My Market, My Kitchen, Week 21
What a beautiful week of sunshine and warm fall days. The temperature may have dropped a little for the weekend so bundle up in your flannels and vests and come to the market for hot cider, fairly traded coffee, hangover hash and other warm goodies. Bring your market bags and stock up for the week. Pick up some kale, squash and pears for our recipes of the week.
This week our featured recipes have a theme. If you’ve ever been on Pinterest, you’ve likely seen ideas and pins that showcase a bruschetta bar. We agree that it’s a great way to throw a party and we’re showcasing spreads that will work for this season. So, pick up some baguettes from France 44 or Patisserie 46, invite some friends over and get cooking. Share your kitchen with us by hash tagging your efforts with #mymarketmykitchen.
Kale and Walnut Pesto
for the love of lemons blog
This bright green spread is as pretty and tasty as it is nutritious. We recommend doubling the oil for a smoother texture. Pair this on your bruschetta bar with fresh Singing Hills Dairy chevre. A perfect match. Use leftover pesto for pasta, mix with egg yolks for pesto deviled eggs, or rub it all over Aunt Annie’s chickens before roasting.
small bunch of kale (4-6 leaves, remove the thick part of the stems)
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 to 1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil (or more for a smoother pesto)
juice & zest of one lemon
salt & pepper to taste
optional: grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Blanch the kale for about 30 seconds, remove and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Dry the kale a bit, squeeze out some of excess water and set on a towel for a few minutes more before squeezing again.
Blend everything together in a food processor. Pulse to create a chunky pesto, blend longer to create a smoother one. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, pepper, lemon, olive oil, as necessary.
Jean George Vongerichtens’ Squash on Toast
JG Vongerichten via the NYT
We feel that the name of this recipe doesn’t quite do it justice. Squash on Toast? That name is too simple for the sweet and savory squash that spreads onto golden baguette rounds and gives the taster a bright and flavorful bite. They suggest serving with cheese and, while we do have Singing Hills Dairy’s fresh spreadable feta to offer, we also think it is perfect by itself. This makes about 2 cups. You need just one for your bruschetta bar so you could easily gift the other cup or freeze it for later in the winter. Ours is waiting in our freezer for the holidays!
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12944-jean-georges-vongerichtens-squash-on-toast
Roasted Pear Spread with Prosciutto and Bleu Cheese Bruschetta
Becca Camacho
The Davidson’s will be bringing pears along with pumpkins to the market this weekend. Perfect for a bruschetta recipe. This one’s a cinch. We don’t even know if you can call it a recipe but we put it together for you so you could taste this decadent bruschetta. Pick up your prosciutto and cheese from market sponsor, France 44. If you have leftover pear, cheese and prosciutto, try topping some Broder’s pizza dough with it for a quick pizza!
4 ripe pears
¼ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the lemon juice and the water. Peel, halve and core the pears. Coat the pears in the lemon and water mixture. Lay them on a sheet pan that’s been covered with parchment paper then bake for about 15-20 minutes until fork tender. With a fork, lightly mash the pears until they are chunky.
Spread a toasted baguette with bleu cheese, add the pear mixture and fold a strip of prosciutto on top. Then, you just need to enjoy your efforts!