Monday’s Menu from our Farmer’s Table

By emie • January 19th, 2009

Today’s Menu:

Farmer’s Market Pasta
Potato Onion Bread
Handmade Butter
Pumpkin Walnut Bread with Strawberries

It was a gorgeous sunny Saturday morning so we decided to go to the big Torrance farmer’s market. Normally I go to the small Hermosa Farmer’s market on Fridays just down the street but Skye slept until 3:30 last Friday and it closes down around 4:00 so we didn’t make it last week.

Trust me, I realize how very, very lucky we are to live in southern California where we have the most amazing farmer’s markets year round. I never take it for granted and I always feel overwhelming gratitude to have locally grown strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers on the table in January.

My favorite find this week is the handmade butter from Spring Hill Farms located in Petaluma. We also bought the garlic curds which Skye loves. Randy’s Favorite thing is the Halawy organic dates from the Bautista family located in Mecca. They have several different types of dated to choose from and of course you can sample all of them while you get a lesson in how dates are grown and harvested. They even have pictures of the brothers harvesting the dates from palm trees, quit fascinating! I didn’t even know they came from palm trees.

Farmer’s Market Pasta

Whole wheat or whole grain pasta, I used Barilla plus – ½ lb.

Grape tomatoes – about 20 cut in half

Asparagus – one bunch cut into ½ inch pieces

Arugula – large handful

Garlic – 3 cloves, smashed rough chopped

Evoo

½ cup Dry white wine – I used Coppola Diamond Collection chardonnay, you may substitute wine for chicken stock and lemon juice

2-3 Anchovies, optional but strongly suggested, you will not taste them I promise J

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Note: You could add any protein you like; it’s great with sausage, chicken or shrimp.

Boil water for pasta and add a hand full of salt and a little olive oil (It should taste like salt water)

Heat evoo in a large skillet – at this point add sausage or chicken, if using shrimp wait.

Add garlic, tomatoes, anchovies and a pinch of sea salt, cook for about 5 -10 minutes or until meat is fully cooked, add white wine and scrape bits from bottom of the pan ( Anchovies will dissolve into the sauce) add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

Cook pasta as instructed, 2 minutes before its’ done add the asparagus, do not overcook the asparagus, it should be firm and slightly crunchy. Drain pasta and asparagus then add to the skillet (if using shrimp add it now) add arugula and freshly ground pepper, Serve immediately with grated parmesan.

Pumpkin Walnut Bread with Strawberries

Harvest Loaf

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp groud cloves

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup walnuts

1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Mix with electric mixer adding in above order. Place in greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 65-75 minutes, done when toothpick comes out clean. Recipe makes one loaf. Serve with Strawberries and whipped cream if desired.