Posted by Tristan on: Sat 27th Feb, 2010

The farmers market has exploded with citrus in the past couple week and this season seems extra abundant to me. I have been receiving oranges and lemons from friends with trees faster than I can eat them. And I can eat a lot of fruit.  If you have citrus trees or friends with citrus trees you are probably well stocked on vitamin C at the moment.

 In addition to the run of the mill lemons, limes and navel oranges, I spotted at the farmers’ market last week: mandarins, tangerines, satsumas, and blood oranges. Grape fruit can’t be far behind.

If you have not yet had a blood orange I recommend you get down to farmers market on Tuesday afternoon and buy a pound or two.  The fruit gets its name from its deep red flesh and juice. The red pigment, anthocyanin, is an antioxidant that reduces the risks associated with many ailments, including age-related illnesses.  One medium-sized orange also contains about 260 milligrams of potassium.  All the nutritional benefits are great, but I get blood oranges for the unique flavor.

Blood oranges are in the sweet orange family like navels, or valencias, but have a more complex flavor profile.  The primary taste is unmistakably orange but there are notes cherry, raspberry and grapefruit.  This is especially true of the Moro variety, which, I’m pretty sure are the orange I bought at the market.  Moros are noted for their variegated color, both in the flesh and on the rind.   Their complex affect on the pallet is like biting in to a fresh and refreshing fruit punch.

I eat most of my oranges cut in to half round or “soccer slices” but I like to make blood orange angel cakes on occasion. Here’s how I do it

6 mini angel food cakes (or shortcake)
2 lbs blood oranges peeled and sliced crosswise into 3/4 inch chunks
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs chopped fresh mint

Toss the oranges in a bowl with the sugar and mint. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature so the fruit becomes juicy, making its own syrup. Spoon over cakes and enjoy.

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Tags: blood oranges, Santa Barbara Food, fruit, citrus, nutrition, local food, farmers market

Posted by Tristan on: Mon 22nd Feb, 2010

This Saturday I was introduced to a new veggie our local farmers are growing; the Pea Green.  I only got a quarter pound (4oz) from Ojai Valley Sprouts at the farmers market, and wish I had bought more. These tasty little shoots are the immature tips of snow pea or sugar pea vines, clipped off as the plant continues to mature. The taste is something between sugar snap peas and bean sprouts.  The pea greens are also high in vitamins A, C and folic acid.

The shoots can be used to top a salad, or tossed with a sesame ginger dressing and served as the salad.  I can just snack on the raw shoots alone, but I made most of my pea greens in to dinner with some soba noodles.

Try this pea green and soba noodle bowl
Makes two servings.  

4oz pea greens
12 oz soba noodles
1 clove garlic minced
1tbs brown sugar
1/3-cup rice wine vinegar
2tbs soy sauce
1tsp chili paste
1tbs finely ground fresh ginger or ginger paste

Wisk together the brown sugar vinegar, soy sauce chili paste and ginger. Set the sauce aside.

Boil the soba noodles according to the package directions, in a pot that will also accommodate the greens. When the noodles are a 1 1/2 to 2 minutes form being done stir in the greens.  Drain the mix in a colander do not rinse. Return the mix to the pot, toss with the sauce, and serve immediately.

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Tags: pea greens recipies, Santa Barbara Food, veggies, new vegtables, nutrition, noodle bowl, farmers market

Posted by Tristan on: Sat 6th Feb, 2010

When I tell people I got a great bunch of beets at the market, I find they are usually not as enthusiastic as myself.   So many people I know tell me they don’t like beets, but have never tried them, or have no clue what one would do with the woody things. 

With a delicate sweet and earthy flavor the Beetroot is surprisingly versatile.  They can be sliced thin for salads, made in to soup, roasted, pickled, and simmered.  The greens are savory and can be prepared almost any way you would cook spinach.  Lightly steamed or blanched is the simplest way to cook them, but they are also great in soups.  Swiss chard is actually a type of beet.  Any thing you would make with chard can use beet greens.

Moreover, beetroots are great sores of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C.   The greens are a powerhouse of calcium, magnesium, and a better source of iron than spinach.

Try this beet and root veggie sauté.

1tbs olive oil
2 1/2 cups Golden beets* (about 3 good sized roots) peeled and cut in to 2x1/2 inch sticks
2 1/2 cups other root veggies ( carrots, celery root, parsnips) peeled and cut in to 2x1/2   inch sticks
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 celery stalks cut into 1/2 inch wide sticks
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1cup water


   *You can use red beets, but they will turn every thing in the pan red or pink, like washing whites with your luck red socks.

Over a medium flame heat the olive oil.  Add the beets and root veggies, season with salt and pepper, sauté for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and celery, sauté a minute longer.
Add the cup of water. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the veggies are tender but not too soft. The beets should be al dente.
Sprinkle in the lemon zest and nutmeg.
Serves 4 as side dish or  server a top pasta with parmesan to make an entrée .

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Tags: Beet recipies, Santa Barbara Food, root veggies, farmers market