in butter or oil until soft. Add vegetables and broth, cook until soft. Cool. Put into blender and puree until smooth. Pour back into pan and add herbs or spices and milk or cream. If you must use skim milk use only the evaporated kind since it does give the soup some body. Check your seasonings.

Many soups like this such as summer squash, zucchini, tomato, cucumber can be eaten cold as well as warm. All soup benefits from sitting awhile before being eaten.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

PRASSA (leeks)

2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 leeks trimmed of their green tops, washed, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 medium potato, peeled, cubed
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes to the onion mixture. Stir in the chicken broth, salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Simmer, covered, 40 minutes. Add the potato to the vegetable mixture. Continue to cook, covered until the potato is tender, about 20 minutes longer. If the mixture seems too wet, remove the cover, raise the heat, and cook until thickened. Sprinkle with the basil or parsley before serving. Serves 4-6.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

POTATO/PARMESAN STUFFED ROASTED ONIONS

2 yellow onions (each about 3 inches in diameter), unpeeled
Olive oil for brushing onions
8 ounces red potatoes, (about 2 medium)
1 Tablespoon dry white wine
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim root ends flush with onions (so the will sit upright.) Cut off tops of onions 1 inch from pointed blossom end and reserve. In a small flameproof baking pan stand onions upright and replace reserved tops. Brush onions with oil and roast in middle of oven 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until centers are just knife-tender. While onions are roasting, in a saucepan boil potatoes in water to cover 15 minutes, or until tender, and drain in a colander. Cool potatoes until they can just be handled and peel. Return potatoes to pan. Transfer onions to a work surface to cool and add wine, water and cream to baking pan. On top of stove cook cream mixture over moderate heat, stirring until brown bits scraped from bottom of baking pan are just dissolved and add to potatoes. Leaving outermost layer of each onion inside skin, carefully scoop remaining layers out of onion shells with a small spoon and chop. In a small skillet saute chopped onion in butter over moderately high heat until golden and add to potato mixture.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Mash potato mixture with a potato masher until potatoes are coarsely mashed and liquid is incorporated and force through a food mill fitted with a fine disk into a bowl (or if you don’t mind lumpy potatoes, don’t bother with this step). Stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Spoon potato mixture into onion shells and replace tops. Onions may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

In a small baking pan roast onions in middle of oven until heated through, 15 to 25 minutes. Serves 2.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

MASHED POTATOES

These are so simple, you should never used boxed potatoes. Peel potatoes, cook in boiling salted water until you can put a knife into them easily. Drain. Mash with a potato masher, then put into a mixer and whip until they are the texture you like adding butter, milk or cream along the way. You may need a little more salt. You can cook carrots along with the potatoes and mash them together, it’s pretty.

If you use red potatoes, you might want to use the skins and then you have “smashed” potatoes.

My family likes lumpy potatoes, so I almost never use the mixer.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

ASPARAGUS WITH CHEESE AND EGGS, ITALIAN STYLE

EASY AND DELICIOUS!

1 pound asparagus, cleaned and cut into 2 inch pieces.

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

6 eggs, beaten

 Blanch and drain the asparagus, being careful not to overcook it. In a bowl toss the asparagus with the butter, cheese, and salt and pepper. Remove to a platter and keep warm. Scramble the eggs (don’t overcook) and cover the asparagus with the eggs. Serve quickly!

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

COLD ASPARAGUS, CHINESE STYLE

Clean the asparagus and leave it whole. Bring a pan of water to a boil and add about 1 T of cooking oil to keep the color. Blanch the asparagus for about 4 or 5 minutes, then plunge into cold water. Drain and chill. Serve with sesame oil salad dressing.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

SESAME OIL SALAD DRESSING (good on cold vegetables)

2 T light soy sauce

3 T  Asian sesame oil

3 T light salad oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

ground black pepper to taste.

Blend all ingredients together and toss with cold vegetables.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

ASPARAGUS WITH CHICKEN OR BEEF AND BLACK BEANS

There are 3 Asian food stores in the Forest Park Neighborhood. Pho Saigon on Belmont Avenue, Dong Nai  on Dickinson Street, and the Asian Market on the corner of Pomona and Vermont Streets. Forest Park Markets on Belmont Ave. also has some Asian ingredients.

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cleaned

1/2 pound boneless chicken breast or thigh, or 1/2 pound beef flank steak sliced thin across the grain

3 T light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon (or more) grated fresh ginger

2 Tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese rice wine

1 Tablespoon corn starch

3 Tablespoons peanut (or other neutral oil, not olive)

2 cloves garlic (or more if you like garlic) sliced thin

1 Tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed (or you can purchase black bean with garlic paste in a jar at one of the stores and use about 1 T of that. Keep jar in refrigerator.

1/4 Cup chicken broth (canned or homemade)

Slice the cleaned asparagus diagonally into 1/4 “ pieces. Set aside. In a small bowl marinate the chicken or beef in 2 T of the light soy sauce, ginger, sherry or rice wine and the cornstarch. Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat a wok or large frying pan and add the oil. The oil should just begin to smoke. Quickly lay the meat on one side in the pan. Do not turn, but cook over high heat for a moment until the one side begins to brown. Toss-stir the meat for a moment and remove from the pan, allowing the oil to drain back into the pan.

Heat the pan again and add the garlic. Mix for just a moment and add the black beans or black bean paste. Mix for another moment and add the asparagus. Toss for a few seconds and then add the remaining soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Mix just until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and chicken broth. Stir to make a sauce. Serve immediately.

YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE SEASONINGS IF THIS ISN’T ENOUGH. YOU CAN MAKE IT SPICY BY ADDING RED PEPPER PASTE OR FLAKES.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

GINGERED RHUBARB WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less

Makes use of a microwave.

1 1/4 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 3/4” pieces (about 3 cups.)

1 T fresh orange juice

1 T minced peeled fresh gingerroot

1/3 cup sugar, or to taste

1 T unsalted butter

vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment

fresh mint sprigs for garnish 

In a microwave-safe 2 quart dish combine the rhubarb, orange juice, gingerroot, sugar and the butter, cover the dish with microwavable-safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner uncovered, and microwave the mixture at high power (100%) for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture and microwave it, covered partially, for 2 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Let the mixture cool slightly, serve it with the ice cream, and garnish it with the mint. Can also be served as a compote.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SHORTCAKES (Either buy or make baking powder biscuits for this.)

Compote:

4 cups 3/4 “ thick slices fresh rhubarb (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3/4 cup sugar

2 T water

2 T strawberry preserves

1 tsp. Minced orange peel

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 1-pint basket strawberries, hulled, thickly sliced.

Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender but some pieces remain intact, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add allspice. Cool completely. Stir in strawberries. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Split biscuits in half, spoon 1/4 cup whipped cream over, then some compote, then more whipped cream then other half of biscuit.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

CHICKEN WITH GREEN GARLIC

1 large chicken cut up, 2 T butter, 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper, 1 CUP water, 3-5 stalks green garlic, 1 ¼ CUPS white wine, 1 ½ CUPS chicken stock.

   Brown chicken pieces in pan with oil and butter. Remove, and pour off excess fat. Clean and chop green garlic, cook in water in same pan about 10 minutes until water is just about gone. Puree in blender and set aside. Put chicken back in pan on high, add wine and water and turn heat to low, cover and simmer until on done about 25 minutes. Remove chicken, add garlic puree and reduce sauce until slightly thickened and pour over chicken and serve.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

SAUTEED KALE WITH SESAME SEEDS

1 1/2 cups water
3 bunches kale (about 2 pounds) stems trimmed, leaves chopped
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (use frying pan and shake over heat, or use oven. Watch carefully, they burn easily)
 
Bring water to boil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add kale, cover and boil until amost tender stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Uncover, cook until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.)
 
Heat vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and dried red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add kale, sauté until heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, top with sesame seeds.

(TIP—go to one of our Asian grocery stores in the Forest Park neighborhood to purchase oriental sesame oil and sesame seeds. W

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

GRILLED CHICKEN

From “Into the Vietnamese Kitchen” by Andrea Nguyen
Ingredients
¼ tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp black pepper
1 T fish sauce
1 T fresh lime juice
2T canola or other neutral oil
2 3/4ths pounds chicken thighs.
 
   In a bowl large enough to accommodate the chicken, combine all ingredients except the chicken and mix well. Add chicken and use your fingers to massage marinade into the meat, distributing the seasonings as evenly as possible. Marinate at room temp. for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 2 hours. You don’t have to be exact with these measurements.  

   Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium.

   Place chicken on grill rack and cook, turning every 5 minutes until browned on both sides, with clear juices. If necessary, transfer meat to a 400 degree oven to finish cooking. You are looking for an internal temperature of approximately 165 degrees.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Slice eggplant about ¼” thick. Season some flour, (salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning or basil) mix up some eggs, and season some breadcrumbs. Dip the eggplant into the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs. Set on a rack to dry for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 400-degrees. Using a cookie sheet that has sides, pour a thin layer of olive oil in the pan. Put into the oven for about 10 minutes. Lay the eggplant on the cookie sheet and turn over when one side is golden brown. Repeat. Remove from oven and continue with your recipe.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

ZUCCHINI RELISH

 There are many recipes for this. You really don’t have to be exact with your proportions. It’s amazing how much zucchini you really need for this recipe—about 15 pounds. Several peppers, red or green or both, a few onions, sugar and spices. I didn’t have any red peppers, so I used some pear tomatoes. They’re nice for color. I saw only one recipe with tomatoes.

 10 cups well-drained zucchini, peppers or tomatoes, onions, red pepper flakes, or some jalapeño peppers if you want to give it a little zip.

 Chop zucchini, peppers, and onions in food processor. Put into glass or stainless steel bowl and sprinkle with about 5 T kosher salt. Cover and leave overnight. In the morning drain well, then put into a clean dish towel and squeeze the excess moisture out. Chop tomatoes and add to mixture. To 10 cups or so add 2 cups of cider or white vinegar, 3 cups sugar, black pepper, dry mustard, turmeric and nutmeg. Season to taste. Boil until thickened. You can use 2 T cornstarch and a little water to thicken it. Follow directions for canning, or put into clean containers and leave in refrigerator. It will keep for a long time. Nice to give as gifts. Check out recipes on the Internet.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

SHAKSHOUKA

Fried Peppers and Tomatoes with Eggs 

4 T vegetable oil
2-3 hot green peppers
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
4-5 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped
salt to taste
1-2 T hot or sweet paprika, or half of each, according to taste
4 eggs

   Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Chop the pepper coarsely into it, then add the chopped garlic and tomato. Turn up the heat and sauté until the tomatoes are soft. Scrape the mixture from the sides of the pan into the oil. Sprinkle over some salt, allow the liquids to evaporate somewhat, and mix well. After about 8 minutes, add the paprika and mix again. Continue to sauté for a further 2 minutes.

   Break the eggs one at a time into a small dish. Gently slide each egg into the pan over the tomatoes. With a spoon, carefully fold the whites into the tomatoes without breaking the yolks. When the whites have set but the yolks are still soft, remove from the heat and serve. Challah is the best accompaniment, but a baguette is also fine.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

BROCCOLI RAAB PASTA

 1 LARGE ONION
6-8 CLOVES GARLIC
2 BUNCHES BROCCOLI RAAB
RED PEPPER FLAKES
SALT
½ TO ¾ POUND PASTA
RED WINE VINEGAR
PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE
 
Peel and thinly slice the onion. Smash, peel and thinly slice the garlic. Wash the broccoli raab, removing the heavy stems and chop the leaves and sprouts coarsely. Put a large pot on to boil.
 
Liberally cover the bottom of a sauté pan with the olive oil and sauté the onion over high heat. When the onion has begun to wilt and brown then add the garlic and pepper flakes to taste, and salt. Toss briefly then add the broccoli raab and a splash of water. Lower the heat and cook until tender, stirring or tossing frequently. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Taste the broccoli raab for seasoning and add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. Toss with the freshly cooked pasta and garnish with the cheese.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

CATALAN SPINACH

From Fresh From the Farmers’ Market Cookbook

By Janet Fletcher

 
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 bunches fresh spinach, about 2 pounds
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 dried apricots, cut into small pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Place currants in a small bowl with warm water to cover and let stand 30 minutes to soften, then drain.
 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. toast pine nuts on a baking sheet until they are golden brown and fragrant, 12-15  minutes.
 
Wash spinach well in a sink filled with cold water. Remove and discard thick stems, and drain leaves in a colander. Repeat when necessary to remove all grit and drain again. Place spinach in a large pot with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until leaves are just wilted, about 3-5 minutes.  Drain in a sieve under cold running water. Squeeze between your hands to remove excess moisture.
 
Heat olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and sauté until it colors slightly, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, tossing to separate the leaves and coat them with oil. Add currants, pine nuts and dried apricots. Toss to distribute evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is hot throughout, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

 

ASPARAGUS WITH FRIED EGGS AND CHEESE
 
1# fresh asparagus
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
4 large eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
 

In a wide pot, bring several inches of water to a boil. While the water heats, snap off the fibrous ends of the asparagus spears. Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 5-8 minutes, until just tender.

While the asparagus cooks, heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet. Crack the eggs into the skillet. Cover and cook until the whites are firm and crisp around the edges and the yolks are partially cooked, but not hard-set. Arrage the hot asparagus on warmed serving plates, top with  the fried eggs, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Serve immediately.

 
From “Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home” by The Moosewood Collective.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Hickory Dell Lower Fat Pesto

4 Cups Basil Leaves

6 - 12 cloves Garlic

¼ to 1/3 cup Olive Oil

1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

¼ cup Romano Cheese, freshly grated

½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 tsp. Dill Vinegar or Lemon Juice

 In food processor, chop basil, add garlic and chop again. Add a little oil, through processor top, while blending. Add cheese and pine nuts (can reserve half to mix in by hand if desired) and blend. Add vinegar or lemon. Add oil to desired consistency.

 Add to one pound of hot pasta. Sprinkle with nuts, if reserved. Serve with additional grated cheese if desired.

 To freeze, fill containers with pesto mixture and tamp down. (jars with 3-4 inch openings work well) Pour a small amount of oil on top and add a drop of vinegar (dill or other flavor). Cover and freeze.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

GAZPACHO (my version)

 There are many versions of gazpacho. Look it up on the Internet and you will see what I mean. It is a liquid salad. I only make it in the summer when ALL of the ingredients except for the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper are native.  As with all soup, amounts will vary depending on the size of the pot, what ingredients you favor, and how many people you are cooking for. I like lots of flavor so my soup is more vinegary than someone else’s might be. As Julia Child always said, Bon Appetit!

Tomatoes

Green or red peppers

Cucumbers

Onions

Garlic

Hot peppers if desired to give it a little kick

Red wine vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Some recipes call for tomato juice. I use my food processor to make this, so I puree cut up tomatoes rather than juice and dump them into a pot or big bowl. Next I pulse the remaining vegetables so that they are finely chopped, but not pureed. I then chop some more tomatoes and add those. Then the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. You may adjust the seasonings after the soup has chilled. Serve very cold. Don’t make enough to last several days; make new batches. Sometimes ice cubes are added just before serving to make it even colder.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Roasted Tomato Sauce, Hickory Dell Farm

5 pounds  fresh tomatoes (roma or plum style work best)

3 – 6  cloves garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2- 4 teaspoons fresh chopped herbs (basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley) to taste

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. herb or raspberry vinegar

 Pre-heat oven to 425 F.  Spray shallow baking pan or roaster with non-stick spray. Cut tomatoes in half and place, cut side down in baking pan. Add whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle on herbs, sugar and pepper. Roast for 60 - 90 minutes, depending on size of tomato. The tomatoes should be a bit charred around the edges. Remove from oven and cool for one minute. Put everything from pan into food processor. Do in more than one batch if necessary. Process to desired consistency, adding vinegar through pour hole. If desired, re-heat and/or add cooked meat or sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, or other vegetable. Serve over pasta.

 To freeze, fill containers and tamp down to remove air bubbles. Cover tightly and freeze.

 Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave, or add a bit of water if reheating on stove.

 This recipe makes about a pint, and multiplies very well. You can roast up to 20 pounds of tomatoes in most ovens. Rotate the pans between racks in the middle of cooking time.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Hickory Dell Berry Cobbler

½ cup butter    ¾ cup sugar

1 cup flour        2 tsp. baking powder

½ cup milk

4 cups blueberries, raspberries or any mixed berries

1/2 cup Raspberry Preserves

 Preheat oven to 350.

 While oven preheats, melt butter in a 2½ qt. baking dish in the oven, then set aside.

 Combine flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder. Add milk & stir just until blended.

 Spoon batter over butter in dish. Do not stir. 

 Combine fruit and preserves. Spoon over batter. Do not stir.

 Bake until fruit is bubbly and dough has traveled to top and is golden brown, 45-55 min. Serve warm.        (can use a mixture of fruit and/or other preserves)         

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Raspberry and Goat Cheese Appetizer, Hickory Dell Farm

 Toast rounds of French Bread. Spread each with about one teaspoon of goat cheese (garlic and herb is yummy!), and one teaspoon of Raspberry Jam or Preserves.

 Can also be made with loaves sliced in half before toasting, and then cut to serving pieces after cheese and raspberries are applied.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Peach and Red Pepper Relish

(Courtesy of Jan Cartier)

2 Hot red peppers
12 sweet red peppers
12 large peaches, peeled & chopped
1 cup wine vinegar
2 lemons cut in half, seeds removed

Grind peppers and peaches together until chunky (not too big). Put into large pot with lemons and vinegar. Boil 1¼ hours. Remove lemons and add 5 cups sugar and 1 scant tsp kosher salt. Boil ½-3/4 hours. Put in hot jars and seal. Serve with cream cheese on crackers. You can also use canned peaches chopped, juice drained & reduce sugar to 2-3 cups. It won’t be as good though. This can be frozen. Good with chicken or pork.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Vegetable Quiche

Cauliflower or broccoli, sweet red peppers, onions, yellow and green summer squash, mushrooms
1-½ cups cream, half and half or whole milk (can use non-fat half and half), no skim milk
4 eggs
Nutmeg
Dash cayenne pepper
Parsley
Swiss, cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda cheese
Frozen one crust pie shell

Steam the cauliflower or broccoli until it is tender. Sauté peppers, onions, squash and mushrooms until soft. Make sure you have no liquid left in your vegetables. Place in frozen piecrust. Mix up eggs, milk or cream, nutmeg, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Pour over vegetables. Shred cheese (a little or a lot) and put on top of pie. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown. Let it set a few minutes before serving. You can change the mix of vegetables, but when you have a variety, it is prettier.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Confetti Gazpacho

This is made similarly to the red gazpacho that I make. It has a yellow base and the other colors are mixed in. Very pretty. As with the red, only make this when everything is native. I use my food processor for this. 

Yellow or orange tomatoes
Red tomatoes
Cucumber
Yellow peppers
Red onions
Garlic
Olive oil
Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Hot pepper flakes or fresh hot peppers
 
As with all soup you put in more or less of what you like or don’t like.
 
1. Puree yellow or orange tomatoes, add the garlic to some of the tomatoes that you puree so that it is finely ground.
2. Chop cucumbers, yellow peppers, red onions, and red tomatoes, add to yellow puree. (Use pulse on processor.)
3. Add olive oil and either white, rice, or wine vinegar to taste. The wine vinegar is a little more pungent than the white or rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. If you like things spicy, chop up the fresh hot peppers with the other vegetables, or add some Tabasco sauce or red pepper flakes. Remember that hot intensifies as the dish stands, so don’t use too much; you can always add more at the table.
5. Chill for HOURS. You can even add some ice cubes when you serve it to make it even colder. You may have to adjust the seasoning after it has chilled.
 
This is a little milder than the red gazpacho that I make.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE


Applesauce

   Time for homemade applesauce. Nothing could be easier. If you don’t have a food mill consider buying one or better yet, buy a chinois and pestle. A chinois is cone shaped, it has a stand, and the pestle pushes the apples through all the holes in no time. A friend gave me one and I thought that it couldn’t possibly be as good as the food mill. Was I surprised. My cooked apples are applesauce in seconds!

   Use apple seconds. There is no reason to use perfect apples for applesauce. You can mix varieties or not.

   Wash and cut apples into halves or quarters, (you don’t have to peel them.) Put into a pot with a tiny amount of water on the bottom to keep them from scorching when they begin to cook. Cover pot. Cook until mushy. Turn off heat. You can put them into the food mill or chinois now (over a bowl of course), or wait until they cool off some. Add sugar (or not) and cinnamon, and you have applesauce. This freezes beautifully.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Potato Kugel (Baked Potato Pudding)

 

This is a savory recipe. I always add more onions because I love onions.

8 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
6 eggs
½ cup salad oil
4 T. flour
1 heaping tablespoon salt
½ to 1 tsp. ground black pepper
 
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl mix eggs, oil, flour, salt and pepper, set aside.
  3. Coarsely grate potatoes and onions either by hand or food processor, let sit 3-5 minutes and squeeze out excess liquid.
  4.  Add to other ingredients.
  5. Bake, uncovered, in a 9x13 pan, for 1 hour or until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Basic Eggplant Salad

About 2 pounds large dark eggplants
¼ cup olive or sunflower oil
lemon juice or white vinegar, according to taste.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garlic, crushed, then chopped (optional)
 
Roast the eggplant either on a barbecue (charcoal or gas) and allow it to blacken until soft inside. You can also place it over a gas flame on top of the stove where it makes a bit of a mess as its liquid drips but it still emits a smoky flavor. Otherwise it can be placed under a broiler. Remove from heat.
 
Place eggplant on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, slit it open and tilt the board over a sink to allow the liquid inside to run off. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle but still warm, use the knife to remove the peel and seeds.
 
The consistency of the salad depends on the method used for pulping the eggplant. Mashing it with a fork or pressing it through a potato masher results in a thick, pulpy mixture. Placing it in a food processor makes a smooth puree. When the eggplant is mashed put it in a bowl and add the oil slowly while stirring, blending it in well. Add the lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste. Lots of garlic can be added to make a dish that is called “caviar of the poor.”

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

 

Eggplant with Onion and Tomato

1 portion basic eggplant salad
2 T dried onion, or 3 T chopped scallions
2 tomatoes seeded and chopped
parsley
garnish with black olives
 
Mix eggplant with remaining ingredients. Serve on a platter with black olives.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

 

Eggplant with Peppers

 

1 portion eggplant salad
4-5 red peppers, peeled, deseeded, and roasted, or 2-3 hot or sweet green peppers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
salt and pepper
1 T white vinegar
 
Add remaining ingredients to eggplant salad

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

 

Eggplant with Feta

 

Add 1 cup crumbled white feta cheese and serve warm

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Israeli Potato Salad 

4 POTATOES, COOKED AND PEELED
1-2 SPICY GREEN PEPPERS
1 CLOVE GARLIC, CRUSHED
JUICE OF ONE LARGE LEMON
1/3 CUP HIGH-QUALITY OLIVE OIL
SALT TO TASTE
½ CUP CHOPPED PARSLEY OR MINT LEAVES (OPTIONAL)
2 GREEN (SCALLIONS0 ONIONS, CHOPPED, OPTIONAL
 
DICE THE POTATOES OR SLICE THEM FAIRLY THINLY. REMOVE THE STEM AND SEEDS OF THE PEPPER AND CHOP. MIX IN ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTS. IF USING PARSLEY AND GREEN ONIONS, ADD MORE OLIVE OIL AND LEMON JUICE.

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Spaghetti Squash Salad

1 medium spaghetti squash
6 mushrooms sliced
½ each red and green pepper, julienned
1 can black olives, sliced
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
 
Vinaigrette
¾ C. light vegetable oil or olive oil or avocado oil
¼ C white wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp., oregano, basil, rosemary, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste.
 
Let dressing meld flavors awhile before using.
 

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Spaghetti Squash and Garlic

2 medium squash
2 T. olive oil
garlic
 
Prick squash in several places, put on rimmed baking sheet, bake at 400 degrees for about an hour or ‘til soft. When cool enough to handle, cut open, remove seeds, scrape out squash. Saute garlic in olive oil and add to squash. Add salt and pepper to taste.
 

 BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

Spaghetti Squash with Honey

Roast squash and remove pulp. Add butter and honey or brown sugar to taste. Enjoy

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

 

 

Our Vendors

Our Recipes


Courtesy of The Kitchen Garden

WIC

   

Funded by the Forest Park Civic Association and Private Contributors

 

© Copyright 2007 - The Farmers' Market at the"X"  *******    CONTACT US AT: 413-737-1724.