Farmers Market Finds: July, Part 3

The summer farmers market is in full swing! This week’s finds are quite extensive, and I’m looking forward to using all this produce in meals throughout the week.

Mushrooms

The mushroom medley grab bag is such a good deal. $10 for a mix of shiitakes, oyster, and button mushrooms just can’t be beat, even at the supermarket.

This week I have my eyes on this mushroom porridge recipe from Dave Wasem and May Seto. My husband makes a different savory mushroom oatmeal with peas, garlic, and ginger, so this will be a nice way to switch things up. I think the cabbage in the recipe will be an especially good addition.

Tomatoes

It’s the start of tomato season! Aren’t these heirlooms gorgeous?

I have a lot in store for these. First, I’ll be making a steak salad with a tomato cilantro vinaigrette. The dressing is good enough to drink by itself. Any leftover heirloom tomatoes will be a part of an end-of-the-week panzanella. 

Zucchini

North Americans say zucchini, which is the Italian diminutive of zucca, while the Brits say courgette, which derives from the French courge; both zucca and courge mean “marrow.” I’ll say that the Americans got this one right, as it was the Italians that first bred the zucchini from squashes that they brought back from trade with Central America. But whatever you call it, this summer squash can be used in so many different ways, including my Italian Zucchini Salad. 

I’m thinking of using these  in this Ottolenghi recipe for harissa and zucchini. It’ll make a fantastic side dish for some kind of meat later this week. Steak, maybe? 

Peaches

Peaches don’t have to just be used in desserts! They’re great in savory applications too. I’m going to use these beautiful peaches in a salad with burrata and a basil mint dressing. 

Sweet Potatoes

There are so many different varieties of sweet potato, it’s crazy! The ones I picked up this week are O’Henry sweet potatoes, which have a white colored flesh and are supposed to be good for baking. 

I haven’t ever cooked this variety before, but I’m thinking baked sweet potato fries.

Side note: sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family, and are not nightshades. Interesting, no? Maybe, maybe not, but I love the trivia.

Basil

Basil is part of the mint family, and works well in combination with most kinds of mints and cilantro. This is an Italian variety, which tends to be sweeter, where Thai varieties have more of an anise flavor to them.

Cilantro

I love cilantro! Seriously, it is the best. I would be so sad if I had the gene that made cilantro taste like soap.

I’m planning to use this cilantro in the tomato cilantro vinaigrette mentioned above, and I’ll probably be putting it in other things too this week. 

Carrots

Roasting carrots brings out their sweetness, making a super easy side dish for a weeknight.

If you have carrots with tops, save them and make pesto!