Happy Fall!

My kind of people.

My first day of work was an orientation of sorts. We learned the layout, what we should wear, how to properly build the tables each morning. We learned the specifics of what we would do each Sunday and, of course, we learned each others names. We played one of those ice breaker introduction games; you know the kind you played on the first day of elementary school or summer camp or the first night in a college dorm. Except in all those situations you're usually required to give your name and maybe your favorite color or grade level or your major. Whereas here - in this light, airy, new office that the market calls home - we had to give the name of our favorite fruit or vegetable. If I didn't smile outright, as I'm sure I did, I certainly smiled inside; these are my kind of people. Not only did everyone go along with it, but they all did so as if it were the most natural thing in the world - as if people ask them this all the time. Maybe they do. As we went around the circle there were nods of approval as if everyone could taste the fruit or vegetable in question and were even having trouble deciding which they are partial to. 

Like I said, these are my kind of people.

For me it was a toss up: brussel sprouts or broccoli rabe. The sprouts put up a good fight arguing that they are easier to eat as a snack (I like to steam them and keep them in the fridge) but ultimately the broccoli rabe won out. It is absolutely hands down my favorite vegetable. One of these days years I'm going to grow my own but for now I'll continue to buy these enormous heads of it from Do Re Me Farms. 


I also truly believe that anyone who doesn't like broccoli rabe has never had it prepared properly. Yes, it can be bitter and tough but if it's sauteed just right, it's neither. It's tender like broccoli but more pungent like full grown spinach and I like it the best with garlic, oil, sausage and splash of either lemon juice, white wine or vermouth. I've made this 3 times in the past two weeks - twice with broccoli rabe and once with swiss chard. Obviously, I suggest the broccoli rabe version.

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chili Sausage

The chili and garlic flavors here are a theme that repeats throughout. The sausage I used was a chili-garlic pork sausage from Dickson's Farmstand but I also added red chili flakes to the oil as it was heating up. I like to add my spices directly to the oil in this manner because it heats them up and really lets them release their flavors better than if I add them later on. It kind of toasts them even though it's not in a dry pan.

You don't have to use a pork sausage here, it could be poultry or even venison. What's important is that it is fresh and not pre-cooked the way many packaged sausages are. If it's pre-cooked it will not crumble and it will also cook to quickly and dry out. Serves 2

1 large uncooked sausage, about 1/3lb (see headnotes)

2 very large bunches of broccoli rabe (I mean REALLY large, not those wimpy things the supermarket carries)

2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, sliced

juice from 1 lemon (or a 1/4-1/2 cup of vermouth or dry white wine)

a few pinches red chili flakes

a few pinches dried rosemary

olive oil

salt and pepper

Trim the broccoli rabe and chop it into large pieces. Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch the broccoli rabe just until bright green (a couple minutes). Plunge it into an ice bath to stop the cooking and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat a little bit of olive oil (maybe two teaspoons - you won't need much because the sausage will give off fat as well) on medium high heat. Add the chili flakes and rosemary and stir to coat about 30 seconds. Slice the sausage lengthwise to remove the skin and crumble into the pan to brown for about a minute. Add the sliced garlic and stir the mixture letting the sausage and garlic brown. Add the lemon juice, wine or vermouth (whichever you choose) to deglaze the pan and scrape the fond from the bottom and sides. Add the chopped broccoli rabe and more liquid (only if the pan is dry). Cover immediately to finish cooking the broccoli rabe but remove cover and stir it around everything 30 seconds or so to keep it from overcooking in one place.

Remove from pan and add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy immediately!

The act of cooking.

Although I eat my fair share of pizza and can't resist a good Chinese dumpling, I'm adamant about avoiding takeout when I move. It's never really been intentional but I realized that I pretty much never order food or go out to eat in the days that I spend unpacking. I don't think it really has much to do with the food but rather the act of cooking itself. It brings some semblance of normalcy to otherwise upside down days. It's a reminder that not everything has changed; I can still cook. I can still put an egg in a pan and in a few minutes it'll turn out sunny-side up. I can still beat butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour and make a homey cake (with plums stuck in the top). 

Eggs with spicy zucchini and peppers

serves 1

olive oil

1 egg

1 egg white (you can freeze the yolk for a later date)

1 baby zucchini, sliced into coins

half a red bell pepper, chopped

thinly sliced parmesan cheese

hot paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Crack one and and one egg white in a bowl. Make sure not to break the yolk, set aside.

heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium high heat.

When oil is hot add zucchini and red pepper.

Add hot paprika salt and pepper to taste (I like to do this early on because it will cook into the edge of the zucchini and make a bit of a crust if you use enough).

saute the zucchini and pepper in olive oil until zucchini is golden, about 7 minutes.

push zucchini and peppers to one side of the pan and pour a tiny bit of oil on the empty side. Let it heat up then slide the egg and egg white into the pan. The white should spread to encompass the vegetables but the yolk will stay neatly nestled next to it. Add salt and pepper to the egg and cover with a lid. Cook until egg white is set and yolk is desired consistency (I like mine more runny). About one minute before yolk is done, lift lid and place slices of parmesan on top of eggs and vegetables. replace the lid and heat until melted.

Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Market Pictures - September 19th

Long overdue pictures from last Sunday's Market

More over here.