Market Inspirations

Autumn is finally here! It was a beautiful weekend with the temperature hovering in the low seventies and leaves turning brilliant shades of yellows and reds. The air is crisp and I am pulling out sweaters and scarves to keep me warm on these chilly nights. It’s time for slowl braised foods and hot nurturing soups to warm our bellies. I was inspired to visit the farmer’s market again after months of absence.

We were in La Canada Flintridge to see a friend's son play soccer. The park was only a few blocks from the Saturday Farmer's Market. The farmer’s market is a treat for the senses. In the midst of November, we still have peaches and plums from Yucaipa farmers and honey crisp and crab apples offering up their splendor at the stalls. The strawberries are still out and citrus are reaching their peak now. I came across a stall filled with fuyu persimmons and pomegranates, a still life of brilliant orange and crimson fruits. There was a beautiful cluster of persimmons still on the branch that I had to buy. What am I going to do with all these persimmons? The salade du marche from Church & State was still fresh in my mind so I decided to replicate the recipe. It really is a fitting name because the ingredients are all in season at the farmer’s market now. Tracking down fresh frisee, wild arugula and mushrooms was easy. There were several farmers selling beautiful fresh picked lettuce of every hue and variety. I am inspired and excited and can’t wait to make delicious food for my family.

Tonight we had braised lamb shanks with roasted chestnuts and preserved lemon couscous with the salade du marche. The girls devoured their salads and asked for seconds of the persimmons and pomegranates. It was a wonderful meal to welcome back autumn’s bounty.

Here's my recipe for the salad. It’s a colorful salad full of sweet, nutty, salty and tartness fit for the Thanksgiving table. You can make this a vegan salad by using olive oil instead of butter. Enjoy!

Salade Du Marche

Salad:
2 cup loosely packed frisee
4 cups loosely packed wild arugula
2 medium fuyu persimmons ( the crunchy variety, not the soft ones) peeled and cut into small wedges
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ lbs of oyster mushrooms
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of sherry or cognac (optional)

Dressing:
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
2/3 cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
A grating of fresh lemon peel
Salt & pepper to taste

In a hot frying pan on medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and cook slivered almonds until golden brown, add in  a pinch of salt. Set aside in a bowl to cool. In the same frying pan, turn up the heat to high and melt the other tablespoon of butter until light brown, add in the oyster mushrooms and stir until the butter coats most of the mushrooms, let the mushrooms brown for a minute and stir again, sprinkle a teaspoon of salt on the mushrooms. When the mushrooms are brown, stir in the optional tablespoon of sherry and sauté for another 30 seconds. Take off heat and set aside.

Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients together and whisk vigorously.  Use a small amount of dressing to dress the lettuce, only enough to lightly coat the leaves.  Coat the persimmon wedges lightly with dressing and mix with lettuce.  Plate the lettuce and scatter the pommegranate seeds, almonds, and mushrooms around the plate. Serves 4.