There is an almost palpable tension in the market this week; soon we will have a hard frost that will end the season of tomatoes, peppers and the like. The stands are still overflowing with great produce, but we are on the cusp of the quick road down into winter.
Before winter arrives see if you can pick up some of the last grapes from Buzzard Crest. They have a nice range and they’re wonderfully fat and juicy.
And if you’re into the whole halloween thing, you could do a lot worse than getting these mini pumpkins from the market. These are from Van Houten, but you’ll find them all over the market. And when you’re done with them, they can be stuffed and baked as a little treat.
A few weeks ago I had a Kabocha Squash in my report that had an unusual fiery orange skin. This is more what I was expecting – a refined green-grey coloured skin and vibrant sweet flesh. This one is from Paffenroth Gardens, but I also found some from Sycamore Farms.
When the frost comes it’ll be the end of the tomatoes. These green ones are from S & S.O. Produce. They’re great fried and added to an omelette. They also last quite a while in the fridge; I’ve had some that have still been firm a fortnight after buying them. It’s another good way to extend the tomato season, just by a little bit.
The scallops are a little smaller than they were earlier in the year, but they’re no less sweet and juicy. I’m cooking them up this week with walnuts and artichokes, a very tasty affair.
The leeks are looking great right now. These ones are from Paffenroth Gardens, but I think Lani’s had some good looking ones too. Leek are such a wonderfull understated vegetable, rarely getting to shine on their own. If you want to try redressing the balance, you could do a lot worse than Leeks Vinaigrette.
We’ve shown off confit duck legs from Hudson Valley Duck Farm before, but I’ve been saving the breasts for a special occasion. They rear Moulard ducks which produce rather large breasts of about 1 – 1.25lbs each. I find that because the meat is so rich and unctuous, you can split a small breast in two and a large one in three and they will be very happy with the portions.
Duck doesn’t need much in the way of fancy accompaniments, and in my recipe I pair it with lentils and squash. A really simple side salad of Arugula (this bunch is from Migliorelli Farm) tossed with lemon juice and olive oil would also be great too.
These Adzuki Beans are from Cayuga Pure Organics. I haven’t decided what to do with them yet – I’d love to try and recreate my favourite Yakimochi like the ones from Cafe Zaiya. If you haven’t tried them, they are amazing: sweet Adzuki paste surrounded by chewy mochi (rice flour) dough that’s been baked to have a crispy shell. These guys tried and failed, so if you have any bright ideas how to make them, leave a message in the comments and I’ll reward you!
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