Greenmarket inspo - Extra Helpings

Greenmarket Inspo: Cauliflower Steaks with Chermoula

Every week, our test kitchen team pays an early morning visit to New York City’s biggest farmers market: the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. Comprised of over 70 stalls bursting with flowers, local products, and beautiful seasonal produce, it’s the perfect place for a hit of mid-week inspiration. Follow us on Instagram to tag along (bring a tote bag, it’s impossible to leave empty handed!) and see what we decide to make with our market haul.

Nearly every global cuisine has its own herb-based sauce, from salsa verde and chimichurri to pesto and zhoug. In North Africa, the green condiment of choice is chermoula, a version spiced with cumin and coriander and often blended with raisins for sweetness. Used as a marinade or topping for meat, seafood, and vegetables alike, the recipe varies region to region and can easily be adapted to include what you have on hand. Ours packs a bright and herby punch from the combination of parsley and mint, but if cilantro looks especially good at a market near you, it makes a welcome addition (as does chili paste or pepper flakes for heat, whole slices of preserved lemon, or even a pinch of saffron — up to you!).

If you’ve never made a cauliflower steak before — we love them on Blue Apron’s vegetarian menu — consider it on your to-do list. Keeping the core intact allows you to slice the head into 1-inch-thick slabs that stay together, for the most part, which makes them suitable as a side dish or vegetarian main. More flat surface area (as opposed to the curved shape of a floret) means a cauliflower steak has more direct contact with the sheet pan while roasting; the result is a browned and caramelized exterior with crispy edges, but tender and delicate interior. Drizzled with chermoula, it’s simple, flavorful, and likely the star of your table.

Cauliflower Steaks with Chermoula

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, leaves removed, cut into 1-inch thick steaks (keeping them as intact as possible)
2 cups parsley leaves and tender stems
½ cup mint leaves
2 tbsp golden raisins
2 tsp ground cumin, divided
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp hot paprika
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, quartered and deseeded
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup castelvetrano olives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Method

1. Roast the cauliflower:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons of cumin. Carefully turn to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 26 to 28 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

2. Rehydrate the raisins:

While the cauliflower roasts, in a bowl, combine the raisins and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Set aside to rehydrate, at least 10 minutes.

3. Toast the almonds:

While the raisins rehydrate, heat a dry pan over medium until hot. Add the almonds. Toast, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.

4. Make the chermoula & serve your dish:
While the cauliflower continues to roast, in a blender or food processor, combine the rehydrated raisins (and any lemon juice), parsley, mint, coriander, paprika, garlic, ½ cup olive oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon cumin. Season with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until mostly smooth (some chunks are ok). Serve the roasted cauliflower topped with the chermoula. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Grilled Oysters & Parsley-Chile Butter

After our success picking up bacon at the Greenmarket, we set out to find another non-produce item to use in the Test Kitchen this week, and landed in front of a stall full of coolers and trays of ice. Farmers’ market seafood may sound odd, but if you live near a fishable body of water, it’s likely some of the freshest you’ll find for sale in your area. In New York, we’re lucky that our markets often offer wild-caught fish and shellfish from off the coast of Long Island alongside the carrots and artisanal sourdough, and we took full advantage, buying a few dozen oysters.

For a last summer hurrah, we lit our grill one final time. Grilling oysters is an easy way to prepare them — especially if you don’t have the tools required for shucking. A brief stint in a hot, closed grill pops the shell open, making them easy to separate by hand and serve however you like. We prepared a slightly spicy, slightly herby compound butter to dot into each shell. Carefully sticking them back on the grill for about a minute melts the butter into a flavorful sauce, and makes each oyster a one-bite celebration of the season.

Grilled Oysters & Parsley-Chile Butter

Serves 4
Special equipment: grill

Ingredients

2 dozen oysters, unshucked
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp Calabrian chile paste
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves and stems
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for the grill

Method

1. Make the compound butter:

In a bowl (or food processor, if you have one), combine the butter, chile paste, garlic paste, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Form into a log; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until use, at least 15 minutes. Cut into small pieces.

2. Grill the oysters:

Heat a grill to medium-high; oil the grates. Working in batches (do not do more than a few at a time, to avoid overcooking), place the oysters, unshucked, on the grill, flat side up. Close the grill. Cook until the top shells pop open, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, carefully transfer to a sheet pan. Discard the ones that don’t open.

3. Finish the oysters & serve your dish:
Remove and discard the top shells. Add a piece of compound butter to each grilled oyster. Carefully place on the grill. Close the grill. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. Using tongs or spatula, remove from the grill. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Zucchini & Squash Blossom Galette

When in the market for a picture-perfect brunch dish, dinner party side, or crowd-pleasing appetizer, look no further than a savory galette. While sweet, fruit-filled versions get most of the limelight, freeform tarts filled with vegetables and cheese make just as much of an impact, and allow for fun experimentation with herbs and spices, post-oven drizzles, and savory alternative flours.

A galette was the perfect showcase for this week’s farmers’ market find: a clamshell full of sunny squash blossoms. These bright yellow blooms grow from the same plants as zucchini and summer squash, and often appear on restaurant menus stuffed with cheese and fried until crispy. We used them as the final touch to our galette filling, splayed atop a swoosh of seasoned ricotta and thinly-sliced zucchini. In the oven they get golden-brown and a little crisp, a nice contrast to the herby, buttery pastry and hot honey drizzle.

Zucchini & Squash Blossom Galette

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients

For the dough:
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp picked thyme leaves
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
1 egg, beaten

For the galette:
1 zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
5 – 6 squash blossoms, stem end trimmed, stamen or pistils removed
1 cup ricotta
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2 oz grana padano, grated
1 tsp lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp honey
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Make the dough:

In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, thyme, and salt. Using your fingers, flake the butter pieces into the flour mixture, until it resembles wet sand (some larger pieces are ok). Add the beaten egg; use a fork to combine, then pat together with your hands into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

2. Brown the zucchini:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the zucchini rounds in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat.

3. Season the ricotta:

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, garlic paste, lemon zest, and half the grated grana padano; season with salt and pepper.

4. Assemble & bake the galette:

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a ¼-inch-thick round (approximately 14 inches wide). Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Spread the seasoned ricotta into an even layer on the dough round, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border around the edges. Layer the browned zucchini over the ricotta, cooked side up, overlapping where necessary. Top with the squash blossoms. Sprinkle with the remaining grated grana padano. Fold the edges of dough up over the filling, overlapping where necessary, to form the crust. Brush the crust with the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.

5. Make the hot honey & serve your dish:

While the galette bakes, in a bowl, combine the honey, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons warm water. Drizzle the baked galette with the hot honey before serving. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: BLT Salad with Grilled Romaine & Bacon Fat Croutons

We understand how this looks. Of all of the bright and juicy late summer produce to choose from at the greenmarket, we went with bacon? But hear us out: thicker cut and with a serious layer of fat, farmers’ market bacon cooks up to the platonic ideal of the breakfast food, both melt-in-your-mouth crispy and meatily chewy at once. It definitely costs more than your average supermarket brand, making it an “every once and a while” treat, but when you are looking to splurge, it’s a worthwhile way to spend your market cash — and certainly warrants being the centerpiece of a dish.

This recipe uses bacon two ways: first, crisped in the oven and crumbled to scatter over the salad, and second (and this is where the extra fat from the farmers’ market variety comes in handy), to bake up a batch of golden brown croutons. Cooking bacon on a wire rack set on a rimmed sheet pan means the bacon stays crispy while the rendered fat drips down below. We toss torn pieces of crusty bread (and a grated garlic clove, for bite) in that reserved fat to evenly coat each piece before tossing the pan back into the oven. The result is a crisp and crunchy crouton with a subtle salty, savory flavor, ready to soak up any juices from the bursting September tomatoes we tossed over the salad (see, we managed to get some seasonal produce in there!).

BLT Salad with Grilled Romaine & Bacon Fat Croutons

Serves 4
Special equipment: grill or grill pan, wire rack

Ingredients

2 heads romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise through the core
8 slices bacon
½ pint (about 1 cup) cherry tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp buttermilk
2 tbsp mayonnaise
3 oz blue cheese, divided
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 bunch chives, thinly sliced
3-4 slices crusty bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Method

1. Roast the bacon:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Fit a wire rack into a rimmed sheet pan. Place the bacon slices on the prepared sheet pan. Roast 14 to 16 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon into small pieces. Remove the wire rack from the sheet pan, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.

2. Toast the croutons:

To the pan of reserved bacon fat, add the torn bread and garlic paste; season with salt and pepper (add a drizzle of olive oil if the pan seems dry). Toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Toast in the oven 6 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven.

3. Grill the lettuce:

While the croutons toast, heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat; lightly oil the grates. Drizzle the cut side of the halved heads of lettuce with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly charred. Transfer to a plate.

4. Make the dressing:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, 2 oz blue cheese, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Assemble the salad & serve your dish:

Spoon half the dressing onto a platter; spread into an even layer. Place the grilled lettuce on the dressing, grilled side up. Top with half the tomatoes, half the crumbled bacon, and half the croutons. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Garnish with the remaining tomatoes, remaining crumbled bacon, remaining croutons, remaining blue cheese (crumbling before adding), and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Cantaloupe-Coconut Agua Fresca

On summer mornings in Mexico City, waiting in line for a colorful agua fresca from a street vendor is just as common as ordering an A.M. cup of coffee. Made by blending fresh fruit, water, and sugar, an agua fresca is a smoothie’s lighter, more refreshing cousin, and an ideal way to utilize the season’s sweetest produce.

A ripe cantaloupe doesn’t need a ton to turn it into a flavorful cold drink, so this agua fresca recipe starts at the market. To pick the best cantaloupe from the pile, look for one that smells sweet and feels heavy and firm for its size, with a slightly indented stem. Then, add just a drizzle of honey to bring out the sweetness, lime juice for a tart note, and coconut water to give the whole thing a slightly tropical vibe. Freezing the cantaloupe first and straining after blending keeps it thin, icy, and very chuggable.

Cantaloupe-Coconut Agua Fresca

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs cantaloupe, cut into large pieces (about half of 1 medium cantaloupe)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds scooped out, cut into large pieces
¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
4 cups coconut water
1 tbsp honey
Pinch kosher salt

Method

1. Freeze the cantaloupe:

Place the cantaloupe pieces on a sheet pan. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

2. Make the agua fresca:

Combine the frozen cantaloupe and cut cucumber, lime juice, coconut water, honey and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer before serving. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Indian Smashed Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers don’t get a lot of love, but they’re secretly a summer produce MVP. Crisp and cooling, they require little more than slicing before they’re ready to enjoy, making them a great picnic or beach snack, crudite platter addition, or pairing for dips. When you do feel like dressing them up, however, cucumbers also take well to all manner of flavor combinations, and feature in many global cuisines.

This salad eats like a deconstructed raita, the Indian cucumber and yogurt condiment that’s a favorite dip for naan or cooling topper for curries. We use (garlic-spiked) yogurt as a creamy swoosh on the bottom of the plate, then pile on the spice-and-nut coated cukes. A flurry of herbs and flaky salt add the ideal fresh and crunchy finish.

Indian Smashed Cucumber Salad

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Serves 6

Ingredients

10 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
¼ cup roasted cashews, finely chopped
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup full-fat yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 lime
A few sprigs cilantro, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped
A few sprigs mint, leaves roughly chopped or torn
Olive oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Smash & drain the cucumbers:

Working one piece at a time, place the cucumber pieces on a cutting board. Using the flat side of your knife, smash to flatten each piece. Transfer the smashed cucumbers to a strainer set over a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Set aside to drain at least 10 minutes.

2. Make the coating:

While the cucumbers drain, in a medium pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop in the pan. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped cashews and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Season the yogurt:

In a bowl, combine the yogurt and garlic paste; season with salt and pepper.

4. Dress the cucumbers & serve your dish:

Discard any liquid drained from the smashed cucumbers; place the cucumbers in the bowl. Add the coating and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Swoosh the seasoned yogurt into an even layer on a serving platter. Top with the dressed cucumbers. Garnish with the cilantro, mint, and flaky salt. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble

They say that you shouldn’t go grocery shopping while hungry, but for the farmers market in peak stonefruit season, the rule should be adjusted: don’t visit when you’re craving dessert. We made that mistake this week, and the colorful array of nectarines, apricots, peaches, and plums put visions of pies, galettes, and jam bars in our heads. We would 1000% be baking.

But just 2 ½ pounds of market peaches can be difficult to stretch, so we spent the trip back to the test kitchen scheming about how to use them to feed all of our coworkers. The obvious choice: a crumble. For a crowd and in a pinch, with almost any type of fruit and an oven-safe dish, a crumble is a bubbly, golden-brown, show-stopping meal-ender — or afternoon snack, if you’re us. Mix and match flavors using the fruit itself (we added grated ginger with the peach for a bit of brightness and bite) and the topping (here we opted for cornmeal, for a hearty, Southern-inspired sweetness). Some failsafe combinations, if you’re not in the mood for peaches:

Blackberry + lime (try chopped pistachios in the topping)
Strawberry + rhubarb (try rolled oats in the topping)
Pear + cranberry (try cinnamon in the topping)

Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble

Serves 8 to 10
Special equipment: 10-inch cast-iron pan, like this one

Ingredients

Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble in a skillet with vanilla ice cream on top

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
¾ cup cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
¾ cup light brown sugar, divided
2 ½ lbs peaches, pitted and large diced
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

1. Prepare the skillet:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron pan with butter across the bottom and up the sides.

2. Make the crumble:

Cut the remaining stick of butter into small pieces. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup brown sugar. Add the butter pieces; using your fingers, flake the butter into the cornmeal mixture until it has the consistency of wet sand.

3. Assemble & bake the skillet:

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, ginger, lemon juice, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar (use less if your peaches are super sweet!). Transfer the coated peaches into the prepared skillet. Evenly top with the crumble; form the mixture into larger and smaller crumbs as you work. Place the skillet on a sheet pan (to catch any drips). Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. Let sit 5 minutes before topping with ice cream to serve. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Pasta Salad Alla Norma

Every week, our test kitchen team visits New York City’s biggest farmers market: the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. Comprised of over 70 stalls bursting with flowers, local products, and beautiful seasonal produce, it’s the perfect place for a hit of mid-week culinary inspiration. Follow us on Instagram to tag along (bring a tote bag, it’s impossible to leave empty handed!) and see what we decide to make with our market haul.

Visiting the market first thing in the morning has its advantages: you get your pick of the produce before anything sells out, you are liable to spot a fancy restaurant chef in the wild shopping for that night’s dinner service, and you beat the heat, escaping with your purchases before crowds double the humidity index. This week, however, it was already teetering on too hot for shopping by the time we arrived at Union Square, making it hard to think about cooking at all. Could we get away with claiming that our market inspiration this time around was…snow cones?

Luckily we spotted summer’s #1 cutest produce item on sale for $5 per pound and quickly got back on track. Fairytale eggplants, with their characteristic tiny size and streaky lavender exterior, are the darlings of the nightshade family and are easily sliced into coins for pasta dishes, stir-fries, or grain salads. Back at the test kitchen, we adapted one of our favorite eggplant-based Italian meals, rigatoni alla norma, into a make-ahead style pasta salad, ideal for a picnic lunch or beach trip, with fairytales as the star. (Note: baby eggplant, or a smaller regular eggplant cut into a medium dice will work just as well.)

Pasta Salad Alla Norma

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz rigatoni pasta
1 ¼ lbs fairytale or baby eggplant (about 15 medium fairytales), cut into ¼-inch rounds
¾ lb cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint), halved
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, finely grated
¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnishing
4 oz ricotta salata, roughly grated or shaved
A few sprigs of basil
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cook the pasta:

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cool water. Place in a large bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to keep from sticking.

2. Cook the eggplant:

In a large pan, heat a thin layer of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches, add the eggplant pieces in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and softened (add a drizzle of olive oil between batches). Transfer to a plate.

3. Cook the tomatoes:

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the halved tomatoes in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped capers and anchovies, red pepper flakes, and garlic paste; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the chopped mint and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Turn off the heat.

4. Dress the pasta:

To the bowl of cooked pasta, add the cooked eggplant, cooked tomatoes, half the cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil; stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with the remaining cheese, basil, and mint (tearing the leaves before adding). Enjoy!

HOT TIP: If you’re packing this dish up for a picnic, wrap up a few sprigs of mint and basil in a paper towel to bring along separately; tear the leaves and scatter on top just before serving, so they don’t wilt and brown in transit.

Greenmarket Inspo: Sweet Pepper Confit Toasts

Cooked in oil until soft, then flavored with an agrodolce (aka sweet and sour) pairing of honey and sherry vinegar, these peppers are ideal on slices of bread for a simple summer appetizer. If you’re not in the mood for toast, skip the baguette; the confited peppers can be stirred into a room temperature pasta salad for a picnic or piled atop grilled steak or chicken for company.

Sweet Pepper Confit Toasts

Makes about 15 toasts

Ingredients

¾ lb mini sweet peppers, cored and cut lengthwise into ½-inch strips
1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 baguette, thinly sliced on an angle
1 small bunch basil
Flaky sea salt, for serving

Method

1. Cook the vegetables:

In a small pot, combine the sliced peppers, sliced shallot, and 1 clove of garlic, finely grated. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add ⅓ cup olive oil; stir to combine. Heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the vinegar and honey; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until combined. Turn off the heat.

2. Toast the baguette:

While the vegetables cook, halve 1 clove of garlic crosswise. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then set the broiler to high. Place the baguette slices on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Toast in the oven, flipping halfway through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Rub each toasted slice with the cut side of the garlic clove.

3. Assemble the dish:

Assemble each toast using the toasted baguette, cooked vegetables, and basil, tearing or thinly slicing just before adding. Season with flaky salt and pepper. Enjoy!

HOT TIP: Save the leftover oil from the bottom of the pot after you assemble the toasts; it’s a little garlicky, a little sweet, a little bright — ideal for use in a salad dressing!