food

Making a stand for seasonal farmers markets

Posted Thursday, July 28, 2022 12:00 am

By Ethen G. Hofman

At the top of my summer list of small pleasures is discovering farmers markets. Popping up at roadsides all across the country, baskets of produce brim with color and the clean flavors of being freshly harvested. You’ll also find seasonal produce at indoor markets where local farmers bring homegrown fruits and vegetables and more. To jaded taste buds, there’s nothing quite like it.

Best of all, for the kosher cook and eater, the selections are nearly unlimited, though check jars and packages for hechshers before buying.

Farmers markets have flourished throughout history. Pike Place Market in Seattle and the Soulard Farmers Market St. Louis are two of the oldest and largest operating farmers markets in the United States. Then there are individual family farms that dot Dutch country all the way from Lancaster, Pa., to Ohio, with roadside stands along the way. There are farmers markets in the busiest neighborhoods of New York City and on Long Island, too (particularly out east).

All across the country, these places highlight farmers and bakers who sell their goods directly to consumers. It’s the easiest way to purchase locally grown fresh produce while helping small businesses increase their profits. At the same time, it creates social activity — a relaxing place to shop and have a cup of coffee or tea with friends. There’s little waste, if any, and you know directly where the produce comes from, usually less than a few hours away.

Herbs such as dill and parsley are bright and crisp, never doused with supermarket water or sprinklers to be refreshed. You can also find unusual items on display. When I came across a new varietal of radishes or beets, the grower was on hand to answer my questions with tips on how to cook and serve.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are all nutritious, organically grown or not. Still, organic produce is becoming more and more popular for those who can afford it. On average, organic foods often costs 50% more than those conventionally produced.

The US Department of Agriculture defines organic as crops free from most synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer for three years before harvesting. There also needs to be a significant buffer zone to decrease contamination from adjacent farmlands. Any product labeled organic must be USDA-certified, and the producer may also use an official USDA organic seal. That, of course, accounts for the higher production and labor costs, which get passed on to the consumer.

The recipes below bring on the best of the season.

Israeli Blessing Salad was an off-the-cuff recipe created when I joined chefs to cook “To the Army With Love.” The challenge was to use common ingredients found in an Israeli Army mess hall. Fresh herbs, including fragrant mint, which grew wild on the hillside outside the barracks, inspired this herb salad. Kissel, popular with Eastern European Jews, is a silky pudding using summer fruits and berries, such as plums and strawberries.

Lamb Tagine With Seven Vegetables is from my cookbook, “Everyday Cooking for the Jewish Home.”

Honeydew Refresher, a three-ingredient starter using overripe honeydew, was whipped up for unexpected supper guests. Substitute cantaloupe, seeded watermelon or any soft fruits such as peaches. And a resurfaced recipe for Green Tomato Pie uses end-of-season green tomatoes. The resemblance to apple pie is uncanny!

Of course, there’s no need to cook a perfect, fuzzy-skinned peach or a smooth freshly picked nectarine. Eat in hand, the juices dribbling down your chin as you savor the scents of summer.

Honeydew Refresher (Dairy)

Serves 6

Cook’s Tips: •Made in minutes or up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. •Use vanilla yogurt and no need for other sweetening.

Ingredients:

4 cups honeydew melon, cut into coarse 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup plain yogurt

honey to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender jar or food processor. Blend until smooth. Serve right from blender to chilled glass.

Lamb Tagine With Seven Vegetables (Meat)

Serves 6

Cook’s Tips: •Substitute 4 cups fresh spinach for Swiss chard. •Swiss chard is a member of the beet family. The greens can be prepared like spinach, the stalks like asparagus.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 lb. cut-up lamb shoulder

2 carrots, sliced 1-inch thick

2 cups pumpkin or squash, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 small white turnips, peeled and quartered

2 small onions, peeled and sliced,
1/4-inch thick

2 medium-sized zucchinis, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 leek, washed trimmed and sliced
1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. each, salt and pepper

Topping: 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, place the lamb, carrots, pumpkin, turnips, onions, zucchini, Swiss chard and leek. Stir in the oil, cumin, salt and pepper.

Pour in just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer.

Raise oven heat to 425 degrees. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the top of the stew. Continue baking, uncovered, until cinnamon sugar is slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Serve with couscous or rice.

Israeli Blessing Salad (Pareve)

Serves 6

Cook’s Tips: •Any combination of green herbs will do. To tame flavors, toss in some finely shredded lettuce. •Snip off the tough ends of bunches of herbs. •A salad spinner is an essential kitchen utensil. •A “bunch” is 3 to 4 cups, loosely packed.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup bulgur wheat

Boiling water

1 bunch parsley, washed and spin-dried

1 bunch basil, washed and spin-dried

1/2 bunch mint, washed and spin-dried

1/2 cucumber, unpeeled and diced

3/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the bulgur wheat in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to soften. Drain well. Set aside.

Cut the parsley, basil and mint into chunks. Place in a food processor and chop coarsely. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bulgur and remaining ingredients. Toss to mix.

Serve at room temperature.

Farmer’s Potato Salad (Dairy)

Serves 6

Cook’s Tips: •Use small red or fingerling potatoes. No need to peel them. •Substitute mayonnaise instead of yogurt to make recipe pareve. •Chop bell pepper coarsely in a food processor. If there is any extra, place in a small container and freeze.

Ingredients:

2 lb. (15 to 16) mini-red potatoes, scrubbed

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. plain yogurt

2-3 Tbsp. orange bell pepper, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Place potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted slides out easily. Drain. Set aside to cool.

In a serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and yogurt.

Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Add to the bowl and toss. Fold in the bell pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish with parsley (optional) Serve chilled.

Raspberry-Peach Kissel (Pareve)

Serves 4 to 6

Cook’s Tips: •Serve in those rarely used demitasse cups or wine glasses. •1 medium lemon yields approximately 3 Tbsp. lemon juice. •Garnish with shaved pareve chocolate.

Ingredients:

4 ripe peaches, thinly sliced

1 cup raspberries

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

2-1/2 cups water, divided

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine peaches, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook until the fruit is soft, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, blend cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water to a smooth paste. Add to the fruit, stirring constantly until thickened and clear, about 4 to 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

Transfer to a blender jar or food processor. Purée until smooth.

Pour into dessert cups or glasses. Serve chilled.

Green Tomato Pie (Pareve)

Serves 8

Cook’s Tips: •Short on time? No need to peel apples; just core and slice any type of apple.

Ingredients:

10-inch prepared pastry crust

4 cups green tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick

2 cups peeled and cored apples, sliced 1/4-inch thick wedges

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. ground ginger