Even though the weather was cool, the Charleston Farmer's Market opened on schedule. In addition to the asparagus and lettuce we hoped to find, we were excited to see that the season's first strawberries had made an appearance. We waited until we got to the market to plan Saturday's dinner and as we walked through the area, decided on steamed asparagus rolled in ham slices and served with a light cream sauce along with mixed greens tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. Making a decision on how to use the strawberries was difficult, so we've offered two ideas. The strawberry sorbet is incredible - the taste is so refreshing it's almost like eating liquified cold strawberries. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you might prefer to try our version of Strawberries Romanoff.
The Market has grown to almost fifty families who supply a wide range of products including beautiful produce that changes weekly as more fruits and vegetables come into season, local honey, all types of mushrooms, herb plants and cut flowers as well as food products such as numerous varieties of bread, boiled peanuts, and cookies. You can have breakfast during your trip through the Market, anything from coffee and a croissant to an omelet and grits. Later this week, we will make pasta primavera with more of the asparagus and we plan to try Portabella Fajitas with some of the mushrooms we bought. As the seasons progress, we look forward to providing recipes for tomatoes, corn, fresh herbs, peaches, blueberries, and more. We hope to see you at the Market one Saturday.
Ingredients:
Wash asparagus and break off tough bottom portion. Place two inches of water in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Carefully place asparagus in boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and rinse with cold water. Place asparagus on paper towels to dry.
Ingredients for Light Cream Sauce:
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and stir 4-5 minutes. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Simmer and stir until the sauce begins to thicken slightly; enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste and remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup cheese (reserving remaining cheese for top of casserole) and stir until melted.
Assembly:
When ready to serve, preheat broiler. Roll each slice of ham around four asparagus spears and place in a lightly oiled 13 x 9 glass casserole dish, seam side down. Pour the cream sauce over the ham rolls and top with remaining grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese. Broil just until the ham rolls are heated through and the cheese is lightly browned. 4 servings.
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette:
Combine vinegars and mustard in small mixing bowl. With whisk, gradually add olive oil until incorporated. Whisk in pepper to taste.
or
Water Cress Dressing:
Ingredients:
Combine lemon juice, vinegar and salt in small mixing bowl. With whisk, gradually add olive oil until incorporated. Whisk in pepper to taste and stir in chopped water cress.
Place greens, red pepper and snow peas in salad bowl. Toss with either the vinaigrette or water cress dressing. 4 servings.
Ingredients:
Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. Pour in the cream and liqueur and process until completely blended.
Freeze in an ice cream maker, following manufacturers' directions. Make 1 quart.
Ingredients:
Place the strawberries in a medium size bowl and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cover and refrigerate. In a chilled bowl, with chilled beaters, beat heavy cream until peaks form. Refrigerate. In a large bowl, beat the ice cream until fluffy; fold in the whipped cream and Cognac. Just prior to serving, pour the ice cream mixture over the berries and mix lightly. 4-6 servings.
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