Meat Day @ the Market

Try these delicious recipes featuring the wide variety of meat available at the farmers' market!

Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Escarole

Ingredients

• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 large heads escarole or romaine lettuce, outermost leaves removed
• 1 pound beef tenderloin (filet mignon) or sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 4 steaks, 1-1 ½ inches thick

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Place tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, vinegar, basil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a food processor or blender; pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in another small bowl.
3. Leaving the root ends intact, cut escarole (or romaine) heads into quarters (the root will keep the leaves from falling apart); brush the cut sides with the garlic-oil mixture and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Season both sides of steak with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pat the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan onto both sides of the steak.
4. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the escarole (or romaine), turning occasionally, until the inner leaves have softened and the outer leaves have begun to char, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board to cool. Grill the steaks, turning once, until desired doneness, 8 to 12 minutes total for medium.
5. Cut the root ends off the escarole (or romaine) and discard. Chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. Serve the steak and grilled greens drizzled with the reserved tomato vinaigrette.

Steak and Purple-Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 clove garlic, mashed into a paste
• 8 ounces sirloin steak, trimmed
• ¾ pound small purple potatoes, (see tip), scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 large radishes, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Mix lime juice, chili powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and garlic in a small bowl to form a paste; rub onto both sides of steak. Refrigerate the steak.
2. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain, let cool for 10 minutes, then quarter.
3. While the potatoes cool, preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Oil the grill rack (see Tip) or pan. Grill the steak, turning once, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F, about 10 minutes total on the grill or 16 to 20 minutes in a grill pan. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into ¼-inch-thick slices.
4. Whisk vinegar, oil, cumin, pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the steak and any accumulated juices, the potatoes, radishes, scallions and cilantro; gently toss to coat.

Grilled Chicken Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Canola or olive oil cooking spray
• 1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
• 1 small eggplant, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 medium red onion, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 ¼ pounds), trimmed and tenders removed (see Note)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine oil, basil, marjoram and salt in a small bowl and reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture in another small bowl; set aside.
3. Coat both sides of bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, tomato and onion pieces with cooking spray. Grill the vegetables, turning once, until soft and charred in spots, about 5 minutes per side for the pepper, 4 minutes per side for the eggplant and zucchini and 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes and onion.
4. Rub the tablespoon of reserved herb mixture on both sides of chicken and sprinkle with pepper. Grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
5. Meanwhile, transfer the grilled vegetables to a cutting board and chop into 1-inch pieces. Return to the bowl and toss with vinegar and the remaining herb mixture. Serve the grilled chicken with the ratatouille.

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon
• 8 crimini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain dice and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).
3. Remove mushroom stems. Set aside caps. Chop the stems.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly cook and stir the chopped stems and onion until the onion is soft. Remove from heat.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together the mushroom stem mixture, bacon and ½ cup Cheddar. Mix well and scoop the mixture into the mushroom caps.
6. Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
7. Remove the mushrooms from the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Jamaican Goat Curry

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 6-8 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon allspice (see step 1)
• 3 pounds goat (can use lamb or beef if you can't find goat)
• Salt
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1-2 habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and chopped
• A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 cans coconut milk
• 1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 3-4 cups water
• 5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions

1. Make the curry powder. If you can find Jamaican curry powder, definitely use it. If not, use regular curry powder and add the allspice to it. You will need at least 6 tablespoons of spices for this stew, and you can kick it up to 8-9 depending on how spicy you like it.
2. Cut the meat into large chunks, maybe 2-3 inches across. If you have bones, you can use them, too. Salt everything well and set aside to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and heat until fragrant.
4. Pat the meat dry and brown well in the curried oil. Do this in batches and don’t overcrowd the pot. It will take a while to do this, maybe 30 minutes or so. Set the browned meat aside in a bowl. (When all the meat is browned, if you have bones, add them and brown them, too.)
5. Add the onions and habanero to the pot and sauté, stirring from time to time, until the onions just start to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt over them as they cook. Add the ginger and garlic, mix well and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
6. Put the meat (and bones, if using) back into the pot, along with any juices left in the bowl. Mix well. Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes and 5 tablespoons of the curry powder. Stir to combine. If you are using 2 cans of coconut milk, add 3 cups of water. If you’re only using 1 can, add 4 cups of water. Add the thyme. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the meat is falling-apart tender, which will take at least 2 hours. Longer if you have a mature goat.
7. Once the meat is close to being done – tender but not falling apart yet – Add the potatoes and mix in. The stew is done when the potatoes are. Taste for salt and add some if it needs it.
8. You might need to skim off the layer of fat at the top of the curry before serving. Do this with a large, shallow spoon, skimming into a bowl. Also, be sure to remove any bones before you serve the curry.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

• 2 Lamb shanks
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3-4 medium potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 ¼ cup stock or boiling water with a bullion cube
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Optional, and highly recommended:

• ¾ cup raisins, soaked in ½ cup sherry for a couple hours
• ½ cup of fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Season lamb shanks with salt. Heat a Dutch oven or an oven-proof, thick-bottomed, pot with a tight fitting cover on medium high heat on the stovetop. Add the olive oil and brown the lamb shanks in the casserole pan on all sides. Remove shanks to a dish.
2. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add potatoes and cook another 2 minutes. Add the garlic, lamb shanks, and herbs (except for the mint). If using, add the sherry and raisins; bring the sherry to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 ½ or 2 hours or until shanks are tender.
4. Remove the shanks, strip the meat from the bones and return the meat to the pan.

Honey Soy Grilled Salmon with Edamame

Ingredients

• ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
• 2 scallions
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 center cut skin-on wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ teaspoon black sesame seeds
• 1 ¹⁄₃ cups cooked edamame
• Lime wedges, optional garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the grill over medium-high direct heat. Oil the grill grates. Finely chop the cilantro and scallion and mix in the oil and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut two 3-inch long slits through the skin lengthwise on the bottom of the salmon fillets, going about halfway into the salmon. Evenly stuff the slits with the herb mixture. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
3. Stir together the lime juice, soy and honey until smooth. Place the salmon, skin side up, on the grill and cook until well marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and continue to cook, brushing the tops with the sauce, until the fish is cooked through, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle the tops with the sesame seeds. Serve with edamame and lime wedges.
4. Broiler directions: Position an oven rack so that a baking sheet set on the rack is about 4-inches below the heat source. Preheat the broiler. Prepare the salmon as above and place the fillets, skin down, on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil, basting 3 to 4 times with the sauce, until just cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.