From the New Bronx Greenmarket to the Dinner Table

From the Greenmarket to the table ... (Photo by Jennifer Mitchell)

Tomorrow will mark the second appearance of the new weekly Farmer’s market on Mosholu Parkway and Jerome Avenue. Jennifer Mitchell, project manager at MPC, which publishes the Norwood News, has this report of what she did with all that food from the market’s debut last week. …

According to Mark Bittman, a foodie who makes cooking easily accessible, pesto is a method for preserving herbs. Therefore, basil is not the only herb that can be pulverized into garlicky goodness. Nevertheless, when I waltzed away from the grand opening of the Mosholu Parkway’s very first Farmer’s Market (thanks to North Central Bronx Hospital, Dart Westphal of MPC and Maritza Owens of Harvest Homes Farmer’s Market, see Norwood News article here for more information), pesto was forefront on my mind. So were the cucumbers and tomatoes that were nestled in that bed of basil. What’s a girl to do? I’ll tell you:

• Basil/Lemon Lemonade, see here.
  
• Tomato/Cucumber/Onion and garlic salad drizzled with olive oil. Simply: sliced tomatoes and cucumbers (longways), layered. A couple of slices of sweet onions finely chopped and sprinkled on top of the cucumbers and tomatoes, a bit of crushed and minced garlic sprinkled on top as well. Drizzle olive oil over all and salt to taste.

• Pesto and Colombian white cheese. In a food processor (blenders or mortar and pestle can be, um, a bit tedious), blend 2 loosely packed cups of basil, ½ to 2 (or more!) cloves garlic, crushed, 2 tbls to 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more!) and ½ cup Parmesan or other hard cheese. Note: if you are going to freeze pesto, don’t add cheese until after thawing. Also, cheese is optional, especially if using other herbs such as cilantro, mint, arugula, etc.

As I was also using “what’s in the fridge” the cheese I used was salty enough, so very little salt was added to the original pesto.

• Baked tomatoes. A friend suggested that I bake the remaining sliced tomato, low on 250 for a couple or three hours, with a bit of olive oil and salt. While I lamented the baking after eating the fresh tomato/cucumber/onion and garlic salad, I was joyous with the baked results several hours later . . .

And for a pesto encore the next night: chicken, pasta, pesto and sweet baked tomatoes.

For more info on the Greenmarket, check out this article from the last issue of the Norwood News.