meat

There’s few foods more comforting than slowly braised, locally raised meats from DaLe Ranch at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market. Braising is a long, low heat cooking method that produces meltingly tender meats and vegetables -get tips here on the technique and ask rancher Dave for the best cuts of chicken, pork, beef and lamb (all hormone and antibiotic free) to use.

Be sure to add hearty vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes from Proios Family Farm, winter squash from African Sisters’ Farm, carrots from Kawano Farm and parsnips, turnips or radishes from JR Organics. (Vegetarians can make a great braise without the meat, of course!) Herbs like rosemary and thyme from Suzie’s Farm add depth and flavor. Combine your ingredients in the oven or crock pot and enjoy a braise-y day while they cook!

Find the Meat Men’s provocatively named salamis at the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market, including Naughty Constable (with caraway and juniper berries), Tasty Treason (cardamom and orange), and the Juicy Scandal (spicy red chile and cinnamon). They’re made in San Diego with naturally raised pork free of hormones and antibiotics, and they make an excellent appetizer platter paired with Brigante pecorino from Taste Cheese, sliced apples from Smit Orchards and a branch of grapes from R&L Farm. Fresh sausages include the gouda filled kasekrainer and bratwurst with cheddar. Order one ready-to-eat in a fresh roll with Albert's special sauekraut and variety of mustards. 

Find more fresh sausage at Da Le Ranch, as well as pork, beef, lamb, bison, chicken and rabbit raised in Lake Elsinore, California. Da Le offers individual cuts of meat, weekly or monthly subscription boxes that contain a mix of meat and poultry, and whole or half animals by special order.

Want to eat your meat without doing the cooking? Stop by the Not So Fast food truck and try one of their tasty menu items using Open Space grass fed meats. Chip's Beach Eatz' pulled pork sandwich is another tasty market meat treat!

The taste of meat from the North Park Thursday Farmers’ Market can’t be beat!

ANOTHER DELICIOUS THURSDAY

Whew! Where did that month go? May was a crazy mixed up month of grey mornings and sunshine. It was the beginning of the summer stone fruits and the month of food trucks. We still may not know what the weather has in store from day to day (banish the though of June Gloom), but you can bet every Thursday at the North Park Farmer's Market will be full of delicious bounty.

A salad of JR Organics spicy green mix and cucumbers, avocados from Paradise Valley and thinly sliced flank steak from Da Le Ranch with a creamy dressing using Majestic Garlic's garlic paste is perfect on warm or cool evenings. A side of Cornbread Daddy's jalapeno cheddar cornbread? Oh, yes.

Little fuzzy apricots from R&L Farms perfume the air with their sweetness. Cut them in half, brush them with a little olive oil from Thyme of Essence, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a very small pinch of Salt Farm's espresso infused sea salt and roasted under the broiler for a few minutes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and finish dessert off right.

Hungry yet?

LET'S PLAY SQUASH

Zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan and 8-ball, oh my! The summer squashes are making their appearance on the scene and at the North Park Farmers' Market. Tender and small, these guys are ripe for the picking, and eating too!

The pattypan and yellow crookneck squash from Kawano Farms are as sweet as can be. Steam them, sautee them or throw them on the grill. Any way you eat it is sure to be delicious. The 8-ball squash from JR Organics is perfect for stuffing with a little pork sausage from Da La Ranch and some wild rice. Or go raw and dip slices of Valdivia Farms' tiny squashes in Lisko Imports' spicy Cascabel Pepper hummus for an afternoon snack.

Farmer's like Valdivia and Suzie's Farm are putting to good use more than just the fruit of the plant, they sell the squash blossom as well. Try them in a quesadilla or omelette, or use this method and impress your family or guests:

Saute a few shrimp from Poppa's Fresh Fish with garlic, then blend with some ricotta or quark from Taste Cheese or Springhill Farm, adding fresh herbs to taste. Stuff 3 or 4 squash blossoms per person with the shrimp mixture. Most recipes call for battering the blossoms and deep frying, but we go a little healthier and easier by dipping them in a little beaten egg and then cornmeal and sauteeing quickly in some good olive oil from Thyme of Essence. Serve on a bed of pea shoots from Suzie's Farm, with a little drizzle of pesto from Lisko Artisan Deli.

Get your squash on!

KEEP IT SUPER SIMPLE

Fresh is flavorful. When you buy the freshest ingredients there's really no need to dress them up and get too fancy. You want to let them each shine in their wholesome goodness. An avocado from Rancho Mexico Lindo smeared on toasted bread from Belen Bakery is a great example of our KISS (keep it super simple) mantra. Kawano Farms early season corn needs little more than a quick bath in boiling water and a swipe of butter or sprinkle of salt, or slice it raw off the cob and add it to your salads. Suzie's Farms and kawano Farms have strawberries so sweet they make a perfect dessert without any additions. Celebrate the bounty of the season with less time cooking and more time eating together.

Here's a dinner idea that's quick, simple and farm fresh: Cut beets from Maciel & Family in chunks, toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 30 minutes. While they're cooking, chop the beet greens and bring water to a boil. When beets test tender, saute greens for a few minutes in garlic infused olive oil from Bistro Blends and boil fresh ravioli from Lisko Imports for just 2 minutes. Top ravioli with greens and beets and a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano from Taste Cheese. Dinner!

FAREWELL TO MEAT!

Did you know that Carnevale translated literally means “farewell meat”? This Saturday evening Little Italy is celebrating Carnevale, a last festival before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Coincidentally, some folks are taking the Meatless March challenge and trying a vegetarian diet this month.

So if you’re planning on giving up steaks and other meats come shop the Little Italy Mercato Saturday morning to pick up your responsibly raised and all natural cuts before it’s “farewell” for 40 days. DaLe Ranch has chickens to roast, braise and otherwise enjoy as you see fit (and don’t forget to save the bones and leftover meat to make stock!). DaLe and SonRise Ranch both bring excellent selections of meat for grilling and stewing to keep you cozy on chilly nights. Pair them with roasted beets from Suzie’s Farm and JR Organics or a spinach salad from Sage Mountain and send them off in style.

If you’re eating at the market get your beef or pork BBQ fix from Ranchwood Deli, some carnitas tacos from Chop Sooey or the ever-popular turkey chili from Montana’s. After the market, visit Po Pazzo for their signature Italian ribeye or Buon Appetito for Osso Bucco.

Are you giving anything up?