Farmer's Market Recipe!

Ok. So my first visit to the Farmer's Market in my area was AWESOME! I'm going to make this part of the post short because I realized that most Farmer's Markets are basically the same so if you've been to one, you know what it's all about. I did visit one when I was in San Francisco last year but had never thought to find one in my area (I do have a lot of pics from the San Francisco one, so maybe I'll post those later). If you can, I would absolutely recommend trying it out. The fruits and vegetables are so fresh and a lot less expensive than grocery stores. There is also sometimes cheeses, breads, pasta etc. When I went I bought a lot of produce, and then since it was my first time I had to try out a cheese (Goat Gouda), a loaf of bread (Rosemary and Olive Oil Foccaccia), and some dried pasta (Lemon Garlic Orzo). Now, those things were not exactly cheap, but like I said, it was my first time and I was excited to try everything! Also, the people are very friendly and much more knowledgeable about their products than at most chain grocery stores. Anyways, the pasta came with a recipe for Lemon Garlic Linguine that I made last night with a few of my own alterations/additions. It's both spicy and creamy at the same time, and while I'm not one for very spicy foods, I really enjoyed this!!


Recipe: Spicy Creamy Shrimp over Lemon Garlic Pasta
(Makes 4-6 servings)

1 lb. Pappardelle's Lemon Garlic Pasta*
1/4 cup olive oil (I always use extra-virgin olive oil)
1 Large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp paprika and cayenne pepper
1 tsp fresh oregano and thyme, chopped **
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups half-n-half (or heavy cream)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice plus zest
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta 8-10 minutes in boiling salted water; reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. After draining, return pasta to pot and add reserved cooking water plus olive oil. (Note: if your pasta was unflavored to begin with, this is where you would add the lemon/garlic). Cover to keep warm.

2. In large pan, heat olive oil and then add the onions, cook about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice and cook over high heat until the alcohol has evaporated. Add the cream and cook until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and cook until nearly pink (Note: if using frozen, pre-cooked shrimp, make sure it's thawed and only put it in at the very last minute so it doesn't become over-cooked). Add the green onions, parsley and tarragon and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the cooked pasta to above mixture and toss to coat. Heat through and serve with parmesan cheese and a wedge of toasted foccaccia.

*If you can't find this flavor or brand, you can always use plain orzo and flavor it yourself with lemon juice/zest and some garlic-infused olive oil after cooking.
**I used dried herbs instead of fresh, just remember if you're using dried, use less because their flavor is stronger.


Recipe: Toasted Foccaccia Wedges
(this is my own simple creation so I don't waste my freshly-baked Foccaccia bread!)

-Foccaccia bread (I'm using my Rosemary Olive-Oil bread from the Farmer's Market)
-1 whole Garlic clove, peeled
-Cheese of your choice-make sure it's a good melting cheese (I used Havarti)
-Salt and Pepper and Any other spices your heart desires (i.e. cayenne pepper for spiciness, thyme for earthiness, oregano and basil for italian-style...)

1. Turn oven to broil. Slice foccaccia into long slices, then slice again diagonally so you get crescent-shaped wedges.

2. Rub garlic clove on each slice, and place on baking sheet lined with tinfoil.

3. Top wedges with a good-melting cheese, salt, pepper, and any spices and place under broiler until cheese turns bubbly.

Enjoy! This is a very hearty meal that I know is very high in carbs, but every once in a while some comfort food just hits the spot!