Farmer's Market Finds

Over the last few weeks I've made some great finds at our market in Norfolk and also a we bit further afield in Litchfield. It is not only great as a farmer to grow your own food but to collaborate with other local farmers/producers.
Here are a few dishes I was inspired to make with my great finds.

Boxed Goodes Sunny Dal with Chicken and Coconut Milk

The clear packaging of Boxed Goodes Sunny Dal shows the beautiful yellow and orange lentils and the aromatic seasonings that include star anise and cardamom pods. Just looking at it you know it will brighten your day. I made this dish when I was going to be working in the evening and wanted to have something ready for hungry farmer and farm kids.

Chop 1 leek or small onion and place in a heavy casserole with about 1 Tbsp ghee. Chop 2 carrots and throw them in. Cook until softened about 5 minutes. Then toss them into your slow cooker. Hypothetically you could just throw everything into the slow cooker at once and turn the thing on and leave for the day. I wasn't actually convinced that was going to work though, so I did it this way.  Then add a touch more ghee and place 4 bone-in chicken thighs in the pan. Give them about 5 minutes each side until they have browned a bit. Into the pot on top of the leeks and carrots. Add a splash of dry sherry to unstick the chicken bits. Then add the entire package of the dal and stir. The package says cook with 4 - 6 cups stock, so I went with 4 cups chicken stock and 1 cup coconut milk. Bring this to a boil and pour into the crock pot. (Again I wasn't taking chances with the slow cooker - we aren't that familiar with one another yet.... also I didn't have all day, I had about 4 hours, so I wanted to know things were off to a good start before I left.) Yum! The thing about dal is that you have some flexibility. It can be soupy or thick - think split pea soup. If it is too thick, add some stock.  If it is too thin? Add some cooked basmati rice or let it cook some more.

MarWin Farm Duck Sausage, Boxed Goodes Sweet Runners and Chard

I was so excited to find this farm at the Litchfield Farm Fresh Market. The sausage was just what I wanted to feed our visiting farmer friends last weekend.
First I soaked and cooked the Sweet Runner Beans according to the package directions ahead of time.
For the dish I slowly cooked a sliced onion in butter until almost carmelized. Then I added the duck sausage and cooked until brown. Then I added the beans (I only used about half and I had cooked the whole package. I put the rest into corn chowder!) and over it all some fresh thyme and chopped swiss chard and chicken stock. Let that cook until the chard is tender and melty. You could throw in some chopped tomatoes as well, etc....

Late Season Strawberry Shortcakes with Rose Geranium and Lemon Balm Biscuits

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon strawberries  - in late August! Well yes, there is a variety that is everbearing that planted in the spring produces in the late summer. From March Farm in Bethlehem. They were soo super, uber strawberry. I have to say the flavor was full and intense.

Now, some folks might not be familiar with rose geraniums but they are definitely worth getting to know. These scented geraniums bear little purple flowers - not the big red and orange common geraniums. But what you want is the fragrant leaves. You can grow these easily in pots on your porch or deck in the summer and bring them in before a cold snap. Most garden centers sell scented geraniums.  Anyway, slice your strawberries and sprinkle with a spoonful full of sugar - not that the berries need sweetener but macerating the berries in the sugar brings out their juiciness. Take one or 2 nice geranium leaves and slice or tear them up and toss with the berries. Let them sit a few hours before serving.

For biscuits if you have a favorite recipe great. I think I used this one here from epicurious - Buttermilk Biscuits. Simply add a handful of chopped lemon balm to the flour. A little lemon zest would also be great. When biscuits have cooled enough to handle, slice in half, add a spoonful of berries, a dollop of whipped cream and plop on the top of the biscuit. Very festive and seasonal for a birthday brunch.

Enjoy! What are your favorite farmer's market finds?