Bruschetta - Refreshing, Tasty & Simple!

One way the Farmers Market welcomed the tomato season was via some tasty bruschetta, using ingredients found at the market. Add balsamic vinegar and a good quality olive oil, you've got a tasty treat all your guests will rave over.

(Note: our bruschetta was made with balsamic vinegar. The recipe below can easily be accommodated to include it.)

Recipe and nutrition information courtesy of: Medicine.Net

Quick Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 3 fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano flakes)
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 4 slices sourdough, French or country-style bread, about 1/2-inch thick
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Wash the tomatoes, then cut down the middle with a plastic knife and remove most of the seeds and juice. Chop into small pieces, and add to small bowl.
2. Tear or chop basil into small pieces, then add to tomatoes in bowl, along with the oregano and garlic.
3. Toast bread slices to desired brownness. Spoon the tomato mixture evenly over the toasted bread slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the top of each tomato-topped bread slice.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 146 calories, 3.5 g protein, 19.5 g carbohydrate, 6.4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 181 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39%.

Did you say soup? In this heat?

Yup, soup in the summer! While we all get excited by the fresh produce that is available from the farmers market at this time of the year, the excitement for cooking when it's hot tends to wane. Well, we've got the recipe for you - gazpacho!

According to Wikipedia "Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup originating in the southern region of Andalusia. Gazpacho is widely consumed throughout Spain, neighboring Portugal (where it is known as gaspacho) and parts of Latin America. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities."

So if you miss Mary Knight from the Mettler Center preparing this on the morning news on Thursday (ABC News Channel 15), here's the recipe. Thank you Mary! (And here's the video on how to make it: Farmers Market Gazpacho)

Farmer’s Market Gazpacho

This recipe calls for three types of vinegar; but any combination will work.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

6 cups coarsely chopped tomato (about 3 pounds)
1 (32-ounce) bottle low-sodium tomato juice
2 cups coarsely chopped peeled cucumber (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 1/4 cups finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon basil-flavored vinegar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Cover and chill.

CALORIES 95 (23% from fat); FAT 2.4g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.5g); IRON 1.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.3g; SODIUM 321mg; PROTEIN 3.1g; FIBER 3.7g

Squash Blossoms - Five Flavorful Ways

Have you spotted these colorful blossoms at our farmers market? One of our vendors has these orange beauties, but he often gets questioned, "How do I cook them?" According to the University of Illinois Extension website you can stuff them. The Seasonal Chef website adds these tasty options: put them in a frittata and quesadillas, make them into hush puppies, or put them in a soup. Not quite as many recipes as the squash itself, but nonetheless impressive.

Since going local is always good, here's the recipe for the stuffed version:

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Use your favorite bread or meat stuffing or use the ricotta/mushroom stuffing below. Or skip the stuffing, and simply batter the blossoms and fry. The batter must be chilled for 30 minutes. Or it can be made in advance and refrigerate it for up to two days. If it is too thick after refrigeration, add a few drops of water to return to original consistency.

The Batter

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free chilled milk, beer or water

The Stuffing

1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoon mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, minced
16 large squash blossoms, washed
Canola oil for frying

1. Prepare the batter first. Sift together dry ingredients, then whisk in milk, beer or cold water until smooth. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Leftover batter can be stored for up to two days.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. In a bowl combine the ricotta cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, mushrooms and basil. Open the blossoms and spoon about one 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture into the center of each. Avoid overfilling the blossoms. Twist the top of each blossom together to close. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Pour the oil into a skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat over high heat until a small cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden brown within seconds.

4. Briefly dip each stuffed blossom into the batter, then carefully slip into the hot oil. Cook until golden on all sides, about three minutes total cooking time. Add only as many blossoms at a time as will fit comfortably in the skillet. Transfer with a slotted utensil to paper towels to drain briefly.

5. Sprinkle with salt, if desired and serve immediately. Serves 4.

What do I do with Kohlrabi & other odd veggies?

While strolling through the Farmers Market you may have noticed some vegetables that were new to you. While we strive to keep the variety wide at our market, we don't strive to confuse you. Instead, we want to challenge you to try something new.

One example is the odd looking kohlrabi. To better understand it, perhaps a derivation of its name might help. The first part of the word 'kohl' is German for cabbage and the second part 'rabi' is (Swiss) German for turnip. And knowing that its origin is the same as the cabbage, broccoli, kale, and collard greens should make this vegetable seem a little less odd (or perhaps not).

Now that you've been properly introduced, the next question is what do you do with it? The most common way to 'prepare' it is to simply peel off the hard outer skin (and it is a bit tough), and then slice it like you would a cucumber. You can eat it as is or dip it in your favorite veggie dip. If eaten plain, the taste is a combination of broccoli stems and very mild radish.

If you'd like a recipe, here's a simple one 'borrowed' from Prairieland CSA:

Kohlrabi Gratin
Anna Barnes

4-6 kohlrabi with leaves
1 T butter or olive oil
1 clove garlic or 1/2 garlic scape thinly sliced
2 - 3 T sliced green or bulb onion
3 - 4 c stock
3 - 4 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces sharp cheddar or other strong cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove greens from kohlrabi and set aside. Cut off roots and tops of kohlrabi and trim off fibrous outer layer. Slice into 1/4" slices or cube into 1/2" pieces. Wash greens. Remove stems using a knife to make v-cuts in the leaves. Stack several leaves together, roll like a cigar, and thinly slice into strips 1/8" to 1/4" wide. Repeat.

In a large pan heat 4 qts. water to a boil. Add leaves. Test for tenderness and bitterness. Cook until leaves are on the verge of losing their bright green color. Remove and drain. In a large saute pan, heat butter or oil. Saute garlic and onion for 2 min. Remove, set aside. Add 3 c stock to pan, bring to a low boil. Add kohlrabi bulb pieces. Cook until tender crisp. Remove from pan. Remove 1 c stock and into it stir flour. Add back to stock in saute pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir to prevent lumps. Add onion, kohlrabi, and kohlrabi leaves. Coat with sauce. Add 1/2 to 1 c more stock if mixture is too dry. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a greased 2-3 quart dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake until cheese is brown, approx. 15 to 20 min.

And as for other strange veggies, one is covered in this recipe - garlic scapes. So stop by the Farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street to get your kohlrabi (Koller Family Farms) and garlic scapes (Ed's Place) to make this yummy early summer treat. See you at the market!

The farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street starts Thursday June 10 from 3-7 pm and runs until Thursday September 2. The market is seven days from today and excitement is in the air! The market will have cooking demonstrations, entertainment for all ages, food, and of course vendors to provide you with all the fresh produce you can buy. The vendors are ready to delight you with their fresh and delicious produce. There will be cooking demonstrations throughout the summer with the help of the Mettler Center and the Champaign Urbana Public Health District. So for anyone looking to learn new recipes to spice up your meals, or learn new healthy and nutritious meal ideas, you won't want to miss out.
If the cooking demonstrations are not enough to bring you out to the market, the wide range of entertainment from different groups in the community may interest you. On opening day the University of Illinois Capoeira dance group will be at the market from 4:30-5:30 pm, and other local entertainers like the CUperstars youth singing group, and Storyteller Camille Born are some of the entertainers to look forward to.
So let's recap. The market will have cooking demonstrations from the Mettler Center and CU Public Health District, and plenty of entertainment for all ages from local entertainers, what more could you ask for? Well, plenty of fresh produce of course, and there is going to be plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and homemade goodies from the vendors. So come out to the Farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street; the market has plenty to offer for all ages.

What's Old is New Again

'What comes around goes around', 'what's old is new again', 'when I was your age'...We've all heard these phrases at some time in our lives, and it seems it's coming true for one of the basics of life - food.

With the economy not being as strong as it was ten years ago, we are looking to the past for answers. There's an increased interest in vegetable gardening, a rise in the sales of organic food, and farmers markets are popping up everywhere. (Sorry, but I couldn't help pass up a plug for our market.) One part of the 'old is new again' in food, is seasonal cooking. Not only does it remind us of how economical it can be, it reminds us of how good food used to taste, and how easy it is to implement.

For those who didn't live through the 1930's or were brought up keeping up with the Jones', you may not know what this means. While economy was the reason I grew up with it, there are also good memories attached to my seasonal way of life. For me, it brings back the memory of getting excited by the warmth of the Spring sun, and closely following that, the little shoots of green in our home garden. Throughout the growing season it involved eating food that was bursting with flavor, easy to make, and required few ingredients.

One of my favorite seasonal dishes required a bit of patience. Each Spring day, I would make a trip to the edge of our garden looking for signs of the sour, yet tasty stalks of our rhubarb plant. When the plant first emerges, it looks a bit strange to those who have never seen it before. But a few warm days later, it morphs into a plant with leaves that resemble the decorative elephant ear plant. Once we knew the stalks were at their tastiest, we'd head out to the garden to cut the stalks down. We'd cut them into small one inch pieces and put them in the freezer for use later.

A few weeks later, my mom would buy a couple of pounds of sweet strawberries from a local farmer. They were so ripe and juicy that we had to clean and cut them up outside. The berries were so juicy that my hands were stained red for a day for two. (Who wants dry strawberries with white empty centers?) And when we were least expecting it, we would have a surprise for supper - freshly baked rhubarb strawberry crisp.

It's funny how you look back and remember how great food tasted. And now that Mother's Day approaches, I feel bad that I complained to my mom that I wanted to eat the prepared foods other kids ate. Now that I'm an adult, I realize that we should do a better job listening to our parents. I digress...

While my mom did it mainly for reasons of economy, there are multiple benefits to cooking seasonally. So I say, get old fashioned and give it a try. And you don't have to have a full home garden to embrace this way of life. Just remember to schedule a visit to your local farmers market or check out the roadside stand on your next trip outside of town. Your pocket book will be spared, your kids will give rave reviews, and your mom will be so proud!

From Field to Table

As part of our mission to help you stay or get healthy, the Farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street is partnering with the Mettler Center and the Champaign Urbana Public Health District. In July and August, the Market will feature cooking demonstrations using ingredients that are available at each week's market.

The recipes will be not only showcase the food that is fresh from the field (ensuring the food is extra tasty), but they are also designed to show you quick and easy ways to keep your family healthy. You can pick up your recipes after the demonstrations are done, and then pick up those yummy ingredients. Don't forget to ask for help in the kitchen when you get home because kids will be allowed to help with the demonstrations, ensuring a clean plate at the end of the meal.

Add to the fact that you are also supporting local farmers, Thursdays at the Farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street is a no-brainer when it comes to staying healthy.

Opening day of 2010 season

The dates have been set for the 2010 season of the Farmers Market on Historic North 1st Street. Mark your calendar for the opening day:

Thursday, June 10 from 3 to 7 PM, located on North 1st Street in Champaign

We have some new things planned and bringing back some favorites from last year. Once plans are more concrete, we'll let you in on the secret. Stay tuned!

P.S. In case you were wondering, we are in the process of recruiting produce and other fresh food vendors. Simply send the market manager an e-mail:

farmersmarket.on.northfirst@gmail.com

Warm memories on a cold day

Want to feel warm on this cold, dismal day? Here's one way to get the warm fuzzy feeling. Watch the video that is a compilation of the food, fun, and festivities from last season's market. Woo hoo!

Tip: If there's too much lag on the video above, or you want to watch it on a larger format, you can view it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rdxL2P18oI

Plans in the Works for 2nd Season

Blustery cold weather doesn't prompt thoughts of fresh, locally grown produce for most people. However, it's a perfect time to think about how best to improve the "fresh" experiences at the Farmers Market on North 1st Street.

So while we have ideas of what we liked, we'd really like your opinions. What did you like? What didn't you like? What was your favorite item to buy? What item was missing from the vendors' selections?