Towards the end of summer, our local farmer’s markets are filled with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, peaches and other goodies at their peak sweetness and flavor.
I always look forward to my weekly visit to the farmer’s market. Today, I came home with a basketful…curly and Russian kale, rainbow swiss chard, a variety of tomatoes (heirloom, green zebra, beefsteak, cherry), bi-color corn, zucchini, a bag of baby Asian greens and white peaches.
I couldn’t wait to try some of my purchases, so for lunch I made a simple salad using the baby Asian greens, and a white peach:
Baby Asian Greens, White Peaches and Toasted Walnuts with Raspberry Vinaigrette
2 handfuls of baby Asian greens (use your favorite baby greens)
1 peach, sliced (I like white peaches for their fragrance)
2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toss baby greens, peach slices and walnuts together. Whisk together raspberry vinegar and olive oil. Drizzle over salad. Serves 2.
Since everything was so fresh, I wanted to include as much of it as possible for dinner too. I decided to make one of my favorite fresh corn salads, and recreate a tomato salad I had recently on vacation.
Fresh Corn Salad
4 ears fresh corn on the cob
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar, more to taste
1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters (mine were multi-colored)
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Remove husk and silk from corn. Bring 2″ of water to boil in a large pot. Cook corn for 3-4 minutes. Cut corn off the cob and cool. Toss with olive oil, vinegar, cherry tomatoes and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4.
Warm Vidalia Onion and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Here, I’ve tried to recreate a delicious salad I had at Roy’s Kahana Bar & Grill using East Coast ingredients.
1 Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced thin, rounds separated
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 large handfuls of mixed baby greens
Fresh crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese, optional
A few slices Proscuitto or Pancetta, diced and crisped in a pan, optional
A few slices Proscuitto or Pancetta, diced and crisped in a pan, optional
Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Saute onion slices in olive oil until slightly tender, but still crisp. Whisk together balsamic vinaigrette ingredients. Toss grilled onions with a few teaspoons of the vinaigrette.
To serve, place a handful of baby greens on salad plate. Top with tomato wedges, and then the sauteed onions. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle on goat cheese and crisp proscuitto, if using.
If you’re feeling a bit adventuresome, try Jennifer Cornbleet’s Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce, a raw food recipe. It’s delicious, even my kids tried it.
More farm fresh recipes
Eclectic Recipe’s Peach Salsa
Kayln’s Kitchen’s Green Zebra Tomato Recipes
The Conscious Cook’s Carrot Arame Over Oranged Kale
My own Leafy Green Recipes
Anticancer Ingredients: green leafy vegetables, peaches, walnuts, olive oil, tomatoes, scallions, onions
