Michael and I like meat, there's no way around it. So when we set off early on, what was forecasted to be, a smoldering Saturday, to the Division Street Farmers Market, we didn't really have an idea of what we were going to make, we just knew it was going to accompany some sort of meat.
As with any farmers market, the earlier you arrive, the better the selection. The Division Street Market spans from Clark Street to State Street, masking what, just hours before opening, was the late night bar scene. This peaceful produce-lined paradise is open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and runs from the middle of May to the end of October.
I'm always a fan of having a plan of action, especially when dealing with something with little to no rhyme or reason. So as Michael and I approached State and Division, and glanced down the endless row of white tents, a wave of anxiety washed over me.
"How about we walk to the other end of the market before we buy anything?" I said, watching people flock to buckets of fresh-cut flowers like pollinating bees.
Surveying the goods not only gives you an idea of what the vendors have to offer, but it will also give you an idea of who has the cheapest goods. By the time we reached the other end, I was starting to feel the heat; so we stopped for some fresh baked muffins and a bottle of water before it was time to get down to business.
In what seemed like a matter of minutes, we had two pounds of redskin potatoes, two gypsy peppers, two banana peppers, one huge onion, four corn on the cob, one huge green pepper, one peck of portabella mushrooms, a head of lettuce, some orange blossom honey, raspberries and a basil, spearmint and catnip plant. With our hands full, it was time to return home with our new treasures.
While Michael and I might be full-fledged carnivores, some of our friends are not. So when it comes to making a meal, we like to make dishes that can fill a vegetarian, but lend themselves to an addition of meat. In this case, we decided to use the beautiful portabella mushrooms and make portabella burgers with a roasted gypsy pepper aioli and grilled onions, with and without beef.
For the rest of our farmers market finds, I headed to www.epicurious.com to find some good summertime recipes. In a matter of minutes we had a potato salad, green bean salad, and grilled corn on the cob recipe that used almost every purchase ( except the catnip ) .
Something magical happens when you spend an entire day cooking with someone you lovemaybe it's the smell of freshly chopped herbs, or the effort it takes to perfectly execute a recipe. Either way, I can't help but be full of love and accomplishment when it finally comes time to eat.
As the smell of grilled burgers and onions wafted in from our balcony, I looked across the table at Michael with a smile. I'm almost certain he was proud of our feast as well.
Portabella Mushroom Burgers with Gypsy Pepper Aioli
Aioli
One-half to three-quarters cup of roasted gypsy peppers*
One tablespoon red wine vinegar
Two tablespoons of chopped thyme
One clove of garlic, chopped fine
One-half cup of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
For aioli:
1. In a food processor add roasted peppers, red wine vinegar, thyme, and garlic. Puree until smooth.
2. Add mayonnaise, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.
Mushrooms
Six to eight large portabella mushrooms, stemmed and gills removed
One-half lb. burger patties, seasoned with salt and pepper ( optional )
One large onion, cut into one-quarter to one-third-inch slices
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Two teaspoons of thyme, chopped
One garlic clove
Eight slices of moked Gouda or Provolone cheese
Lettuce
For mushrooms:
1. Place cleaned mushrooms and onions onto a large baking sheet, and coat with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
2. Turn mushrooms and repeat.
3. Let mushrooms rest at least 30 minutes. ( I did two hours )
4. Heat grill to mediumhigh heat, and place burgers, mushrooms, gill side up, and onions on the grill, until grill marks appear, about four minutes.
5. Flip mushrooms, burgers, and onions, and cook until mushrooms are tender and burgers are done to your liking, about eight minutes.
6. Coat buns with gypsy pepper aioli, and layer grilled ingredients on top.
*To roast peppers, heat oven to 350 degrees, slice peppers and coat with olive oil. Cook until the peppers are slightly browned.
Other recipes:
Potato salad: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rosanne-Cashs-Potato-Salad-109605
Green bean salad: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Green-Bean-Salad-with-Basil-Vinaigrette-2079
Corn on the cob: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Corn-with-Lime-Cilantro-Butter-358137