sundays at the farmers' market
Simple, seasonal recipes I’ve improvised from whatever I found at the farmers’ market this week.
farmer’s market pasta with beurre blanc
This meal was brought to you with a little help from Trader Joe. I purchased some of the spinach tortellini from their refrigerated section (its not a favorite of mine but it sure makes somebody special in my life happy, so…). And with a plan to add fresh-from-the-market produce, that tortellini makes a pretty... »
duck fat potatoes
I’d read about a year ago that duck was going to be hot. And although I can’t say I’ve seen a rise in duck meat’s popularity, there is one part of the duck that seems to constantly come up in conversation. I’m talking about duck fat. I can barely flip through a magazine or... »
radish-avocado picnic sandwiches
One of my favorite farmers’ market specialties of spring is those finger-shaped, fuschia and cream French breakfast radishes. I think radishes taste best raw, particularly this variety because of its delicate flavor. But you can only eat so many radishes! So after 3 weeks of my spring radish diet, I had to invent... »
squash blossom clinic
Every spring I try to make squash blossoms. And every spring I throw the whole mess in the trash. But since my friend Annette (chef extraordinaire) was in town for the weekly farmers’ market I requested a squash blossom clinic. Annette gave me a choice: fried or sauteed. (Since saute is much easier, I... »
garlicky pea tendrils
Its been a while since I’ve done a Sunday at the farmers’ market. I just couldn’t find the motivation to get out of bed during the cold months and since pregnancy has given me an aversion to all the bitter, winter green things (kale, chard, brussels sprouts, etc), it hardly seemed worth it. But... »
the summertime cheese plate
I know I’ve been skimping on the brunches lately. I have no idea where all my summer Sundays have gone. I was so happy that this week I found the time to get into the farmers’ market groove and spend the day playing with peak of the season produce. The menu included Chef Annette... »
quick, crunchy summer salad
July might be the best month of the year for the farmers’ market. Summer spills out of stalls everywhere you turn. And the July produce is so perfect, flavorful, sensual, that it would almost be a crime to do much with it. That’s why this week, my farmers’ market recipe is a simple, peak... »
duck eggs, morels & cherries
I love spring at the farmers’ market!!! I can spend hours just strolling the aisles, dazzled by the wild rainbow of colors, aromas and textures–exciting ingredients I’ve never before experienced. This week I didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel but for my Sunday brunch I picked up morels(!), komatsuna (a Japanese green similar to spinach... »
succulent strawberry season (with recipes)
Although strawberries are available year-round these days (and in our test kitchen garden, homegrown ruby gems can be had from April-December), I think the best berries hit the market in May. So for my first farmers market brunch in many months, I planned the meal around these plump little gifts of the season. Chile-Rubbed,... »
birthday sunday with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs
Its been nearly two months since I’ve done a brunch for friends. But this week, I brought back brunch in honor of my birthday. I decided on traditional fare: organic eggs scrambled with butter with my favorite French fingerling potatoes simply roasted. To lighten the meal, I added a salad of shaved fennel with... »
