Farmer's Market Spring

Posted Wed, 04/28/2010 - 22:59 by Melissa

I've been really enjoying the farmer's market lately. Bizarrely enough, some people really want to know what the heck I eat. It's boring to me...but apparently exciting to you? 

The above dish was from the Friday farmer's market at Union Square, which isn't always my favorite, but I scored this ground ostrich for pretty cheap and some fresh nettles. Yes, you can eat the stinging nettle and its full of great nutrients. I always collected it in Sweden and despite wearing gloves I got stung regularly. It's not so bad and might even be beneficial for people with inflammatory illnesses. But I didn't get stung this time. They were in a bag and I blanched them in boiling water before quickly putting them in an ice bath. Then I chopped them finely and mixed them with a beaten egg. After coating with some coconut flakes left over from making coconut milk (almond or other nut flour would work too), I fried them in lard. Pretty good nettle fritters. The ostrich I just made into patties in cooked. It was fairly good, but a little gamey and like all farmed poultry, the ostrich had been fed corn. Ruminants >>>> poultry in terms of fatty acid balance.

At the Saturday market I scored tons of asparagus, ramps (a wild leek), a grassfed beef heart, lovely purple potatoes, and tons of bison marrow bones. The beef heart got my "offal killing marinade" overnight. I call it that because it really does kill any off flavors, but maybe the heart didn't need it because it's not that offaly. Either way, it's minced red hot pepper, jalapeno, ginger, and cilantro in lime juice overnight. Then I grilled the heart and salted it....and it was DELICIOUS. I will definitely buy it again. I put the marrow bones on top of the potatoes in the oven and let the fat from the bones coat them in deliciousness as they cooked. Then the killer combo of lemon juice, salt, capers, and black pepper.

Today I got more asparagus and some striped wild sea bass. All of that went in the toaster oven at work with duck fat, salt, and pepper. Sea bass is an incredible fish- 100% silky and 0% weird. I love how quickly and simply it cooked too. I will definitely buy it again.

What's next? Rhubarb and strawberries, the former I try to limit my consumption of because historically it's a medicine and not a food. It was originally imported from Asia to Europe as a laxative, well...at least according to the Linnaeus mueseum in Uppsala, Sweden. Interestingly, Linnaeus suffered from terrible gout, which he was finally able to cure with wild strawberries. But either way, rhubarb is very high in oxalic acid and definitely requires sweet to taste palatable. My paleo rhubarb recipe mixes finally chopped strawberries and rhubarb and lets the mixture sit overnight, then tops it with crushed walnuts/fat/honey mixture. A treat that I shouldn't eat ALL the time like I did when I lived in Sweden, probably because people there ate rhubarb crisp like crazy.

Comments

Hi Melissa, I recently

by Cherie (not verified) - 04/30/2010 - 10:07

Hi Melissa,
I recently started paleo diet and research into sustainable farming and local foods. I'm really enjoying your blog. You bring up a lot of very good questions for discussion: I particularly feel that the topics on women's health and experiences with paleo are an area that needs more discussion and information. Thank you for that. I've also found your bibliography extremely useful. I've started reading the Weston Price book and am HORRIFIED!!! I'm throwing out all packaged food and rocking myself in a corner. It IS helpful for you to share recipes and buying tips for newbies. I never would have thought about using bones if I hadn't read your blog. Here is a question and you may have answered it somewhere along the line already. As a new person to paleo I'm having a difficult time retraining my taste buds. I know oily little fishes are good for me, but I'm having a hard time with the smell and their little eyes staring at me to the point i can't seem to get them down the hatch. I read a book called The Yoga of Eating of which the gist is: Let your taste buds and your body tell you what you need. So how do I get my taste buds with the program?? And organ meats and bugs? Oh God! If you've already answered this just link me to it...again, really appreciate your thoughtful blog. cherie

You farmers market must have

by James (not verified) - 04/29/2010 - 13:04

You farmers market must have a better selection, because I have the hardest time finding items that I need there. Maybe it's time for me to find a different market. :)

The meal in the picture looks a little bland, but maybe it's just the picture. Do you have a favorite Paleo recipe?

I've read about a lot of people starting the Paleo Diet because of stomach problems, and it works great for them. I think it says a lot about all the junk we're eating these days.

Hi Melissa, Just a quick

by Saro (not verified) - 04/29/2010 - 11:08

Hi Melissa,

Just a quick thought on why people are interested in what you eat - when you are new to this way of eating & cooking, new ideas and inspiration around what to eat are so helpful. It's such a shift from a lifetime of meat, starch, veg or pasta. I'm babystepping along and I know I find hearing about paleo/primal bloggers meals really help to expand my thinking and repetoire.

Thanks for sharing!

Saro

I don't ever see ramps at the

by Nicole (not verified) - 04/29/2010 - 06:09

I don't ever see ramps at the Farmer's Markets here.

I've looked all over my mountain and the places I usually hike, and I just haven't found any nearby.

I did see an unbelievable number of them in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when I hiked the A.T. through there, but you're not allowed to dig up anything.

Considering there are rangers hiding in the bushes (not kidding) with guns to cull wild boar (yes, they eat them), you never know who might catch you!

love this post for some

by michael (not verified) - 04/28/2010 - 23:55

love this post for some reason.
care to share that 'offal killing marinade'? :D