The entire experience of using Coastal Alabama Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Market results in using fresh foods as well as using what’s “on hand” in order to create something economical, healthy, and good.  Many times when I come home from shopping at the Market with a head of broccoli, I cut into florets or a bunch of carrots, I dice into bite-sized pieces, and just steaming either or both of these slightly is wonderful.  Add a little salt and/or some flavored vinegar and it’s a treat.  That’s one of the great things about being fresh from the farmers who grow vegetables – most food is picked the day before and nothing tastes better than a really fresh vegetable – something you can’t find in a grocery store.  Fresh steamed broccoli or carrots for lunch with a slice of bread.  Fantastic!

Another advantage of cooking from items selected from the Market is the economic value – both time and money – of using what’s on hand with what I picked up at the Market.  The recipe that follows is based on the fresh ingredients purchased from the Market as well as some dried peas that I had on hand.  Of course, adding fresh ingredients is what makes the recipes so much better.

Recipe for Black-eyed Peas

Ingredients:

[Note: First three ingredients purchased at Coastal Alabama Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Market as well as a clipping from the thyme plant that I bought at the Market and is currently growing in a pot on my back deck.]

1 diced bacon slice (purchased from George Family Farm)

1 Tablespoon diced onion (can be purchased from several vendors)

Salsa to taste (Purchased from Tony’s Tejas Salsa)

Dried black-eyed peas (when in season, I buy fresh peas, but on this day, peas were not in season and I used dried peas stored in a mason jar)

Water/Chicken broth mix ~ 4:1)

Thyme (from a plant purchased from Lilly at the Market)

Salt

In a pan, cook diced bacon over medium heat until browned.

Add diced onions and cook until translucent.

Add dried peas and coat with bacon oil.

Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and turn to high for 1 hour.

Change the setting on the slow cooker to low and cook 3 hours.

Serve with generous ladling of salsa on top.  Last week, I wrote about having ham steaks that I had with black-eyed peas, some brown rice, and a glass of red wine.

In a few months from now when peas are fresh, I will use a similar for fresh peas, which I will, of course, purchase from the Market.

Next week I’m going to share with you my favorite Sunday breakfast using nothing but Market ingredients.

See you at the Market.

Bob Zeanah

Author of No Anchor (published November 2015)

Available online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Books a Million

Author of Work to Do (published July 2014)

Available online from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Books a Million

14410 Oak Street

Magnolia Springs AL  36555

251-752-5174 mobile device

bobzeanah@gmail.com

www.bobzeanah.com

Welcome to our new blog. I am Heather Pritchard. As Market manager, I have come to know many of our loyal customers. Often we delight in sharing how wonderful the products are and what dishes we have created. Cooking from the market is an experience where the plan comes together as we shop. Eating local is about what was harvested today! What is fresh and available changes with the seasons. This creates diversity in our diets and allows creativity in our daily meals. Bob Zeanah is a friendly face each week. He is also a writer. I welcome him as our first guest blogger. He will be sharing his weekly cooking experience with simple meals that have come together for him each week.  If you would like to share your recipes from the CAFF Market and from Forland Family Market. Please let me know in person at the market or by email at mktmgrfoley@gmail.com Here's Bob!

On a Saturday evening, after having visited Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market, as I was creating supper without the use of a recipe, I realized that as a result of my weekly visits this style was now the way I cooked most of the time -- created my own recipes using ingredients purchased at the Farmers' Market or from Forland’s.  Why not write down these recipes, share with the people from whom I buy stuff and share with other people who shop as I do?   A few years ago, there was a cookbook that won several book awards, both as a non-fiction book and as a cookbook.  The cookbook consisted solely of recipes using foods found at the San Mateo, California Farmers’ Market.  While I’ve never been there, I am certain what we have at Coastal Alabama beats anything they might have in San Mateo.  Also, I’m certain that our vendors are some of the nicest people you will meet anywhere. 

At Heather Pritchard’s encouragement and invoking my own provincial pride, I offer a recipe to you each week.  By the way, I am not a trained chef/cook by any means.  This is just me experimenting.  As a caveat, I created a self-imposed rule that Coastal Alabama cookbook recipes MUST contain at least three items purchased at the Farmers' Market and/or Forland Family Farm and identify from whom purchased, if possible.  Here’s my first recipe to share.

Recipe for Chopped Ham Steaks

Ingredients: 

[Note:  First three ingredients were purchased at Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen’s Market]

4 chopped ham steaks (purchased from George Family Farm)

1 shiitake mushroom (purchased from Terry Underwood) cut in strips (1inch X ¼ inch)

1 Tablespoon of diced onion (could be purchased from several vendors)

Flour and black pepper mixed 1 cup & ½ teaspoon

Olive oil

~½ cup White wine

~¼ cup No salt added chicken broth

Directions:

Dredge chopped ham steaks in flour/black pepper mix

Over medium heat, in a large pan, add olive oil.

Cook ham steaks, allow room between each, for 5 minutes.  Turn, cook 5 more minutes.

Remove steaks to warm platter

Turn heat to high.  When debris is golden brown add white wine and chicken broth.  Deglaze pan.

Add strips of the mushroom and diced onions.

Cook down stirring constantly until mushrooms and onions are soft and liquid is reduced in half.

Remove heat and let rest 5 minutes.

Serve ham steaks and ladle reduction sauce over the steaks.

This is what I had for supper that night along with brown rice, black-eyed peas (recipe to follow next week), and a glass of red wine.  

See you Saturday at the market.

Bob Zeanah

Author of No Anchor (published November 2015)

Available online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Books a Million

Author of Work to Do (published July 2014)

Available online from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Books a Million

14410 Oak Street

Magnolia Springs AL  36555

251-597-2797 landline

251-752-5174 mobile device

bobzeanah@gmail.com

www.bobzeanah.com