by Kate on May 27th, 2015 in Local Food,Recipes,Uncategorized
I’m a bit of a Locavore. Well, a lot of a Locavore. In fact, I used to have a blog called I know Who Grew It where I documented my efforts to not only eat as local as possible, but also make an effort to meet the people who grew my food. It was a fun project and you can check it out here: iknowwhogrewit.com
What’s a Locavore, you ask? A Locavore is a person who believes in eating as local as possible. I choose to buy foods which are locally grown over imports when a food is in season. And sometimes I choose local food over organic, but that really depends on my mood.
Local food is better for the environment (less travel to plate), better for the economy (supports local farmers), and builds a sense of community (shaking the hand of the person who grew your food is pretty cool).
Last weekend I went to the Brickworks Farmer’s Market and pickup up some seasonal items:
So here we have some wild leeks, or ramps, (the leafy greens with little onion bulbs on the bottom). They taste garlicy and delicious. I’ll be making a ramp and sun-dried tomato pesto with them which I’ll post (if the recipe works out ; )
…Asparagus, rhubarb, edible flowers, and apples (local but from last Fall).
I also picked up some Kombucha scooby which I’ll use to brew my own homemade fermented Kombucha which is Very good for you. More details to follow in a later blog…
And lastly, I grabbed some nettle tea which is anti-inflammatory, and great to help curbs seasonal allergies.
So today I made a fresh shaved asparagus salad in which I also incorporated the apples, rhubarb and flowers, I’ve posted the recipe below. Note: In the recipe I juiced the rhubarb to make the vinaigrette, but if you don’t have a juicer (or the time to use it if you do ; ) then you can substitute lemon juice into the recipe instead. But the rhubarb flavour is really tasty!
Shaved Asparagus Salad with Edible Flowers, and Rhubarb Vinaigrette
6 Stalks Asparagus, shaved with vegetable peeler
½ med Apple, sliced into matchsticks
6 Strawberries, sliced
Small handful fresh edible flowers, petals removed
Combine asparagus, apple, strawberries and flower petals in a large bowl.
Add in several tablespoons of rhubarb vinaigrette and gently toss with your hands to coat.
Garnish with additional whole flowers.
Serves 2
Rhubarb Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp Fresh Rhubarb Juice, see below (or substitute in 2 Tbsp lemon Juice)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
In a juicer, juice 1 stalk of rhubarb, you should yield about a ¼ cup of juice
Combine 2 Tbsp of the rhubarb juice with the olive oil and balsamic in a mason jar and shake.
Tags: apple, edible flowers, fermented, kombucha, local, nutrition, ramps, rhubarb, seasonal, seasonal allergies, stinging nettle, wild leeks