seafood

Savor the sweet taste of spring in fresh, green English peas from JR Organics and Maciel Farm at the Little Italy Mercato. Sautee them with a little green garlic from Schaner Farms and southern California olive oil from the Farmer’s Daughter, or blend them into a cool, chilled pea soup with fresh spring herbs like mint, basil, parsley or even cilantro from Rivera’s Treasure Garden.

Mix them into a seafood paella with locally caught fish and shellfish from the Salmon Slinger or Poppa’s Fresh Fish. Look for pea tendrils at Vang’s Farm and stir-fry them with oyster mushrooms from Suzie’s Farm, or pick up sugar snap peas at Second Chance Farms and dunk them in raw, vegan Majestic Garlic spread, cilantro-chili Bitchin’ Sauce, or H&B Guac Shack’s avocado dip.

Peas out!

ITALIAN INSPIRED CEVICHE

Chef Deborah Scott offers an impressive array of all kinds of cuisine, and this weekend you can taste a sample of her delicious ceviche, Italian style of course to pair with the Festa activities. In case you're tempted to try it out on your own, you can walk up Cedar Street and source all the ingredients you need, fresh from the farms! Her recipe can be found here, and it  makes a hefty volume, so adjust accordingly. 

Select three or four pounds of seafood from Poppa's Fresh Fish (she calls for squid and octopus, but fresh shrimp or fish will work wonderfully). Choose 
2 large onions and a few jalapenos from Suzie's Farm, pick out 10 juicy tomatoes from JR Organics, 10 cucumbers from Maciel Family Farms, chop up a bunch of fresh cilantro and parsley, and dice all of that together with lime juice
, fresh pressed orange juice from Polito Farms, 
sea salt from Salt Farm. Let it marinate for 30 minutes or so, and enjoy with fresh avocados and orange slices from Paradise Valley Ranch. 

PASSION IN A PAN

If you haven't the time or the means to travel all the way to Spain this fall to visit one of many Paella festivals, don't despair: visit the Little Italy Mercato for all your own ingredients.

Paella can be served year round, for any celebration! This mouth watering Spanish dish is traditionally cooked in a large, flat pan and made to serve large portions. With our long growing season and wonderful farmers' markets in San Diego you shouldn't have a problem finding all the freshest ingredients- seafood, meat,  summer vegetables, rice, and citrus!

Heat olive oil from Marion's Olive Oil and braise chopped yellow onions from Sage Mountain Farms with green zebra heirloom from Schaner's Farm. Strain out the juices and toss the veggies into your paella pan. In another pot, lightly cook your choice of shrimp or fish (visit Poppa's Fresh fish for the freshest seafood). Save some of the broth for later. Heat up your paella pan, and when it's good and hot, toss in roughly chopped red and green bell peppers (have you tasted the big ones from Vang Farms??), and two cups of rinsed rice. Let this cook down in an appropriate amount of broth/water, keeping sure not to burn the rice. Mash fresh garlic (from Maciel and Family), parsley and a few threads of saffron from Just Spice with a little bit of Salt Farms' Himalayan sea salt. Wet it with a couple spoonfuls of temperate broth, and spill this mixture into your paella pan. Add all the seafood and vegetables and cook together gently for about 20 minutes. Garnish your beautiful offering with big clusters of thinly sliced lemons from Polito Farms and ribboned bell peppers. Ah, passion in a pan.

PASSION IN A PAN

If you haven't the time or the means to travel all the way to Spain this fall to visit one of many Paella festivals, don't despair: visit the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market for the fresh ingredients to make a paella yourself.

Paella can be served year round, for any celebration! This is a mouth watering Spanish dish, traditionally cooked in a large, flat pan with two handles. Paella is usually personalized, so feel free to substitute your favorite ingredients for any that are hard to find. With our long growing season and wonderful farmers' markets in San Diego you shouldn't have a problem finding all the freshest ingredients!

Heat olive oil from Thyme of Essence and braise chopped yellow onions from JR Organics and summer tomatoes from your favorite farmer. Strain out the juices and toss the veggies into your paella pan. In another pot, lightly cook your choice of shrimp (visit Miss Sushi at the market this week for all your seafood needs) mussels and other seafood. We like the finger-food action of playing with the shells, but you can remove tails and shells for more refined dining. Save some of the broth for later. Heat up your paella pan, and when it's good and hot, toss in roughly chopped red and green bell peppers (have you tasted the big ones from Produce Stand??), and your rice. Let this cook down in an appropriate amount of broth/water, keeping sure not to burn the rice. Mash garlic, parsley and a few threads of saffron with a little bit of Salt Farms' sea salt. Wet it with a couple spoonfuls of temperate broth, and spill this mixture into your paella pan. Add all the seafood and vegetables and  cook together gently for about 20 minutes. Garnish your beautiful offering with big clusters of thinly sliced lemons and ribboned bell peppers. Ah, passion in a pan.

GO FISH!

Seafood makes the perfect dish for the perfect summer we've having in San Diego, and we have your cool fresh fish right here at the Pacific Beach Tueday Farmers' Market. The warm Santa Ana winds have greeted us, turning our afternoons into balmy, never ending dreams. If you're making your way to the cool blue water in Pacific Beach next Tuesday, stop by the market and pick up a tub of ceviche from one of our newest vendors - La Isle Ceviche. They offer a bright blend of summer's best flavors - onion, salt, and pepper, along with cilantro, fresh fish or shrimp marinated in citrus juices spiced with hot chili peppers and homemade pico de gallo salsa.

This dish is definitely a favorite of local beach-goers, from the shores of Central and South America where this dish originates, to the picture perfect coasts of Southern California. Buy it here, or pick up a fresh piece of yellowtail or halibut from Miss Sushi at the market, a few limes from Paradise Valley Ranch and fresh farm vegetables to make your own. All you need to add is a cold sparkling lemonade from Rose's Italian Soda, a crispy tostada, a few fresh slices of soft avocado from John Gilruth's stand, and maybe a sweet ear of summer corn from Kawano Farms to roast over an open bonfire. Who knew a fish dish could bring so many beautiful things together? 

SEA URCHIN SHOOTERS THE NEW TO DO
Some people dread and despise the ornery, spined creature known as the sea urchin. However, it's becoming a normal affair to see people sluggin' down sea urchin shooters at the Little Italy Mercato. Squishy and tongue-like- it makes a great breakfast, lunch, or cure to those ever often Saturday morning headaches. Though you won't have to worry about eating the poking spines of the urchin, the "roe"(actually the gonads!) is the, urhh, mouthwatering delicacy sweeping the nation with growing popularity.

If you're brave enough to try your luck at slurping, Poppa's Fresh Fish offers the freshest catch every week. If you're still a bit hesitant, but interested in the flavor of uni- purchase a good amount of the uni and try putting together this tasty sea urchin bruschetta:


Combine 1/2 cup of minced yellow onions from Schaner farms, a dash of dry sherry, a bit of lemon juice, a handful of chopped cilantro from Vang's, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Add the urchins and season with salt and pepper. Let marinate while you grill the bread. Brush the bread slices with the remaining olive oil and grill over medium heat until both sides are lightly colored. Slice the toast into finger like shapes, top with the urchin and serve.
 

YOU'LL BE HOOKED

No, there's nothing suspicious about the new seafood offerings at the North Park Farmers' Market but you have every reason to get reeled into the excitement!

Poppa's Fresh Fish will now be shucking oysters and serving up fresh sea urchins for your enjoyment every Thursday. You can eat the sea urchins at the market or take them home, served in their shells they make a dramatic and gorgeous presentation. Newcomer Ceviche Shack is serving it up with a smile. Inspired by a lifetime of vacations and trips to Baja, the ceviche here is tangy and fresh with just a little kick. Perfect for topping tostadas, scooping with tortilla chips and enjoying on sunny afternoons. And for something truly decadent, order a crab cake sandwich from the Devilicious truck and find out just how devilishly delightful their food really is.

SOUPER MERCATO

This Saturday will be cold, at least by San Diego standards, and that has us thinking of some of our favorite soups.  Beets and carrots from Suzie's Farm are the basis of a satisfying bowl of borscht, seasoned with fresh dill.  Swiss chard and kale from JR Organics make a gorgeous green soup that really comes alive when topped with a bit of fresh chevre from Niciolau Farms.  If you've got the time, grab a fresh whole chicken from Descanso Valley or Dale Ranch and spend the afternoon turning it into tortilla soup; finish it with avocado slices from Paradise Valley.  Bouillabaisse, cioppino and moqueca are just a few of the world's famous seafood stews; see Poppa's Fresh Fish or Bristol Bay Salmon if you're ready to invent your own famous fish soup.  Winter squashes from Sage Mountain are a great start to a hearty winter soup; we sprinkle  chopped chipotle flavored almonds from Hopkins Ag on our version for the crunch and the extra kick.  If you need another soup idea this Saturday, come to the info booth; we can point you to the best ingredients in the world.  If you've got a great soup recipe to share that uses farm fresh local produce, please send it to us at info@sdweeklymarkets.com.  Have a souper Saturday!

ROAST SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI

Adapted from a Melissa Clark recipe published in the New York Times, this dinner is easy enough for a weeknight but will still impress your guests at any dinner party, a keeper for sure!

To make the marinade combine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil from Bistro Blends with a palmful (about 1 teaspoon) each of ground cumin, ground corriander, salt and pepper and a healthy pinch of cayenne. Cut 2 pounds of broccoli from Kawano or Suzie's Farm into florets and toss with half the marinade. Roast in a 425F oven for 10 minutes, then toss 1 pound of shrimp from Poppa's Fresh Fish with remaining marinade and the zest of one lemon from Paradise Valley Ranch and roast for 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges and some ciabatta bread from Lisko Imports.