So you went to the market and got carried away, you came home with this beautiful haul of produce, and now you sit in your kitchen and ask yourself: what should I make with all of these? Well, you sound like me, and I am here to share with you some of the great dishes I made in hopes to inspire you to cook with fresh ingredients.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is visiting the farmer’s market. Sometimes I have recipes in mind that I want to make and I look for specific ingredients, but I find it more exciting when I just buy what looks beautiful and appeals my senses to come up with something. All of the produce featured on the following recipes was locally sourced from the Dane County Farmer’s Market last Saturday.
I love cooking in season. I don’t want to make anything too complicated, as a full time working mother I need things that don’t take up too much time but taste great. Here is a rundown of few things I made with my produce this past week.
I hope you get the same excitement from cooking in season and take some inspiration here to make your own dishes at home this summer.
The first thing is this Herb Vinaigrette, I have different versions of it, but this super simple recipe is easy to double or triple for big batches, a must try!
Herb Vinaigrette
This dressing is perfect for grilled vegetables, pasta salad, green salads, grilled chicken or steak. I used the herbs that I grow in my garden feel free to substitute with your favorite combination of herbs, but try not to skip mint.
Ingredients:
(makes 1 cup)
1/4 champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh herbs – oregano, mint, cilantro – torn
Salt & pepper to taste
In a bowl combine vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, and chili flakes. Whisk until combined, add the olive oil slowly while whisking to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add torn herbs and mix.
Purple & Yellow Cauliflower Rice with Cherries & Herbs
This is a raw salad, entirely perfect on its own or as a compliment to a meal. I used fresh sweet cherries, sometimes adding fruit to a savory dish surprises your palate in a good way. Feel free to replace with dried cherries for some tartness. The color of the cauliflower makes it pretty but is not necessary.
Ingredients:
1 small head purple cauliflower
1 small head yellow cauliflower (about 3 cups cauliflower florets total)
1 cup pitted sweet cherries, diced
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 cup parsley and mint leaves
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Maple syrup (or honey)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
To make the cauliflower rice, cut the florets and add to a food processor, pulse few times until it resembles grains of rice. If you don’t have a food processor use a knife to cut the cauliflower very fine. In a large bowl, add cauliflower rice, cherries, chopped almonds, scallions, and herbs. Make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl combine the vinegar, mustard, syrup or honey, and smoked paprika. Whisk until combined, add the olive oil slowly while whisking to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to cauliflower rice and mix well to combine, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature or keep in the fridge.
Grilled String Beans with Herb Vinaigrette
To grill beans and other small vegetables I recommend using a grilling tray, they are inexpensive, and once you try grilled veggies there is no going back! This was the perfect side dish to BBQ pork chops.
Ingredients:
1 lb. mixed string beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup Herb Vinaigrette
Cut ends of string beans, in a bowl toss with olive oil and pinch of salt. Place them on a vegetable tray, grill over high heat, stirring a couple of times, grill until they get charred spots, they should be tender with a nice bite, not mushy. In a bowl toss grilled beans with the vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Golden Beets Slaw
Here is another raw salad that goes perfectly on top of grilled chicken. If you have never tried golden beets you should do that; especially in their early stage. They are sweet, earthy, and simply yummy.
Ingredients:
(serves 4)
5 baby golden beets
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup cilantro and mint leaves, torn
Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup herb vinaigrette
Peel the beets, use a mandolin to slice them really thin, you can use a knife too. Pile up the slices and cut into matchsticks. In a bowl, add beets sticks, raisins, cilantro, and mint. Add coarsely ground pepper to your taste. Season with salt. Add herb vinaigrette and toss. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate.
Oyster Mushroom Frittata with Radish and Arugula
When we have arugula in the fridge that is starting to get sad, I love to add it to my morning eggs. Frittata is something that we eat for breakfast or dinner because it is easy to make and my kids love to help. The mushrooms here get caramelized in the bottom, and you get a perfect bite every time.
Ingredients:
(serves 4)
10 oz. oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 large eggs
2 small radishes, sliced thin
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
In a large non-stick oven safe frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the extra tablespoon of oil, diced onions, and thyme, season with salt. Cook occasionally stirring until translucent, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl lightly beat the eggs with a fork or whisk, add a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. With a spoon spread the mushroom-onion mixture to cover the bottom of the pan, add beaten eggs. Add sliced radishes and arugula, making sure you cover the entire surface. Top with cheese. Preheat your broiler to low. When the egg comes away from the sides of the pan easily transfer to the, cook under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Keep a close eye during this step. Once the cheese has browned, take it out and serve.
Note: The Cauliflower Rice & Beet Slaw salads were adapted from my new favorite book: Six Seasons by Chef Joshua McFadden.Â