By Seth Budick – http://www.friends4oldlafarmersmarket.org -Cross-posted from NelaList
It’s always seemed to me like a minor miracle that in the depths of winter we’re treated to the most delicious citrus fruit of the year; as if all of the sun’s energy had been bottled up specifically to Brighten a cold, rainy day. At the market this week, we got to enjoy the tangy sweetness of winter citrus in as much variety as you could sample. Start out with the delicious and ever popular, loose skinned Satsuma mandarins. Juicy and sweet-tart, these tangerines may well be the perfect snack. Or how about sweet Oro Blanco grapefruits, available from Walker Farms, one of the great breakfasts for those of us still keeping to our new year’s diets. Navel, Valencia and blood oranges, kumquats, sweet limes, Lisbon and Meyer lemons; you have no excuse for not meeting your vitamin C quota these days.
My favorite citrus right now though is the rather unsung Cara-cara. Cara-caras are a pink fleshed navel orange that have been around since the 1980s, but until recently have been the exclusive province of pastry chefs and high end grocery stores. Living in the center of the citrus universe has its benefits however, and we’re lucky enough to have Cara-caras available at the market courtesy of Walker Farms for very reasonable prices. Cutting into a Cara-cara, you’d swear it was the progeny of a ruby red grapefruit, it has the same deep pink flush. Cara-caras have a strong orange flavor however, juicy and low in acid. Cara-caras are also virtually seedless and in addition to being
fantastically rich in vitamin C, are, for an orange, unusually high in vitamin A. The beautiful color of their flesh makes Cara-caras a wonderful ingredient for my favorite winter citrus-avocado salad which is perfect with a loaf of crusty bread. With avocado season upon us, choose from Fuerte, Bacon or Hass varieties and combine the sliced flesh of 2 large avocados with the sliced sections of 2 Cara-caras and a head of your favorite lettuce. Dress with the whisked juice of 2 more Cara-caras (about 1/3C) and 1/4C of olive oil.
Lest we forget, blueberries from Santiago Farms, and Cherimoyas, that uniquely creamy-fleshed Fruit with the candylike flavor also recently made their appearances at the market. A complete and updated list of what’s in season at the market, as well as recipe and nutritional information is available at http://www.friends4oldlafarmersmarket.org. It being winter, many farmers are taking well-deserved breaks, so try not to be disappointed if one of your favorite vendors is temporarily missing from the market. In addition to the fruits and vegetables, you can also treat yourself to fresh-roasted peanuts, back at the market this week, as well as the usual assortment of artisanal fresh breads, cheeses and fruit preserves. Of course dinner at the market is also a treat with tamales, honey-pineapple chicken, fresh roasted corn and potatoes all available.
Please stop by the market for fresh, field-ripened, high quality produce from local farmers and spend time with your friends, neighbors and other community members.
The Highland Park Certified Farmers Market is located adjacent to the Highland Park Gold Line station at Marmion Way between Ave. 57 & 58 and operates Tuesdays from 3-7PM.
— Seth Budick