During Week 2 of the SSFC we were challenged with making a raw/vegetarian dish. I knew I'd be incorporating asparagus into whatever I made because I'm still working through the two bunches I bought at the farmers' market the week before last. I store asparagus by keeping the spears in the fridge in a cup filled with enough water to cover the ends. It keeps beautifully, because 10 days later I'm still working my way through all this fresh asparagus in my fridge. I sometimes wonder if it's multiplying?!
The heat has really rolled in, and the only thing I want to eat when it's this hot is fruit and salad, so I decided on a green salad with asparagus. I steamed the asparagus a little to soften it. The red and yellow tomatoes are hothouse tomatoes from Hummingbird Farms in Ridgely, MD, and the greens and asparagus are also from a farm in MD, though I can't recall the name now. I love olives in my salad but left them out for this challenge. I don't really like heavy dressings on my salads, and I dressed this green salad with olive oil and rice vinegar, my old stand-by.
I discovered a new farmers' market last week too. I need to find a new local meat vendor because I no longer like the beef from the local vendor that I used to buy from. The taste has changed and there seems to be more fat in it. I found a producer-only farmers' market in Fairfax County that only takes vendors from within 125 miles, so it's perfect for me for this challenge. The downside is that it's only open from 4-7 on Friday, so it means having to rush home from work to get there in time. I bought ground beef from the Smith Family Farm, and I can't wait to try it. I hope it becomes my new meat source. I also picked up these veggies. Don't these onions look gorgeous? I hope to harvest some like that from my own garden.
You can click here to read more about the Challenge, and click here to see what other challenge participants are making.
Hope you ate something good this weekend!
Oooooh I miss salad, well actually i had one tonight but I miss craving salads - I know its really winter when I crave soup not salad...
ReplyDeleteExactly--all I want in winter time is soups, and with the summer heat, sometimes I feel like it's too much effort to eat something hot!
DeleteI love how you embrace these challenges - I crave salads myself in the summer - it will be good when I can produce most of the ingredients myself (if the weather ever warms up).
ReplyDeleteThanks Elaine! I'm sure you'll be harvesting plenty soon enough!
DeleteWhat a GORGEOUS salad!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteGreat tip on keeping asparagus fresh in the refrigerator. I miss salads - yours looks so fresh and crisp. It is way to hot here for lettuce to grow. I look forward to winter for all those great greens. Great raw/veg meal!
ReplyDeleteThanks! There are still a few greens at the farmers' markets, but I think this will be my last local salad for a while.
DeleteThat salad is gorgeous! That is a good tip about the asparagus...I'm gonna pinch that idea ;)
ReplyDeleteNothing beats a simple salad, especially with such great ingredients. I'm not sure which is more beautiful, the asparagus or the tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful salad! I'm a little jealous of your tomatoes--so pretty!
ReplyDeleteYour salad looks awesome...and like the others thanks so much for the asparagus tip!
ReplyDelete