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You are here: Home / Blog / Fare Finds at the Market | Week 1

Fare Finds at the Market | Week 1

June 8, 2018 By newwestfarmers 1 Comment

A farmer’s market is a place where you’re reminded of community. No matter how much the city changes – with buildings popping up like new seedlings from the earth – the market brings the focus back to what’s local.

~

Breaching the hill on Royal Ave, I can’t help but crack a smile at the sight of the bustle at the market. The summer season has begun again, and people are here for it. As I reach the market’s edge, my gait gently eases; my pace becomes calm and even, something unheard of in my daily routine. But at the market, nothing is rushed.

I fall back on favourite market pastime – walking the market from tip to tail, taking in all the fares on offer. Once my survey is complete, it’s time to shop.

~

I hope to showcase what the market has to offer, and who the wonderful people are behind the stalls. Recipes will stem from culinary creativity that suddenly strikes, from recipes I find along the way, and sometimes a mix of both. In the coming weeks, I will put more effort into detailing fares purchased – from where & how much – but for this week it’s a simple yet satisfying side salad, the core of which is based in main market finds, with a few items from ‘outside’ sources.

 

Fresh Beet and Veta Salad

  • 1 bunch of beets (Abundant Acre Family Farm)
  • 1 bag of salad greens (Abundant Acre Family Farm)
  • Veta Cheese (Black Sheep Vegan Cheeze)
  • Candied pecans
    • Honey
    • Red pepper flakes
    • Salt & Pepper
  • Simple dressing
    • Olive oil
    • White Balsamic vinegar
    • Sesame seeds
    • Salt & pepper to taste

 

This recipe stemmed mainly from my own musings; I’ve always found beet salads in restaurants enjoyable, plus I wanted a reason to cook with vegan cheese cheeze.

Firstly, I trimmed the greens & excess roots from the beets, then boiled them until done (read: a cake tester was able to easily slide in and out of the beets). Next, I peeled the skin off using a trick my mum taught me: wearing a pair of rubber dish gloves – protecting you from both heat and stains – rub your fingers along the skin until it starts to come off. My technique was not as practiced as my mother’s, and the beets put up a good fight, but eventually they came clean. I then placed them in the fridge to cool.

Meanwhile, I prepped homemade, candied pecans by placing a few tablespoons of honey in a non-stick frying pan and slowly heating on the stovetop until liquid. Once the honey was runny, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a bit of salt & pepper, before throwing in rough-chopped, raw pecans. Ensure all the nuts are coated before removing from heat and setting aside.

Once the beets were cooled, I chopped them into bite-sized pieces.

 

Look at those rings!

For the dish’s green base, I used ½ – ¾ bag of mixed salad greens. Side note: these greens are amazing! Even two weeks post-purchase the greens are still fresh and crisp, an incredible feat compared to the pre-packaged goods I’ve purchased at the local grocery store.

Once the base was ready, I topped it off with the chopped beets, candied pecans, and a healthy crumble of ‘veta’ cheese. The dressing was a simple vinaigrette of 2 parts olive oil to 1 part white balsamic vinegar, with a few sesame seeds added as ‘mixers’ (they help to combine the oil and vinegar, which would otherwise remain separate).

This salad, though simple, makes a lovely side dish to your main meal. Pizzeria Ludica provided the delicious main to accompany the salad, leaving this writer’s tummy very happy.

It made for an excellent pairing with local pizza!

 

Clean-up isn’t so bad when it resembles art. What do you see?

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Community, Meal Planning, Summer 2018

Comments

  1. Anne McNamara says

    June 13, 2018 at 7:59 am

    Yum! This salad sounds great. Looking forward to more from R Charlesworth

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