Fresh from Durham Farmers' Market

Some years, I hit a point in January and February when I get into the winter doldrums.  I try really hard to eat with the seasons and in the winter, I start to pine for warm weather and summer vegetables. 
This winter, however, I've been really excited about cooking and food!  I think that the mild weather and the great abundance has something to do with it.  But, I think that it might have a lot more to do with the fact that I have a bigger kitchen, with more counter space and a dishwasher!  There is nothing more demoralizing than cooking in a tiny apartment kitchen and having to wash every single spoon that I use.  So, I have been reveling in digging into cooking the root vegetables and greens of winter.  Here are a couple of recipes that I have been enjoying this winter.

Last week, I was hemming and hawing over the fact that I had a lot of turnips in my fridge and I wasn't sure what to do with them.  I was checking my email the next afternoon and my husband sent me a recipe that he found for Root Vegetable Pancakes.  I don't know if he knew about my turnip problem, it was what we had for dinner that night!  The recipe calls for 4 cups of shredded root vegetables.  You can use any combination, I used 2 cups of turnips, one cup of beets, and one cup of carrots.  They were delicious!

Another winter time favorite in our house is Okonomiyaki.  Okonomiyaki is a sort of a Japanese savory pancake.  Okonomi means "whatever you like" and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked".  Basic okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, eggs, flour and water or stock then you can add whatever you like - vegetables, meats, cheese, kimchi, noodles, etc.  There are lots of styles of okonomiyaki, but the two most prominent that I've found are Osaka-style and Hiroshima-style.  The name may sound daunting, but they are actually quite easy to make and really yummy!  They are also quite versatile - I've used cabbage, napa cabbage, collards and different types of shredded root vegetables.  I find these recipes a great base to experiment in the kitchen.

Enjoy!
Erin Kauffman
Durham Farmers' Market Manager

Fresh this Week...
Vegetables:  RUTABEGA! Asian Greens (Tatsoi, Bok Choy, Mizuna), Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Cress (Creasy Greens), Cilantro, Collards, Dried Herbs, Frisee, Fennel, Green Onions,  Gourds,  Jerusalem Artichokes,  Mustard Greens, Kale,  Lettuce, Pea Shoots, Peppers, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms  (dried), Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Winter Squash (Butternut, Spaghetti, Acorn)
Meats:  Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Pork.  Look for whole cuts, sausages, hot dogs, jerky, liver pate and more!
Flowers & Plants:  Tulips, Anemones, Icelandic Poppies
And: Honey, Pecans, Chicken and Duck Eggs, Flour, Wines, Fresh and Aged Goats and Cows Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods - Pies, Breads, Cookies, Pastries, Gluten Free Items, etc, Pasta, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves
Crafts: Pottery, Gourd Birdhouses, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Soaps and much more