FOOD & WINE
Cooking with the Bounty of the Season
By Judy Rada
If you are looking for oranges, you will not find them here. Only produce grown within a 100 mile radius of the Union Square Greenmarket is for sale. This farmers’ market is a veritable treasure, selling fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, cheeses, breads, meats and flowers. And a walking tour and cooking class, sponsored by the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE®), is a perfect way to make the most of
the market.
After meeting our instructor, our class strolled from stand to stand, stopping to learn about various vegetables and herbs. We sniffed, touched and tasted bits of different offerings. Have you ever tasted the leaf of a chocolate mint plant or lemon verbena, or the tanginess of sorrel? The time spent at the market was an experience in itself.
Laden with our purchases, we were off to the school. With bags emptied on the counter of the kitchen/classroom, Richard encouraged us to decide which ingredients would work best together. We planned salads, sauteed greens, a pheasant egg frittata, batter dipped squash blossoms. We washed, chopped, mixed, grilled, fried and baked. Nothing was wasted. Corn husks wrapped the sea bass for grilling. Cherry pits were saved for vinegar.
The end result was a colorful array of dishes, full of wonderful new tastes and textures. Each student piled a plate high, sat down at the dining table, poured a glass of wine and enjoyed the results of our shopping/cooking day. Our reward at the end of our meal was a dessert of cherry and blueberry cobbler topped with strawberry lavender ice cream.
The class, guided by Richard Ruben, takes place on Fridays and Saturdays through the summer and fall. Mr. Ruben, an instructor at ICE®, is also the author of The Farmer’s Market Cookbook. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE®) is New York City’s largest and most active center for culinary education.
For more information, call 800-522-4610, or go to www.iceculinary.com. |
