Holiday Menu

Please place orders to:    HarvestMarketDC@Yahoo.com


Gifts:
Meyer lemon and orange marmalade                 $10/8oz
Chocolate-ginger sauce                                      $12/8oz


First Courses:
Fennel cured salmon gravlax                              $8/4oz
Pistachio pate de campagne                               $5/4oz
Jerusalem artichoke soup with Meyer lemon(serves 3-4)   $12/qt
Watercress, fennel, and pear salad(serves 3-4)                  $12/ lb

Mains:
Spit Roasted Turkey Breast with Organic Apple Cider Glaze
$25.00/ lb

Braised Beef Brisket with Swiss Chard and Roasted Red Potatoes
$25.00/ lb

Salmon Infused with Soy and Citrus
$29.00/ lb


Sides:(serves 3-4 guests per pound)
Roasted carrot with winter spices, pecans                        $12/ lb
Toasted barley with mushrooms, strained herb yogurt      $12/ lb
Savoy cabbage with white beans and black truffle            $12/ lb
Black-eyed peas with bacon and swiss chard                   $14/ lb

Week of Dec 5- Dec 11 menu

Soups:
Rustic Tomato and Bread Soup(v,gf)       $7/16oz
Rhutabaga- Apple Soup(v,gf)                   $7/16oz

Salads:
Carrot and Chicory Salad with Pomegranate Dressing(v,gf)   $7/16oz
Winter Spinach with Chickpea and Harissa(v)                         $8/per
Beef and Soba Noodle Salad(m)                                               $8/16oz
Herb Chicken Salad(m)                                                             $8/16oz

Mains:
Chicken Provencale(m)                                                            $14/16oz
Potato and Chickpea Stew(v)                                                   $7/16oz
Shredded Pork and Escarole Stew(m)                                      $10/16oz

Sides:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Savory(v)                                 $8/16oz
CousCous with Roasted Root Vegetables(v)                             $7/16oz


Limited Amounts:
Cranberry and Pear Tart Individual                                             $4/per
Four Cabbage Slaw with Sesame(v,gf)                                       $5/per
Turnip Soup(v,gf)                                                                        $7/16oz
Celery Root and Leek Soup(v,gf)                                                $7/16oz
Red Wine Beef Sauce(m)                                                             $7/8oz

Menu for Week of Nov 28-Dec 4

Soups:
Celery Root and Leek Soup(v,gf)            $7/16oz
Rustic Tomato and Bread Soup(v,gf)       $7/16oz
Rhutabaga- Apple Soup(v,gf)                   $7/16oz
Turnip Soup(v,gf)                                     $7/16oz

Salads:
Brussels Sprout, Wild Rice Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette(v,gf)      $7/16oz
Four Cabbage Slaw with Sesame(v,gf)                                           $7/16oz
Carrot and Chicory Salad with Pomegranate Dressing(v,gf)          $7/16oz

Mains:
Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Stew(m)      $14/lb
Miso marinated Organic Salmon(m)               $tbd
Proscuitto and Sage wrapped Organic Chicken Breast(m)    $12/lb

Sides:
Roasted Root Vegetable CousCous with Herbs and Almonds(v)      $8/per
Winter Spinach with Chickpea and Harissa(v)                                  $8/per

For Your Pantry Needs:
Organic poultry stock(m)                 $8/qt
Red Wine Beef Sauce                      $7/8oz

Thanksgiving Menu

    Below is the Thanksgiving menu. Orders for Thanksgiving menu need to be placed no later than 12pm on Thursday November 17th. Thanksgiving week is, obviously, one of the busiest delivery weeks for my purveyors and farmers. I like to place orders early so that I can guarantee my orders. Delivery to you will be on either Tuesday November 22 or Wednesday November 23 depending on where you live. When placing orders, I will confirm the date and time for delivery.
    Reheating instructions will be included with all orders.
    If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.
    Thank you for your cooperation and have a wonderful holiday.

Thank you,
Christopher

Thanksgiving Menu

Celery Root, Apple, Chestnut Soup
$12/qt

Cranberry - Ginger Sauce
$15/qt

Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios
$16/ 2lbs

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Savory
(available in vegetarian version)
$15/ 2lbs

Glazed Root Vegetables with Honey and Thyme
$16/ 2lbs

Focaccia, Herb, and Sausage Stuffing
(available in vegetarian version)
$12/ 2lbs

Menu for Week of Nov 7- 13

Soups:
Local Fall Squash Soup(v,gf)                               $7/16oz
Cauliflower Soup(v,gf)                                         $7/16oz
Broccoli Soup with Aged Goat Cheese(v,gf)       $7/16oz

Salads:
Farro and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette(v)           $8/16oz
Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash, with Pomegranate(v,gf)      $7/16oz
Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad(v,gf)                                        $7/16oz
Roasted Gold Beet Salad with Arugula(v,gf)                              $7/16oz


Mains:
Beef Cooked with Ginger, Soy, and Mushroom(m)      $12/lb
Slow Roasted Pimenton Pulled Pork(m)                       $10/lb

Sides:
Roasted Salsify(v,gf)                           $7/16oz 
Cilantro-Garlic Sauce(v,gf)                 $5/8oz                                     
Braised Belgium Endive(gf)                $7/16oz

Menu for Week of Nov 1 - Nov 6

     As November nights become bracing and days shorter, my appetite builds. I crave robust and rich flavors. Hard winter squashes with their earthy complexity. Nutty flavored grains, silky salsify, pickled vegetables, woodsy mushrooms set the stage for the on-coming of winter.

Soups:
Local Fall Squash Soup(v)                               $7/16oz
Cauliflower Soup(v)                                         $7/16oz
Broccoli Soup with Aged Goat Cheese(v)       $7/16oz

Salads:
Farro and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette(v)          $8/16oz
Pear, Fennel, Blue Cheese Salad with Herb Vinaigrette(v)       $7/16oz
Salsify with Pickled Mushroom, Arugula, Red Wine Redux(v)    $8/16oz
Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash, with Pomegranate(v)              $7/16oz
Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad(v)                                                $7/16oz

Mains:
Braised Chicken in Red Wine(m)                              TBD
Chickpea Stew with Kale, Tomatoes, and Pimenton(v)    $7/lb
Beef Cooked with Ginger, Soy, and Mushroom(m)      $12/lb
Slow Roasted Pimenton Pulled Pork(m)       $10/lb                             

Other Offerings:
Tuscan Kale with Chilies, Raisins, and Capers(v)            $8/16oz
Country Pate(m)                                                                $5/4oz
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds(v)    $7/16oz
Pear and Almond Tart(v)                                                   $3/per mini tart

Menu for October 24 -30

Soups:
Local Fall Squash Soup(v)                                                       $7/16oz
Wild Rice, Brussel Sprouts Soup with Mushroom Broth(v)    $8/16oz
Wild Mushroom Soup(v)                                                          $8/16oz

Salads:
Beet Salad with Sorrel and Red Wine Vinaigrette(v)             $7/16oz
Farro and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette(v)       $8/16oz
Pear, Fennel, Blue Cheese Salad with Herb Vinaigrette(v)    $7/16oz
Chickpea, Carrot and Parsley Salad with Lemon(v)              $7/16oz

Sides:
Glazed Nantes Carrots(v)                                             $5/16oz
Tuscan Kale with Chilies, Raisins, and Capers(v)       $8/16oz
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cumin and Sage(v)    $7/16oz

Mains:
Bolognese Sauce(m)                           $8/lb
Chickpea Stew with Kale, Tomatoes, and Pimenton(v)    $7/lb
Beef Cooked with Ginger, Soy, and Mushroom(m)      $12/lb
Slow Roasted Pimenton Pulled Pork(m)       $10/lb

Menu for October 17-23

Soups:
Carrot - Ginger Soup(v)                                                            $7/16oz
Wild Rice, Brussel Sprouts Soup with Mushroom Broth(v)    $8/16oz
Wild Mushroom Soup(v)                                                          $8/16oz

Salads:
Beet Salad with Sorrel and Red Wine Vinaigrette(v)             $7/16oz
Farro and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette(v)       $8/16oz
Pear, Fennel, Blue Cheese Salad with Herb Vinaigrette(v)    $7/16oz
Chickpea, Carrot and Parsley Salad with Lemon(v)              $7/16oz

Sides:
Glazed Nantes Carrots(v)                                             $5/16oz
Tuscan Kale with Chilies, Raisins, and Capers(v)       $8/16oz
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cumin and Sage(v)    $7/16oz

Mains:
Beef Braised in Red Wine(m)             $12/lb
Bolognese Sauce(m)                           $8/lb
Chickpea Stew with Kale, Tomatoes, and Pimenton(v)    $7/lb

Columbus Day Menu

Due to Columbus Day deliveries, drop-offs will be on Wednesday of this week at the same time frame. If you need the delivery on Tuesday, please tell me in the order email. I would not be able to deliver until much later in the afternoon on Tuesday. 

Soups:
Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin Soup(v)                 $7/16oz
Wild Rice, Brussel Sprouts Soup with Mushroom Broth(v)    $7/16oz
Wild Mushroom Soup(v)      $7/16oz

Salads:
Italian Bean, Fennel, and Lemon Salad(v)                     $7/16oz
Beet Salad with Sorrel and Red Wine Vinaigrette          $7/16oz
Farro and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette    $7/16oz

Sides:
Country Pates                                                     $5/4oz
Glazed Nantes Carrots                                       $5/16oz

Mains:
Beef Braised in Red Wine                                   $12/lb
Pork Shoulder with Guinness and Cranberry      $10/lb
Mozzarella stuffed Meatballs                              $10/lb

Fall Beginnings

     October brings beautiful temperate days and brisk nights. Fall squash abound with flavor and variety. Beets only need a splash of acidity to heighten their sweetness. Middle Eastern spices warm the palate. Chilies at the end of their growing season add a little zing. As crimson and amber leaves begin to flutter from the trees, it feels right to embrace falls flavor.  

Menu for week for October 3 - October 9:   
Soups:
Curry Red Lentil Soup                                       $7/16oz
Persian style Onion Soup with Turmeric(v)       $7/16oz
Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin Soup(v)                 $7/16oz

Salads:
Italian Bean, Fennel, and Lemon Salad(v)   $7/16oz
Marinated Beet Salad with Sorrel and Pumpkin Oil  $8/16oz
Chicken, Apple, Walnut, Celery Salad   $8/16oz

Sides:
Butternut Squash Chutney(v)                            $6/8oz
Honey-Thyme Glazed Onions(v)                      $6/8oz
Lemon-Coriander Rice Pilaf                             $5/16oz
Assorted Country Pates                                     $5/4oz

Mains:
Pork Shoulder with Guinness, Dried Cherries, and Sweet Potatoes   $12/lb
Braised Lamb with Saffron, Raisins, and Pistachios                          $18/lb
Mozzarella stuffed Meatballs                Will Post $/lb on Facebook/Twitter

A Little Nip In The Air

Menu for Week of September 26 - Oct 2
Soups:
Curry Red Lentil Soup                                       $7/16oz
Persian style Onion Soup with Turmeric(v)       $7/16oz
Moroccan Spiced Pumpkin and Bean Soup(v)   $7/16oz

Salads:
Sweet Potato Salad with Honey-Rosemary Vinaigrette(v)  $6/16oz
Italian Bean, Fennel, and Lemon Salad(v)   $7/16oz
Chicken, Apple, Walnut, Celery Salad   $8/16oz

Sides:
Butternut Squash Chutney(v)                            $6/8oz
Honey-Thyme Glazed Onions(v)                     $6/8oz
Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic(v)                   $6/16oz

Mains:
Country Pate                    $5/4oz
Smokey Beef Chili          $10/32oz
Chicken-Mushroom Ragout with Polenta  $12/per
Pulled Pork with Red Wine Sauce            $12/per

At the Crossroads

     Here, we are at a crossroads in the farming season. Hurricane Irene pushed the farmers that I spoke with this past week at the markets. Tomatoes, full, vibrant, plump; now water logged. Herbs, bursting with flavor; now weakened. Lettuces planted for the fall crop; drowned. Yet, Mother Nature in Her infinite wisdom sent us this weekend: pie pumpkins, butternut squash, early fall carrots and beets. 
     In September, we distinctly turn the corner into the next season. Warm days and crisp nights set the tone for the arrival of my favorite season. Apples, pears, quince, fall squash, hearty greens dot the landscape of the market. As the cooler weather moves in, my preparations begin to deepen; simply grilled vegetables and light salads sprinkled with vinaigrette transform into rich-laden roasts with hearty flavors. Such glorious foods and flavors signal an auspicious beginning for fall.


Menu for the Week of Sept 12-18:
Soups:
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream(v)     $7/16oz
French Onion Soup(v)                             $7/16oz                   

Salads:
Sweet Potato and Poblano Salad with Honey-Rosemary Vinaigrette(v)          $6/16oz
Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa Vinaigrette(v)                                         $7/16oz
Roasted Gold Beet and Chickpea with Orange-Fennel Seed Vinaigrette(v)    $8/16oz
             
Sides:
Butternut Squash Chutney(v)    $6/8oz
Cilantro-Garlic Sauce(v)           $5/8oz
Dried Late Summer Fruit and Vegetable CousCous(v)     $7/16oz
Leek and Bread Savory Pudding     $12/per (serves 4-6)

Mains:
Organic Chicken Pot Pie     $12/per  (serves 4-6)
Braised Chicken with Late Summer Tomatoes, Fennel, and Orange $10/per (serves 2)
Asian Pork Belly with Ginger and Soya    $10/per (serves 2)
Smokey Beef Chili    $10/32oz (serves 2)

Short and Sweet

    With the beginning of school this week and the hectic pace of life returning, the menu will be the same for the next two weeks. For those who are too busy to cook properly at home, starting next week I will be running a "Back to School" special. You can email me with your order and I will have it ready for you at the market or I can do "drop-offs." Send me an email if you have any questions. Larger sizes available as well.

Menu for the Week:
Chickpea Salad with Lime, Sun-dried Tomato, Chilies, and Parsley
Potato-Dill Salad
Sorrel Soup
Summer Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Cracked Wheat Taboulleh
Smoked Tomato Soup
Chicken Salad
Peach-Tomato-Ginger Soup
Melon Salad with Frisee, Radish, Feta, and Balsamic
Creamed Corn
Italian Sausage and Basil Pasta Salad with Pepperoncini
Cilantro-Garlic Sauce

Email is HarvestMarketDC@yahoo.com

Summer Highlights

     In the dog days of summer, I am drawn to foods with a bit of acidity, pickled vegetables, caper berries, vinegars of all flavors. I crave salads composed of fruits with differing textures and flavors. August flavors deliver on all those regards. Heirloom tomatoes reach their zenith, corn peaks in sweetness, herbs add versatility and a splash of freshness. These heat - soaked days are perfect for truly savoring summer's ultimate flavors.
     Enough said!     

 Menu for the Week:
Greek style chickpea salad(last week for this dish!)
Tomato-swiss chard-cici bean stew
Corn and basil soup
Yellow tomato with Thai chilies
Sweet and sour eggplant
Grilled Japanese eggplant with salsa verde
Summer corn and roasted red pepper salad
Penne with arugula-walnut pesto
Sorrel and potato gratin(serves 4-6people)
Asian pear- heirloom tomato salad with chestnut honey vinaigrette
Peach and blackberry mini tart

Looking To The Past For The Future

     The other day in a quiet seaside village on the Costa Brava a restaurant closed its doors. Most likely for good. Such news would not be publicized, but this restaurant was not your ordinary one. For close to three decades, a chef tinkered away in his kitchen. Dreaming, experimenting, perfecting his unique style of cuisine. This unassuming 55 seat restaurant in Roses, Spain was the domain of Chef Ferran Adria. El Bulli, the restaurant. Most noted for his molecular gastronomy approach to cooking. Is he a scientist, chemist, chef, or artist? He has been called the greatest chef in the world. Yet those accolades are almost beside the point. The real message of Chef Adria's food was and is that gastronomy is a dialogue between chef and diner.
     His approach to cuisine broke the, at times, burdensome classical constraint between chef and diner. The food had to be great, but it also made the diner ponder, remember, fantasize. Did it make the diner think? Did they react emotionally to the food?
     Yet in all of this, he his well grounded in the understanding of classical cuisine. The "foams" he is so famous for are reinterpretations of classical dishes such as souffle, whipped cream, mousses and sabayon. Without the knowledge of the classical, he could not have made the jump to "espuma." The concept is the same, but ingredients and how they are worked have changed. So many young chefs want to jump into the molecular gastronomy game, but when asked to bake an ordinary vanilla souffle. They fall flat(no pun intended!). Why? Creating a perfect classical souffle is much more difficult than  measuring out some ingredients, putting it in to an instant whipping siphon, charging it with CO2,  and pulling a trigger. 
      The chef needs to understand the simple, classical techniques, flavors, ingredients FIRST before making the leap into the future. Thus, looking to the past for the future.

The Menu for This Week:
Greek style Chickpea Salad
Corn and Basil Soup
Sweet and Sour Eggplant Stew
Thai Seafood Salad with Mango, Mint, and Chilies
Cauliflower Vichysoisse
Black bean and Corn Salsa with Cilantro and a Cinnamon Vinaigrette
Sicilian style Stuffed Tomatoes with CousCous
Chicken Salad
Steak "Tagliatta" Salad with Arugula and Lemon
Peach and Blackberry Crisp

Be Inspired By The Market: Taste Local Flavor

A Feast for the Senses

     This past week, I started teaching a cooking class at the Fairfax Adult Continuing Education. The cooking classes will feature menus inspired by food markets around the globe. Mercato Orientale in Genoa, Union Square in NYC, Victoria Market in Melbourne, and the 400 year old Marche des Enfants Rouges in Paris. Luckily, I have been to each one. Geographically, these markets are obviously spread across the planet, but there lies within a common thread. To me, the markets are some of the most intriguing, enlightening, energizing and generous places in the world.
     They are a window into the soul, history, livelihood, social order of the place they represent. When I'm new to a place, the first thing that I do is go to the market. (dragging my wife along with me!)It is my way of figuring out where am I and how things work. The markets give me insight into what I should be ordering on the menus in the area. Why order beef tenderloin with mole sauce that is Americanized for the tourist when I see the food stall serving it with oxtail or tongue!
     Whether it is the 65 year old fish market in Sydney, the Mercado Benito Juarez in Oaxaca, Le Marche des Lices in Rennes, or our very own Penn Quarter, Purcellville, and Palisades market, the markets whet our appetite! And we want to keep coming back for more!

Menu for the week:
Summer squash soup with curry and mango
Yellow taxi tomato soup with Korean pepper
Tzatziki
Cucumber-tomato-dill pasta salad
Moroccan carrot salad with harissa vinaigrette
Arugula-peach-duck proscuitto salad
Chickpea-fennel-tomato salad with roasted lemon vinaigrette
Zucchini-cranberry-ricotta salad with thinly sliced pork
Eggplant-tomato-onion stew on polenta cake
Pate de Campagne with pork and duck
Tomato-onion tart

Be Inspired by the Market: Taste Local Flavor

In the Good Old Summertime

Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year - it brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul.

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

Menu for this Week:
Ratatouille
Tzatziki
Cucumber-Dill Salad
Summer squash with Champgane Vinaigrette, Cilantro, Pine Nuts
Tomato-Goat Cheese Tart
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Shaved Fennel-Mushroom Salad with Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette
Chickpea with Tomato,Fennel, Chilies, Pickled Red Onion
Summer Yellow Squash Soup with Curry

Be Inspired By The Market: Tate Local Flavor

Summer Flavors

     The constant warmth of early summer convinces me to eat ultralight. I love the clean, decisive flavors when it's hot. Crunchy, crispy, peppery, cool textures and flavors win me over. At this time, gardens overflow with an array of vegetables. Cucumbers and watermelon juice dripping from your chin sweet are the epitome of invigorating. Not too far away are spicy jalapeno and habanero peppers.  What better on a hot day to eat a refreshing salad bursting with summer flavors.
     The Fourth of July is around the corner and the real summer grilling season begins. Lets balance all of that dripping meat juices with a crisp vegetable salad or side.

Menu for the Week:
Ratatouille
Tomato, Onion, Goat Cheese Tart
Chickpea Salad with Coriander, Cumin, and Tomato
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Zephyr Yellow Squash with Opal Basil, Pine Nuts, and Parmesan
Curried Zucchini Soup
Spring Pea Soup
Cucumber Salad with Chilies, Mint, and Sesame
German Potato Salad
Tuscan-style Macaroni Salad
Kale-Walnut Pesto

Embrace Other Cuisines

   I'll be the first to tell you that I feel most comfortable cooking French cuisine. It's by far my favorite. Italian a close second. But why? Is it that I grew up in a home and neighborhood that embraced haute French cuisine, my parents cooking through Julia Child, the Italian market near our house? Why not Polish cuisine? My Moms' family is all Polish, yet I know little about the cuisine except for what she would cook and serve at Easter. Why not Irish/German cuisine from my Dad's side? When at Fordham and at the French Culinary, little Italy was steps away. Was that the influence?
    I have nothing against other cuisines or cultures. I find all of them interesting. Hell, I ate grubs, alive, in the outback of Australia. Or is it that we tend to stay connected with what we are most comfortable with?  One of my favorite restaurants in DC is Zaytinya, the Lebanese, Turkish, and Greek restaurant. The vegetable mezza inspire me each time I go. As I eat more ethnic food, my inspiration and wanting to learn more increases. One of my favorite restaurants in Paris was a little cafe on rue Fondary, where I lived, that was Moroccan. For as little as 25francs(in that time $5US) I could eat this wonderful melt in your mouth stew that was so full of flavor. Yet, I rarely make it at home? I have brought influence from those memories into my cooking, the Moroccan carrot salad for  instance. When I was working years ago at Cafe Centro, the chef had influences from North Africa as well. Bastilla and chermoula stand out.(Chermoula on next week's menu)But, I again cook them maybe once a year, if that. Why?
    For this past week with a catering event, I was asked to do an Indian-inspired buffet. (YIKES!) Do not know a thing about Indian cuisine. Crash course! YouTube and the internet were a help(God forbid). Yet as I was watching, reading, studying menus and recipes, it was inspiring to see such harmonious flavors. I was not worried about how to saute a piece of chicken, but did the flavors balance. And it was the act of cooking another cuisine that inspired the menu for this week. The flavors of garlic, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves invaded the kitchen. Pungent, spicy, sweet, sour aromas perfumed the kitchen. Fantastic! Have I been missing something? Or is it just different enough that my imagination can be lead astray?

Menu for the week:
Chicken curry(meat)
Spicy lentils and kale(vegan)
Raita(vegetarian)
Roasted Cauliflower-Tomato and Cumin Salad(vegan)
Piperade(vegan)
Roasted corn soup(vegan)
Romaine salad with pine nuts and tomato(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Cilantro-garlic sauce(vegan)
Cilantro pesto(vegetarian)
Take a Flyer: Diablo BBQ SAUCE

Bistrot! Bistrot!

     One of the images that most exemplifies the city of Paris is that of a homey, soft lighted bistro. Dominated by a vast zinc bar, waiters in long white aprons, and the aromas of roast chicken and garlic perfume the air. The cuisine is rustic, savory, and served generously. “La vie en rose” of Edith Piaf soothes your ears. It is a simple modest place where patrons and clients “tutoyer” each other. For many, bistro dining is the happiest and most cherished memories of the City of Light.
      The origin of bistro or bistrot is difficult to define. One common explanation from Napoleon’s defeat of Waterloo in 1815 has Russian soldiers quickly filling the city’s cabarets and shouting “Bistro!Bistro! or “quick, quick.” Another explanation is that the word evolved from the progressive slang of the noun mastroquet, barkeeper, into bistroquet, then bistrotier, one who keeps a bistrot.
      The allure of the bistro will always be its deep satisfying, down-to-earth cooking. The tangy vinaigrettes, the earthy ragout, soul enriching daubes, crispy duck fat fried potatoes, the creamy pot au creme. The menu reflects what is best in the market today and cooked simply. Les Halles at its best.
     "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."-Hemingway.

I agree Paris and rue Fondary will be with me for the rest of my life!!! 

Menu for the Week:
Pate de campagne with pistachio(meat)
Duck breast proscuitto(meat)
Smith Family Farm Turkey leg braised in tomato(meat)
Couscous with Swiss chard, garlic, and olive(vegetarian)
Roasted fingerling potatoes, parsnips, and collard greens(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
Red cabbage - radish coleslaw with lemon-ginger vinaigrette(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Mushroom soup with thyme(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
French onion tart(vegetarian)
Some Basic Kitchen Stables:(quart size containers)
all natural chicken stock
fish stock
beef stock

Vegetables in the Main Role

     For me, vegetables, fruits, and grains define flavor, texture, and seasonality in cooking. Looking back, I can see the changes in my menus. First, it was about the "center of the plate protein." Vegetables and starch were just secondary players. But as I became more aware of the vegetables around me, they became the primary focus and the proteins slid to the second spot. I must confess, I am far from a vegetarian. I just love cooking with vegetables.
    Vegetable cookery is one of the most interesting parts of cuisine. Vegetables provide an incredible depth and range of color, shapes, flavor, and texture that can not be matched by beef, chicken, or salmon. (yes, I know that there are many people out there that would wholeheartedly disagree with me) As a chef, I'm excited about "first of the season" vegetables. Just around the corner is asparagus, rhubarb, sorrel, garlic chives, strawberries, English peas, fava beans! And the list goes on.
     It is also the fleeting nature of vegetables that inspires me as well. Optimum eating time can be so short that one has to take advantage before they gone. Local asparagus, artichokes and sorrel only last for a few weeks. The parsnips that I purchased for this week are all gone. The sign that winter has given up and spring is coming on strong.
     So, lets enjoy our vegetables and all their glory!!!!

Menu for this week:
Pate de campagne (meat)
Roasted parsnips with local honey and ginger(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Parsnip salad with orange -yogurt dressing(vegetarian, gluten-free)
Sicilian style Swiss chard(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Radish and cabbage salad with honey-ginger vinaigrette(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Roasted radishes with sesame seeds(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Sorrel soup(vegetarian, gluten-free)

Limited supplies of:
Shredded duck salad with apple, sunchoke, and orange vinaigrette(meat)
Poleanta cakes with mushroom ragout(vegetarian)

Inspiration

     The other day as I was strolling through the vegetable garden of a client, I came upon one of my favorite early spring herbs, sorrel. Its' pungent, lemony, bitter, put-a-pucker on your face flavor one can not forget. And in one of those serendipitous moments, I changed the menu. Why? (I like to make it difficult on myself!!) Inspiration can happen at any time. Something catches your eye and in mere moments, a flood of ideas, memories, thoughts come alive.
      A few years ago, my wife and I were dining at the famed French Laundry in Napa, CA. Our amuse-bouche was a perfect pair of "cornets." Perfect miniature ice cream cones filled with salmon tartare and another with braised Belgium endive. Where did Chef Keller get the idea years ago for this amuse? At a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store!! My sorrel transformed itself into "potage a l'oseille avec caviar de saumon."(Sorrel soup with salmon caviar)
     Those little moments remind me of shopping at the great farmers markets in Paris, France when I was a student and stagiere. Each day brought about new discoveries of food from around France. When working at Restaurant Daniel(the first Daniel)years ago, chef would describe how each morning all the great chefs, Bocuse, Troisgros, Chapel, Vacombe,  would gather at the market in Lyon and shop for the specials of the day.
     The market inspires! Let's be inspired!

Menu for this week:
Honey and ginger roasted parsnips(vegetarian, gluten-free)
Parsnip salad with an orange-yogurt dressing(vegetarian, gluten-free)
Wild mushroom ragout on polenta cakes(vegetarian)
Baby Swiss chard with garlic, gold raisins, chilies(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
Sunchoke soup(vegetarian, gluten-free)
Portabello mushroom, caramelized onion and blue cheese tart(vegetarian)
Duck Salad of Jerusalem artichoke, apples, and watercress(meat, gluten-free)

Limited quantities of:
Pork and mushroom pate(meat)
Shaved sunchoke, celery, olive salad with orange vinaigrette(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)

Prologue to Spring

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
-T.S. Eliot "The Waste Land"

When April with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of March has pierced unto the root
And bathed each vein with liquor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower;
When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,
Quickened again, in every holt and heath,
The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun
Into the Ram one half his course has run,
And many little birds make melody
That sleep through all the night with open eye
(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)-
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage
-G. Chaucer "Prologue"

Menu:
Moroccan carrot salad with harissa vinaigrette(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Shaved sunchoke salad with celery, Nicoise olives, and orange(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)
Portabello, Stilton blue cheese, and caramelized onion tart(vegetarian)
Parsnip-potato gallette with walnuts and herbs(vegan, vegetarian)
Rhutabaga soup with bacon and garlic(meat)
Glazed rhutabaga with serrano chilies, fennel seed, and roasted garlic(vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)

Winter Food Without The Heft

     The end of winter can be so cruel. Days are warm and sunny, but nights can be brisk and chilly. I'm tired of winter food: the braises, the stews, the slow cooking. My palate craves fresh crisp lighter food. But on those cold nights with a spring snow lurking in the forecast, my brain still says, "still need deep warm comforting food."
     How do we bridge that gap using the winter foods around us? By changing the way we prepare those winter foods. Tuscan kale, a stable of the winter kitchen in braises and stews, is lightened by being sauteed in olive oil scented with garlic and brightened in flavor with sweet raisins. By using deep rich broths instead of cream, winter soups become hearty but lighter on the palate. Comfort food without the richness.
    
Menu for the week:
Country duck and pork pate(meat)
Salmon gravlax with citrus(meat)
Sunchoke and winter truffle soup(vegetarian, gluten free)
Potato and Tuscan kale soup(vegetarian, gluten free, vegan)
Tuscan kale with raisins, garlic, and pine nuts(vegetarian, gluten free, vegan)
Roasted salsify with herb gremolata(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Shaved sunchoke, celery, and Nicoise olive salad(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Duck leg confit(meat)
Shrimp cakes(meat)
Rendered duck fat(meat)

Before Refrigerators

     Everyone has one, maybe two, or three. They come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, even colors nowadays. Some are modern sleek with glass doors and TVs in them. Some are more humble, a simple white color with no thrills just plotting along everyday. Some are retro, bringing back the style of their ancestors. We refer to them as "the fridge,""cooler,""icebox,"(Dad's favorite)"walk in,""reach-in." But before this wonderful invention, how did we go about preserving food for long term storage?
     "Most methods are of great antiquity," writes Filipe Fernandez Armesto of preservation in his food history Near A Thousand Tables. Over two thousand years ago, the Andean civilizations perfected the method of freeze-drying potatoes in an elaborate ritual of overnight freezing, trampling to release moisture, then drying in the wind. Frozen food in the Arctic regions of the world is obvious. Other methods, among many, are salting, fermenting, confit, and smoking.
     The Egyptians were probably the first to salt food on a large scale. Not only did they use it for their own food supply, but for trade and it helped them build their economy. The Egyptians reviled the pig, so they left that to the Celts who spread it throughout Europe around the Age of Iron.(Irish saving civilization, again!) The Vikings used it preserve the bountiful cod of northern waters. During the Middle Ages, gravlax was made by fishermen, who salted the salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line. The word gravlax comes from the Scandinavian word grav, which literally means "grave" or "hole in the ground,"  and lax (or laks), which means "salmon", thus gravlax means "buried salmon". A NY bagel with gravlax, cream cheese, sliced red onion, capers. A great way to start the day!
     Confit literally translates into "preserved." Confit means to poach in fat and stored within that fat until ready to heat and serve. Today, chefs use the term loosely to mean anything poached in fat. Thus, you can confit salmon, potatoes(really good with duck fat), even vegetables. Carrots poached in olive oil with garlic and herbs is exquisite! Meat, especially duck or goose, prepared this way and stored in the same pot in a root cellar can last for months. French farmers when it came time to harvest the foie gras would have more meat than they could sell. Because the birds produce so much excess fat, the farmers used the excess to confit the legs. Thus, preserving them for future eating. And what good eating it is!! Duck leg confit served with crispy skin and sauteed greens or better yet in cassoulet!
     Who needs refrigeration!
     Taste Local Flavor and let the Market Inspire You!

Menu for the Week:
Duck leg confit(meat)
Gravlax(meat)
Assorted country pates(meat)
Winter green and local goat cheese ravioli(vegetarian)
Sauteed winter greens with smoked bacon(meat, gluten-free)
French walnut tart(vegetarian)
Italian escarole, ham and vegetable soup(meat, gluten-free)
Carrot and apple soup(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
Gold beet and Stilton blue cheese salad(vegetarian, gluten-free)

The Cooking of the Grand Meres

     The talented women chefs who were practicing in Lyon, France at the end of the nineteenth century were affectionately called meres, mothers.Their reputations rested on their mastery of cuisine bourgeois, home cooking raised to a higher level by the application of passion and perfectionism. Curnonsky wrote, "without resorting to artifice, this cuisine attains that peak of artistry: simplicity." They did not cook to impress. Their demeanor did not allow for thrills. It was and is the joy that they lavished on their food, the comforting, motherly warmth of their simple honest cuisine that made them loved.
     They understand the intuitive and organic nature of cooking. Their hands revel a mastery of knowledge rooted in years of kitchen toil. They learned, as I did, the basics of cooking from their mothers, you in turn learned from their mothers, and they learned from theirs and so on. It is the meres that paved the way for some of today's greatest chefs. They treat their ingredients with respect and possess a fundamental understanding of how to harmonize flavors. Fresh ingredients, careful mixing of flavors, simple methods of preparation, and slow cooking over properly controlled heat are all patiently combined through a love of food. After all, cooking is about charm, seduction, sharing, and above all, loving those for whom you prepare the feast.

Market inspired menu of the meres:
Pate de campagne with pistachio(meat)
Pate de Grandmere with prune(meat)
Chicken liver mousse with red wine gelee(meat)
Citrus gravlax(meat, gluten free)
Escarole, ham, and vegetable soup(meat, gluten free)
Duck confit(meat)
Roasted baby gold and candy-stripe beets(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Beet, local goat cheese, and walnut salad(vegetarian, gluten free)
Sauteed escarole with pine nuts, garlic, chilies, and sultanas(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Red wine onion marmalade(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Roasted whole onions stuffed with vegetable couscous(vegetarian, vegan)
French walnut tart(vegetarian)

Be inspired by the market and taste local flavor!

Creating a Dish

     Bleary eyed, I stroll into the cold dark kitchen. The quiet unnerves me. The only sound is the low hiss of the refrigerator compressor. Memories still lurk in my mind about table 6 and their charred, hard as charcoal steak that was returned because it was "not well done enough!!" First order of business, turn on the coffee machine. While the black liquid "gold" brews, I light the pilots on the stove and ovens and turn on the menacing ventilation hood. The sound deafening at first like a jet engine. Then, it settles into a constant throbbing hum. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee waffes across the kitchen signaling that it is time for the morning jump start. Cup of coffee in hand, where to start?
     A great meal starts in the market. Every chef learns this before he dices a single onion or carrot. Every day what looks good or appeals to the senses varies. Was there a frost in Purcellville, did it rain in Leesburg, are they in a dry spell in southern Pennsylvania?  The fate of natural products hangs on nature's whim. Alain Ducasse, one the world's greatest chefs, mantra of what defines good cuisine is "60% ingredients, 40% technique." It is true. Without great products, we cannot have great recipes, without great recipes, we cannot have a great menu. Thus, a menu starts with great ingredients. 
      Ideas are born at the markets. Ingredients speak for themselves in some nonverbal language. Marketgoers and chefs alike pick, prod, smell, squeeze, taste before they buy. A rolodex of taste memories helps us choose what is best. Green beans don't look so "hot" today, how's the asparagus? Beef tenderloin looking a little small today, but look at that leg of lamb! Change as you will, let the market inspire you!

Menu for the Week:
American red snapper in green curry broth  (meat)
Escarole, ham and potato soup  (meat)
Citrus cured Atlantic salmon  (meat)
Caramelized onion marmalade  (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
Limited quantities:
Medjool date and blue cheese tart  (vegetarian)
Creamed savoy cabbage with smoked salmon  (meat)
Braised red cabbage with apples and honey  (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
Hearts of escarole with blue cheese and walnuts  (vegetarian, gluten-free)
Grilled radicchio with aged red wine vinegar and pine nuts  (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)   
 

The Winter Kitchen: Cabbage

     I know that this is an odd subject to talk about, but I was reminded the other day when a vendor at the market opened a new tub of sauerkraut how awfully(good) it smelled. My first thought was of the classic dish, choucroute. Braised pork belly, sausages, onions, garlic, ham hocks and a nice German beer to wash it down.
     Cabbage whether you like it or not is one of the stables of a winter kitchen. This vegetable, which boasts a long culinary history, displays its green or red maturity in autumn and winter. When the weather is ruthlessly cold outside, it makes for a comforting vegetable from the kitchen garden.
     The Celts of central and western Europe had much to do with the distribution and popularization of cabbage as a food plant. Although the evidence points to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor as the place of origin of the species, Celtic knowledge of it was so ancient as to have influenced the Latin name, Brassica (from the Celtic word bresic, meaning "cabbage"). Another way the  Irish saved civilization!! The Greeks and Romans ate cabbage to stave off the effects of too much alcohol. Cabbage was introduced to America in 1541-42 by Jacques Cartier, who planted it in Canada on his third voyage. Because of its popularity among Europeans, it was doubtless planted in what is now the United States by some of the earliest colonists, although there is no written record of it until 1669. In the 18th century it was being grown by American Indians as well as by the colonists.
     Cabbage is used the world round. Kimchi in Korea, saurkraut in Northern Europe, coleslaw in America just to name a few. Its uses and cooking methods are numerous. Eat it raw, pickled, braised, in soups, stews, stuff it(Grammie Annie's stuffed cabbage and Mom's sauerkraut onion pierogis!!!!!)
     Long live the family Brassica!

Menu for this week:
Creamed savoy cabbage with smoked salmon
Braised red cabbage with apples and honey
Hearts of escarole with blue cheese and walnuts
Grilled radicchio with aged red wine vinegar and pine nuts   
 Other options as well
Arugula salsa verde
Vegetable couscous

Be inspired by the market!

Chocolate

     The magically rich and bewildering flavor of chocolate inspires pleasure and fascination. The Aztec Indians considered it the beverage of the gods. A beautiful and frothy Mexican hot chocolate in Oaxaca even in the throws of a heat wave delivers happy goodness.
     Chocolate is derived from the beans of the cacao tree. Today, they are classified like the wine crus of France. Tasted for its potency, flavor, and varying floral and bouquet notes, each region whether from Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, The Ivory Coast, or Madagascar has a distinctive profile.
     Single estate chocolate derives itself from a single estate growing cacao beans. Like grapes, each estate has "terroir." The beans are flavored  by the ground around them. Thus, chocolate like wine has appelations d'origine controlees. The best way to taste this "terroir" is through its bitterness. The chocolate is not sweetened by sugar and milk used by Belgium and Swiss chocolatiers.
      Since wine and chocolate have such similar characteristics the combination has magical effects. The problem? Wine has water content and that greatly effects chocolate.  (powdered chocolate for hot chocolate doesn't count!!) How we solve the problem is by reducing the wine to a glaze, thus eliminating most of the water content. This concentrates the flavor of the wine and helps to bring out its flavor. When added to ganache, chocolate melted with cream, we are able to combine the two and bring together two beautiful and complimentary flavors.
      Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Menu for this week:
  Single estate Venezuelan chocolate and a reduction of local red wine(limited supplies)box of 6

Braised salsify with garlic and gremolata
Braised endive with fennel seed and walnuts
Potato-leek-Stilton soup
Chicken noodle vegetable soup
French onion soup(limited supplies)
Goat cheese stuffed gourgeres
Winter quinoa tabbouleh
Arugula, mint, olive, orange and aged ricotta salad

See you at the market!!

The Bleakest of Months

     February, the bleakest of months. The harsh winter winds constantly swirl. Snow and bone chilling cold invades your every being. No relief. We hide, we bundle, we hibernate. Yearning for warmth of any kind. The sun peeks from behind the steel gray sky and for a fleeting moment, we embrace the temporary relief. This month is for feeding the soul. Winter calls for braising and glazing. Slow crock pot cooking that warms the soul and body. Rich, deep flavors to fend off the chill. And ironically, bright citrus in the peak of their season to help us through these dreary days to the early signs of spring.
     I love braising. The technique requires careful attention of the cook. Braising is one of the most utilized techniques in all of the worlds cuisines. It transforms lowly, humble, inexpensive cuts of meat or vegetables into succulent morsels. Braising is closely related to stewing, the main difference being less liquid and a searing of the meat or vegetable. The little step of searing adds layers of flavor into the final dish.
   
     Our braises and other offerings for this week are:
Braised salsify with thyme, bay leaf, and gremolata (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Braised Belgium endive with garlic, walnuts, and herbs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Braised savoy cabbage with local house cured bacon, onions, and herbs (gluten free)
Stilton, leek and potato soup(vegetarian, gluten free)
Chicken noodle soup(gluten free)
French onion soup(gluten free)
Limited supplies of :
Asian style coleslaw(vegetarian, vegan, gluten free)
Shrimp salad(gluten free)







    
  
 

Mise en Place

     What is mise en place? Simply, it is a French term defined as "everything in its place." "Place" refers to having one's ingredients, cooking equipment, recipes, etc in place and ready for service. It allows the cook to be more efficient. Mise en place works outside the kitchen as well. Organize garden tools, arts and crafts, and tools so that you are not searching for them the next time, thus being more efficient.
      One of the chefs I worked for always commented: "Clean organized space, good place, and an understanding of what you are cooking will lead to a good service." Words to live by!

Menu for this week:
   Braised chicken legs in a spicy tomato sauce
   Shaved Brussels sprouts with a bacon-lemon dressing
   Mushroom soup
   Parsnip and potato puree with thyme
   Spicy savoy cabbage - serrano pepper coleslaw

Superbowl menu is on its way!! A SALUTE TO TEXAS

Reaching Out

It has taken a bit of time, but we are finally on Facebook, Twitter, and now this blog. What's to come? Delicious recipes, menus, food pictures, wine and beverage pairings, music, restaurant reviews and more. Each week, I'll entice you with the farmers market menu and creative suggestions for your weekly meals. Take a look at HarvestMarketDC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, HarvestMarketDC, as well for last minute specials and updates.