Happy National Farmers Market Week

The eggplant has arrived. And the possibilities are endless. 

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is ratatouille (specifically, Alice Waters’) since it includes all the other vegetables shining at the market right now: Recipes that pull in all the season’s star players please me the most. But eggplant, done right, can easily carry a dish on its own.

Take for example this simple grilled eggplant finished with a drizzle of olive oil infused (Agape is here this week!) with garlic and jalapeno. Serve it with whipped Maplebrook feta and pita bread, or focaccia from Wave Hill Breads.

When it comes to eggplant, many home cooks ask: To salt or not to salt? Suzy Karadsheh, of The Mediterranean Dish, highly recommends salting your eggplant before cooking. “The salt will do its magic in extracting excess moisture (and any bitterness out) while enhancing flavor,” she says. “Salt also breaks the eggplant’s spongy texture, turning it more tender and creamy once cooked.  Simply slice it up and give it a good dash of kosher salt on each side, then let the slices sit for about 30 minutes or so until you see some beads of water on the surface. Be sure to wipe the eggplant dry and remove excess salt before cooking.”

Ditto for cucumbers! I like to slice my cucumber into a bowl a couple of hours before serving, then salt and stir the slices so the salt coats each one. Empty the bowl into a colander set in the sink. If you put a bowl to capture the water the cucumbers release you’ll be amazed at just how much water is released,  adding crunch and deep flavor to your cukes! This is one extra step that really pays off. No need to rinse the cucumbers. The salt will have been completely absorbed.

I’m kicking myself for not having taken a picture of the market cucumber salad I made on Sunday night: yellow and green cucumbers, sliced, chopped celery (with some celery leaves thrown in), sliced raw fennel bulb, charred kernels from corn cobs that had been grilled in their husks the night before), plenty of MaplebrookFeta and and toasted pistachios. I added fresh mint from the garden, which is abundant at the market right now. I cannot wait to make this again. You’ll have to trust me on how pretty it was. 

Another recipe that’s all about seasonal convergence is the perennially-pleasing salade niçoise. There are many variations on this dish but the one I’ve been making for years always includes a bed of bibb lettuce, flash-steamed green beans, boiled new potatoes, fresh red pepper slices, fresh tomato wedges, hard-boiled eggs, anchovy fillets, crinkly black olives,  and of course tuna. The classic preparation calls for oil-cured tuna (I love the Tonino brand if you can find it at your local market) but when you have access to fresh sushi-grade tuna to sear at the market, as we do, you get a pass for breaking the rules a bit. This has been our go-to dish for guests on hot steamy nights this summer. Not everyone is a fan of anchovies so you can serve those on the side. The salad is not tossed, all the ingredients are simply laid out on a platter, then drizzled with a classic lemony vinaigrette. Refreshing and full of so many different flavors that mesh together beautifully. If you feel more comfortable following a recipe, try this one. A Bien Cuit baguette is a must, of course. 

Sam, at Fresh Meadow Farm tells me she could smell the cantaloupe at the Caradonna Farm tent last Saturday, it was that sweet. 

A half melon, scooped of its seeds, and filled with White Moustache yogurt, a spoonful of The Hampton Grocer's nutty granola, and a drizzle of  Hudson River Apiaries sounds like a champion's breakfast to me. Wouldn't that look grand on a Sunday morning breakfast tray? 

But don’t hesitate to add cantaloupe to savory preparations as in this recipe which brings together two more August all-stars: corn and cantaloupe, on toasts with ricotta and salami – though any cured meat from Goode & Local would do.

Don’t forget to bring your carving knives and other blades to the Knife Sharpener this week.

And, of course, all your textile discards for the eco-friendly GreenTree Recycling Bin.

See you at the market!