Double-Header Farmers’ Market Demo: Gazpacho & Torched Tuna
In Season This Week at the Cambridge Center Farmers’ Market:
Beats, Callaloo, Carrots, Corn, Kohlrabi, Turnips, Radishes, Swiss Chard, Greenhouse Heirloom Tomatoes
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It was a hot one at the Cambridge Center Farmers’ Market this week, and not just because Boston’s in the middle of a heat wave! Yesterday was our first day hosting TWO chef’s: Will Gilson of Garden at the Cellar and Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern, who added some extra heat with his awesome blowtorch demo.
Will Gilson went first and showed how to make a very flavorful Tomato Gazpacho featuring his father’s greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, and some non-traditional ingredients such as: sriracha, sweet Thai chili sauce, mirin, and hibiscus. The Asian influence to this classically Spanish dish worked beautifully, more than compensating for the fact that garlic and onion (which so often can overpower the other ingredients in a gazpacho) are not included in this recipe. As far as perfect dishes go on a hot summer’s day, Will’s chilled gazpacho has to be in the top 5. It is easy to multiply for group gatherings, and can be made ahead of time for a simple party appetizer. And you can even use the leftovers for a Bloody Mary. To learn how to make it at home, watch the video above and click to download the recipe . Thank you, Will, for sharing your recipe with us!
Michael Scelfo was up next with his recipe for Torched Tuna with Radish & Raw Pea Salad, tossed in a Basil, Lemon & Anchovy Vinaigrette. Though the name is a mouthful, a single bite of this dish is not nearly enough. The sushi-quality Ahi tuna was just lightly seared with a blowtorch, and sat atop a refreshing, crisp salad. The basil, peas and lemon gave the recipe a light summer flare, while the total dish remained sophisticated yet simple. If you do not own a blowtorch, a quick, high-temperature pan-sear will work all the same, as long as the tuna stays on the raw side. For the recipe, just click here and watch the video at the bottom of this post. Thank you, Michael, for such a wonderful seasonal dish!
There were a few new ingredients at the market this week: Carrots, Beats, Turnips, and Callaloo. Callaloo is a dark leafy green most comparable to spinach, hence its nick-name, Jamaican Spinach. It is one of the healthiest things you can eat, with 1 cup of cooked callaloo having only 30 calories and containing almost a full day’s worth of Vitamins C and A, as well as a fair percentage of your daily folate and calcium. It can be cooked much the same way as a collard green–easily sauteed, steamed or in soups. If you’re looking for an alternative green to try, stop by Dick’s Farm table next week and get a bundle!
Join us for another double header coming up next Wednesday, July 14. At noon, Todd Winer of The Metropolitan Club will be doing a demonstration, followed by William Kovel of 28 Degrees at 1:00 PM. For a full calendar of our chef series, click here.
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