Jody Adams Shows How2 Improvise with Seasonal Ingredients
by Tess | Thursday, June 24th, 2010
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If you work near the Cambridge Center Farmers’ Market in Kendall Square, you know Wednesday means it’s time to check out the live cooking demonstrations at the how2heroes table. This week, we were honored to host Jody Adams, Chef/Owner of Rialto Restaurant and recent Top Chef Masters Cheftestant. Jody showed the attentive audience how to make a fresh, light and versatile dish, Sautéed Scallops w/ Peas & Rhubarb-Radish Relish.
While Jody came with a plan, she spotted the fresh yellow wax beans at Warner Farm table and decided to include some of that as well. Jody’s dish was so aromatic, passers-by couldn’t help but gather ’round the table to watch and hope for a taste (and everyone had a taste – thank you Jody!). If you missed this amazing demo, you can download the recipe here.
There were some interesting new products at the market this week too: garlic scapes, mizuna, and tat soy. If you have no idea what those things are, it’s OK, because we had some questions of our own. Luckily, the folks over at Dick’s Market Garden knew all about them:
Garlic scapes are the immature flower stalk of the hardneck/elephant type of garlic. They’re known to add more complexity to a dish, not just by changing the texture, but also by layering the garlic flavor, as the scape has a very different garlic quality than the bulb itself.
Mizuna is similar to a dandelion green or wild arugula. The saw-tooth ridged leaves create interesting texture, while the taste itself is bitter and surprisingly tender. This surly looking green is actually quite easy to grow and pick. To use it, you can mix it with other lettuces to enhance the appearance and flavor of a salad, or lightly cook it simply with garlic and oil to cut some of the bitterness.
Tat Soy is similar in appearance and taste to spinach. But it’s actually richer in vitamin and mineral content.
Join us next Wednesday, June 30th, when Chef Peter McCarthy of EVOO will demonstrate his favorite summer fare for us. Hope to see you there! For a complete list of dates and chef, just click here.
