Eating Globally & Buying Locally at the Abingdon Farmers Market
Things have really changed since I moved to Abingdon in 1994. Cooking ethnic food, commonplace in England where I am from, was tricky as I could not always get the spices and ingredients that I needed. Now our supermarkets have many of these items routinely. That coupled with our wonderful fresh produce, meats and other items locally grown and produced means these recipes are accessible to everyone.
Culinary events this year at Virginia Highlands festival, both in the summer festival and our April events Eat. Drink. Love Virginia Highlands have focused on the fabulous biodiversity, rich traditions and fabulous quality of local food. One of the best sources for locally produced products is the Abingdon Farmers market (AFM) (http://www.abingdonfarmersmarket.com) which was established in 2001 with the support from Appalachian Sustainable Development (www.asdevelop.org). Abingdon’s history is built on the ingenuity and resilience of farmers, growers, brewers and makers. Barter Theatre enlisted depression era farmers to help support local theater and feed starving artists. This tradition of local farmers supplying produce to neighbors and friends continues each Saturday and Tuesday, from April – September and throughout the holiday and winter seasons. If you have not been to the market, come on down! It is the closest you get to a village square that you will find in modern Virginia.
Here are a few of my favorite ethnic recipes using commonly available ingredients and fresh products from local vendors. Enjoy! Susan
Susan J Mole is an avid home cook and serves on the festival board’s culinary committee. If you are interested in serving on the culinary committee please contact Susan at s_j_mole@hotmail.com.
Spiced Quick Pickled Quail eggs.
Aptly named Quales’ Farm Gardens offers hen and quail eggs in addition to hand-crafted items. I love quail’s eggs. They are gorgeous and provide a small bite perfect for hors d'oeuvres and small eats. The dish is best served after sitting in the fridge for 2 days and it is easier to peel boiled quail eggs if they are very fresh. I cook the eggs by lowering them into boiling water (to cover) and boil gently for 3-4 mins then scoop out and place in ice water to cool. Once cool I place eggs in a lidded mason jar and gently shake them. Start peeling from the base (flat end) and use the membrane to help peel cleanly and these little beauties will pop straight out. I serve these lovely, spiced bites with drinks or as part of a buffet.
Recipe
Pickling solution:
½ cup water
½ cup cider vinegar
½ small onion, sliced, can also add sliced peppers, cucumber
2 bay leaves
8 allspice berries (or ¼ tsp allspice)
7 whole cloves
1 ½ tsp salt
12 quail eggs
Spice:
Curried: ½ tbsp curry powder (I use Penzey’s) OR
Jalapeno: Omit allspice and cloves and add a thinly chopped jalapeno and 1 tsp thyme OR
Cajan: Omit allspice and cloves and add 1 tabsp Old Bay seasoning and 1/2 tabsp cumin seeds
Gently bring all solution ingredients just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 min. Let cool. Prepare 12 peeled quail eggs as described above. Pour cooled solution over the eggs, in a tall container e.g. glass) so eggs are completely covered, Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Save the pickled vegetables and serve chopped over the eggs.
Shakshuka
A North African specialty, is a pepper and tomato stew with eggs dropped into the hot sauce. It’s a perfect way to preserve tomatoes and peppers when you have a glut in your garden, or they are plentiful at the market. The sauce (prior to adding eggs) freezes beautifully. Israelis eat this dish as a hearty breakfast or lunch and can be adapted to the season, using potatoes in the winter and eggplant in early summer. Several AFM vendors carry ingredients: TNT Farm and Greenhouse (which also sells the plants), The Farmer's Wife, Pops Veggie Basket, River Valley Farm, and others. In previous years you had to rush to the market at 8am to secure your egg supply. Happily, eggs are plentiful at the market now, even if you have slept in. This is my version of Shakshuka.
Recipe
2 tabsp olive oil
1 tabsp harissa spice
2 tsp tomato paste, I use the Cento tubed variety, it keeps better and tastes less bitter (available locally)
2 large red peppers diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
5 large very ripe tomatoes (or out of season use canned, I use Cento which are sometimes I buy in 6 packs from Amazon)
4 large eggs for hearty supperSalt
Chopped de-stemmed parsley or cilantro (if all guests like it) as garnish
Sauté the onion, peppers and in a large frying pan (suitable for use in the oven) over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add tomatoes and paste and cook while stirring for 15-20 min allowing the peppers to soften and sauce to thicken.
Make 4 dips in the sauce with the back of a spoon. You may also use a larger pan so sauce is not as deep and add 6 eggs. Break egg and gently pour into each dip taking care not to break the egg. Simmer gently for 8-10 mins until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. You may cover but do NOT overcook or the eggs will be rubbery. Remove from heat and let sit for a couple of mins and they serve with crusty bread. It is served in the middle east with labneh (thickened yogurt) and Greek plain yogurt is a great accompaniment.
Spiced Lamb over Warm Hummus
I have been buying lamb from the Grandview Farm for many years. Initially from John Kling and now from his daughter Jennifer. The English eat a lot of lamb as do many other cultures but was a tough sell, initially, to my American friends and family. Kling’s lamb has won many of them over. This is a recipe I often make as a starter to share with pita bread. I always have Kling ground lamb in the freezer. My recipe has evolved over many years and I make Ottolenghi’s hummus or simply buy it. Serving hummus warm may sound odd but trust me this dish is a keeper.
Recipe
1 pound ground lamb
Small red onion finely chopped
1 tabsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon
15oz of tomato, if using canned include juice
1½ tsp harissa spice
Generous squeeze of lemon juice
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Chopped destemmed parsley
Sauté the onion in oil under translucent, crumble lamb into mix and brown (a few mins only), add tomatoes, salt, allspice, pepper, cinnamon and cook until thickened 15-20 min. This dish may be cooled, frozen and reheated at this point. Toast the pine nuts by gently shaking in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat until begins to brown (do not skip this step). Just before serving warm lamb mixture add harissa and lemon juice and taste. Then warm hummus (carefully in the microwave do not use packaging store bought hummus come in – just saying) and place in a serving bowl. Spoon hot lamb mixture over the top and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
Mediterranean Mushrooms with Beans
I love mushrooms! I eat them at least twice a day. We are lucky that our Farmers market supplements the typical button and shitake mushrooms available in the grocery store with some delicious and exotic varieties. Adam Goodson from Pick and Grin Farms regularly offers oyster, and king trumpets at the market. He also sells grow kits and will be teaching as part of the culinary program this summer (see culinary schedule for this presentation). Dr. Richard Moyer from Moyers Farm also offers varieties of shiitakes including gorgeous golden ones from plugged downed trees on his farm. The dish changes depending on which mushrooms and beans you use. I buy thyme (and other herbs) from River Valley Farm; David King always has a great selection. As Dr Moyer so elegantly put it “Mushrooms are magical, they convert cellulose (wood) to food”.
Recipe
15oz cannellini beans (I use canned but if dried ones are soaked overnight, they are good too)
1lb mixed mushrooms cut into chunks (I use whatever I have on hand and often use dried shiitakes which I soak in boiling water for 20 min prior to use)
1 small onion finely chopped.
1tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, additional extra virgin olive oil for garnish
Thyme left in “clumps” so can be picked out after cooking.
Flat leaf parsley, de-stemmed and chopped for garnish.
Place all mushrooms in a dry non-stick skillet and heat allowing mushrooms to “sweat”. After about 10 mins they will release water. Do not leave alone as if they can burn quickly. Add olive oil, salt, thyme, and onion and sauté until onion is cooked (about 10 min). Add drained beans and stir through to disperse evenly. Add mushroom soaking fluid as needed to prevent the dish drying out. You can serve as soon as the beans are hot, however, I like to cook for longer, so the beans begin to fall apart and take on seasonings fully. Serve sprinkled with parsley and a dash of extra virgin olive oil with flat bread.
