What’s Fresh at Hastings Park – March 26
Farm
Cropthorne Farm: Certified Organic cabbage, celeriac, kohlrabi, leeks, specialty potatoes, golden beets, red beets, chioggia beets, heirloom carrots, rutabaga, parsnips
Fruit Guy Farms: gala apples, macintosh apples, pears, apple juices, pear juice, pear ginger juice, dried apple chips, cider vinegar
Ossome Acres: Certified Organic pea sprouts, sunflower sprouts, eggs, walnuts
Paul’s Produce: onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, beets, leeks, frozen berries
Meat/Seafood
Blue Comet Seafoods: flash frozen at sea black cod, halibut, salmon, tuna, canned sockeye salmon, canned smoked pink salmon, canned albacore tuna, canned smoked albacore tuna, cold smoked sockeye lox-sliced, cold smoked white spring chunks, hot smoked spring-peppered and natural, springs salmon maple nuggets, salmon candy
Greendale Meats: beef, pork, turkey
Rockweld Farm: chicken, eggs
Specialty Farm Products
Bryan & Agnes Warmerdam: specialty daffodils
Golden Ears Cheesecrafters: grassfed butter, velvet brie cheese, jersey blue cheese, gouda cheese, havarti cheese, cheese curds
Honey Bee Zen Apiaries: clover honey, blueberry honey, raspberry honey
The Promised Land Farm: Wild Harvest nettles, dried chantrelle mushrooms, dried pine mushrooms, dried lobster mushrooms, sorrel, spouts, sun chokes, dried kombu seaweed
Veggie of the Week: Nettles
Stinging nettles are found wild in the forests of BC. Be careful when handling these nutritious leaves – they’ll sting you! Don’t let the stinging throw you off though, once cooked, nettles loose their stinging effects and offer a subtle spinach flavour. Perfect for steeping for tea, blending up in a quick pesto or puréeing in a soup. Ask Alain at The Promised Land Farm this Sunday for nettle tips!
Spring Nettle Pesto with Roasted Yams
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRA MCDERMOTT
SPRING NETTLE PESTO:
- (1) packed cup cooked fresh stinging nettles (about 3 cups uncooked)*
- (1/2) cup fresh parsley
- (20) toasted whole hazelnuts
- (1/2) shallot, raw
- (2) tbsp olive oil
- (1) tsp salt
- (1/4) cup fresh lemon juice
- (1/4) cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
*Feel free to sub in an equal amount of lightly steamed kale or a mix of spinach and kale for the nettles – the result will be similar just watch the water content on the spinach. If you like, use this idea with Broccoli Pesto as well.
Start by rinsing the nettles under some fresh water – being careful not to handle them with bare hands! I received them in a wrapped plastic bag and dropped them into the veggie steamer. Steam them for 4-5 minutes until wilting them – at this point they are safe to touch with your hands. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean jar or container and refrigerate until ready for use.
ROASTED YAMS:
- (1) large orange yam, washed
- (2-3) tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and slice the yam into half inch rounds and oil a flat baking tray with the olive oil, spreading it around well. Place the yam slices on the oiled tray and rub each side with olive oil (use your hands) before placing in the oven to bake. Cook for 15 minutes on one side until nicely browned. Turn over and cook on the other side for 5 more minutes or so until perfectly cooked and brown on both sides. remove from the oven and allow to cool. This is also a great time toast the hazelnuts for the pesto while the oven is on. It’s great to make the pesto while the yams cook and while the nuts are still warm (this facilitates good blending). About 8-10 minutes will be perfect.
To serve, arrange the cooled (or still just warm) yam slices on a plate and top with a spoonful or two of the fresh green pesto. As I mentioned before, this was delicious topped with a cube of fresh goat feta, however for vegans I can easily picture a beautiful selection of roasted cherry tomatoes or roasted & spiced chickpeas to top this lovely little side or appetizer. Sprinkled with handful or two of fresh micro-greens or sprouts and you are set.
Recipe Source: In Pursuit of More
Don’t Miss
ElectroRecycle is ready to accept over 300 small appliances while you shop the best in local flavours at Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market. Have recycling questions? Ask their friendly staff onsite located near the information booth! For what they can accept please visit their website at electrorecycle.ca/
Hastings Park Shoppers Card
Are you a regular Hastings Park shopper? Pickup your Hastings Shopper Card at our Information Booth and enjoy some great perks including:
- Free Market Money transactions ($2 value)
- Free “bunch” item after 5th visit*
- Free “basket” or “bag” item after 10th visit*
- Free “jar” item after 15th visit*
It’s free to join, just sign up for our weekly newsletter!
*all free items valued at a maximum of $3. Shopper card is available at Hastings Park only.
Help Spread the Word!
Love the market? Tell your friends and family about Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market to help this new market grow. Share our Facebook page & tag your photos @vanmarkets #HastingsParkWFM.
Be a Market Champion! Get a Hastings Park lawn sign and let your neighbours know where to find the freshest in local produce, all within a few minutes of their home. Pickup your lawn sign at the Info Booth this week!
See you at the market!
