Farmers markets inspire trend back to fresh

by: NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
4/14/2010 9:24:39 AM

The idea of eating locally and seasonally may be hot right now, but for most Oklahomans, it's nothing new. That goes for most Southerners, says Scott Jones, food editor for Southern Living magazine.

In a new book, Southern Living's "Farmers Market Cookbook," Jones and staff explore markets across the South, including markets in Oklahoma. Those markets are the inspiration for the recipes, which are categorized by the seasons.

Most recipes require little prep, just a few extra ingredients or techniques to heighten the taste of homegrown okra or fresh-picked peas.

Seasonal cooking has always been one the tenets of Southern cooking, Jones said.

"The whole region has long been an agrarian-based community. We grow certain things in winter to eat in winter and certain things in summer to eat in summer.

"There's a reason you eat a fresh beautiful tomato or peach or fig in the height of summer. That tomato just doesn't taste as good in December."

As people in the South moved away from time-consuming plots of vegetable gardening, they still knew the roadside stands and farm stands where they could find the best watermelons and strawberries. Today, Jones said, even more people are going to organized markets. It's the modern interpretation of the roadside stand.

And just like you would at a farm stand, Jones encourages people to make friends and talk with the farmers at the markets.

"Man, they'll tell you every secret they have. They want to know you are as excited about the fruits and vegetables as they are."

Jones said he found urban areas all across the South have been invigorated by farmers markets, which he said makes the farmers market concept as much about community as it is food.

"It's really what the South is all about. Food is so much more than sustenance."

And while summer is the hottest season for farmers market traffic, spring is one of Jones' favorites.

"The promise of spring and the promise of fall have such deep emotional connections to us," he said. "I love the spring — spring onions, baby radishes, little new potatoes."

Two of his favorite spring-inspired recipes from the book are an asparagus and new potato hash and an orange, radish and cucumber salad. Recipes in the book are a combination of reader recipes, test kitchen recipes and recipes from the region's markets.

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Tomatoes, whether cherry or big reds, are one of the biggest draws to Oklahoma farmers markets. There’s no comparison between commercial artificially ripened vs. homegrown and vine-ripened. To keep the tomatoes from rolling around, cut a very small slice from the bottom of each tomato.

STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

Makes 8 servings

2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ cup mayonnaise
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut a small slice from the top of each tomato; scoop out pulp with a small spoon or melon baller, and discard pulp. Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on paper towels, and let drain 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring gently; drain. Stir together mayonnaise, bacon and green onions; add avocado mixture, and stir gently until combined.

3. Spoon avocado mixture evenly into tomato shells. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

By early or mid-May, Conrad Farms in Bixby and some of the farmers markets will have sweet English peas. In Oklahoma, English pea season is short.

GREEN PEAS WITH CRISPY BACON

Makes 10 to 12 servings

6 cups shelled sweet fresh green peas (or substitute two 16-ounce bags frozen sweet green peas, thawed)
4 bacon slices
2 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon butter

1. Cook peas in boiling water to cover 5 minutes; drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove and crumble bacon; reserve 2 teaspoons drippings in skillet.

3. Saute shallots in hot drippings over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in orange zest, orange juice, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add peas, and cook 5 minutes; stir in mint and butter.

4. Transfer peas to a serving dish, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

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Take a Gamble

One of the farmers featured in Southern Living’s “Farmers Market Cookbook” is Kamala Gamble of Oklahoma City.

Inspired by the fresh foods she worked with as a cook at Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago, Gamble knew she wanted to start gardening when she moved back to Oklahoma City in 2001.

Nine years later, her backyard garden has turned into a 1½- acre plot and productive Community Supported Agriculture farm called Guilford Gardens. Each week, around 80 subscribers pick up a basket of whatever is seasonal and fresh from Gamble’s organic garden, including her 15 varieties of tomatoes and 20 varieties of peppers.

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Natalie Mikles 581-8486
natalie.mikles@tulsaworld.com

Associate Images: Stuffed cherry tomatoes from the "Farmers Market Cookbook."

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