Little Italy Mercato Blog

Tropical Holi-glaze

Strolling the stalls of the Little Italy Mercato each week and seeing the ebb and flow of certain fruits and vegetables makes you truly appreciate San Diego's seasons, though subtle they are. We've turned a golden leaf and entered into Winter with new products rolling around all our vendors tables.

Visit Paradise Valley Ranch or Smit Orchards for a taste of bright, sweet Navel oranges- perfect for making fresh juice, reducing an herbed citrus glaze for meats or fish. Try shopping at Poppa's Fresh Fish for delicious filets of fish, fresh clams and oysters.

Since the days are still warm and sunny- try giving your next dinner or treat a tropical twist. Guavas from Polito Farms or Rancho Mexico Lindo are ripe and fragrant right now! Try making a most delicious guava sauce with fresh lime from Schaner's Farm and spreading it over sauteed pasture fed chicken from Spur Valley Ranch and caramelized onions. Or add a little heat to the glaze by sautéing a habanero pepper from Suzies' Farm with garlic and onions from Vang Farms and orange juice with fresh guavas. 

And for dessert (or breakfast) you could indulge in the Mexican dish "Dulce de Calabasa". It's made by boiling down pumpkin, guava, lime, and raw sugar to make a mouthwatering sweet treat.

LIGHTEN UP!
We all know that Thanksgiving is about taking time to acknowledge gratitude for family and friends, the relative comfort and safety we live in, and our many other blessings. Just looking around the Little Italy Mercato makes us thankful for harvest abundance.

So why does the holiday so often seem tied to gluttony? If you've overeaten this week, you're not alone. But it's simple to tip the scales back by lightening up for the next few days. Visiting relatives are probably tired of hanging around your house by now, not that that's bothering you. So a trip to the farmers' market on Saturday will be a great way to get some fresh air, enjoy the live music and the charms of Little Italy, and shop for the ingredients to get your eating back on track.

Pick up a jug of Green Fix and sip a fresh green smoothie for breakfast. Use those turkey leftovers to make a Cobb Salad for lunch, with hard-boiled farm fresh eggs and avocado from Paradise Valley Ranch on a bed of leafy greens and tomatoes from JR Organics and a light and creamy dressing made with Springhill farms quark. Grill a piece of Poppa's Fresh Fish for dinner, with some steamed baby potatoes from Sage Mountain Farm and new cauliflower from Suzie's Farm or broccoli from Suncoast Farms. See? All back in balance.

Look for fresh eats this weekend at the LIttle Italy Mercato to create savory dishes to fill in the spaces at your Thanksgiving celebration. We love this recipe from Heidi Swanson for Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes. You can pick up beautiful, chunky potatoes from Polito Family Farms or Sage Mountain Farm, cook them down and mash them up with plenty of olive oil from Falcone's, a handful of well chopped leafy kale from Suzie's Farm cooked with garlic from Sage Mountain Farm. Add warm milk or cream to give the potatoes moisture, and add some salt from Salt Farm's Thanksgiving collection to jazz things up. Their new flavors like Bonfire Smoked, Ethiopian Curry, Tomato Spice and Pumpkin Sage will skyrocket your potatoes to a seriously delicious dimension. If you want to get really cheesy, sprinkle grated sage cheddar cheese from Spring Hill Cheese and smile as your guests dive into one of the season's favorite dishes.

For many families, the main course should be meat, of course! Da Le Ranch still has a few locally raised turkeys, or take home a good cut of lamb and braise it with rosemary and garlic from Schaner Farms and beautiful, gnarly carrots from Maciel Family Farm. You could pick up quail from Spur Valley Ranch and roast it with homemade stuffing using an impressive array of fall flavors. Gather fresh celery from Suncoast Farms, fig balsamic vinegar from Gianni's Fine Foods, bread crumbs, butter, and salt and pepper and mix together to stuff the quail before you roast it to perfection. 
Let's not forget to prepare and to share these wonderful meals with much thanks and gratitude towards everything and everyone that makes it possible to eat so well!!

This past weekend was divine- with intermittent rain and blustery, grey days. It was time to hunker down, stay inside, and enjoy warm food and good company. Comfort food has a different tone though, when you live and work at the farmers' market. Comfort food means homemade pasta and braised greens, or upscaled, locavore friendly grilled cheese sandwiches, or fresh spiced apple butter and biscuits...

Here's a couple ideas for you for the next time you get caught in the rain, or the sunshine, and want a healthy(er) twist on cozy good cookin'. 

Spaghetti with Braised Kale
Braise either curly or lacinato (Tuscan black kale), with chopped onions from Sage Mountain Farm and fresh garlic from Schaner Farms. Add the greens to a bowl of steamy, hot angelhair pasta from Likso Imports and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice with a bit of grated Parmesan Romano cheese from Mary at Taste Cheese. 

Escarole and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese

You know this. You know how you like it. Be creative with what you can find at the market and make a sandwich that you'll be remembered by. Start with a decent portion of sourdough from Bread & Cie. Take home a hefty slab of Spring Hill Goat Cheddar or maybe their dry Jack cheese, and shred it carefully. Pick out a beautiful specimen of frisee or escarole from Suzie's Farm or JR Organics. Sautee slices of white onion with a bit of Truffle salt from She Sells Sea Salts until the onion begins to carmelize. Meanwhile, brush the bread with some olive oil and layer on the onions, escarole, and cheese. Then grill it until its crispy and melty in the pan, add pepper or salt if needed, and serve immediately...

Spiced Apple Butter

Spiced apple butter on warm toast is a treat from heaven. Luckily, Smit Orchards and Lone Oak Ranch have you covered for tart Fuji's and sweet Pink Ladies. Or try combining apples and asian pears for more complexity. Cook the apples down with spices from Just Spice likeginger, star anise, cinammon and cardamon. Add lemon and a bit of sugar, mash it all together once its cooked, and you have yourself an excellent addition to any brunch.