Market happenings: Thursday at the Lafayette Farmers Market, patrons can enjoy a drink while painting a sunflower, with the market as a backdrop, at its first Paint & Sip event — a perfect date night or friends night out. Tickets are and includes all materials and a drink ticket. Buy tickets at bit.ly/lafayettemarket.
In season now: This season marks the sweet spot of summer and fall bounty before the first freeze comes our way. Fill up on apples, basil, bell peppers, beets, carrots, celery, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, kale, lettuce, melon, mint, peaches, peppers, plums, potatoes, spicy greens, sweet corn, Swiss chard, summer squash and tomatoes. The market is also stocked with honey, baked goods, eggs, beef, lamb, goat, pork, chicken, cheeses, ferments, preserves and mushrooms.
Lots of this, please: Eggplant of all varieties is filling the market streets — from oblong to small, and large to pear-shaped.
The farmer says: The hot July is bringing eggplant early this year, which should be in good supply until the first frost arrives, which is typically around the first couple weeks of October. Be sure to stock up.
“We have several different types of eggplant,” Jeremy Marsh of Rocky Mountain Fresh told Boulder County Farmers Market staff in 2016, “some of which include the Fairy Tale, which is long, bright purple and white striped, the traditional black Italian, two different Japanese varieties and the Rosa Bianca.” Marsh said Fairy Tale is one of the farm’s most popular.
Toohey and Sons Organic produces another local crowd favorite: the Violetti de Firenze eggplant, with a sweet and creamy flesh. This variety is rare and in short supply, so don’t delay in taking some home.
How to prepare: Either peel or leave skinned and cut lengthwise or slice in rounds. Rest slices on paper towels and add a pinch of salt on each slice, which helps to draw out excess bitterness and moisture. Then allow the slices sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or up to two hours. After this it’s ready for any preparation: bake it, grill it, sauté it or make a garden-fresh ratatouille.
Goes with: Eggplant pairs well with garlic, olive oil, basil, bell peppers, mint, onions, summer squash, goat cheese and tomatoes.
How to store it: For optimal taste and freshness, eggplant is best eaten within two days meanwhile stored in a cool, dry place. The older the eggplant, the more likely it will possess a bitter flavor. If you don’t cook it within the first couple of days, store it in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic, for up to six days. Eggplant is sensitive to ethylene gas, so be sure to keep it away from certain fruits and vegetables, like apples and potatoes. If the days tick up beyond six days, cook the fruit then store in the refrigerator to extend its life even further.
Charred Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts
4 each, Ping Tung or Green Thai Long eggplant
Salt
4 ounces goat cheese
3 ounces pine nuts
Herb vinaigrette:
1/4 ounces mint
1/4 ounces basil
1/4 ounces salad burnet
1 ounce champagne vinegar
3 ounce extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Directions: For the vinaigrette, roughly chop herbs (you may use any herb to your taste). Add champagne vinegar and olive oil then whisk briskly to emulsify. Vinaigrette will break so re-whisk before serving. Add salt to taste.
For the eggplant, slice the fruit lengthwise, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Salt each slice lightly, layering the slices on a sheet tray or Tupperware. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat grill. In a sauté pan coated lightly with olive oil, toast the pine nuts on the grill until golden brown. Grill the slices of eggplant, turning after a nice char is apparent.
Place grilled eggplant on a serving dish, garnish with goat cheese, toasted pine nuts and herb vinaigrette.
Makes 4 servings.
-Joshua Olsen, chef and farmer at ACRES at Warren Tech, acreswarrentech.com
Boulder Farmers Market
13th Street and Canyon Boulevard
4-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 2
8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 23
Lafayette Farmers Market
400 Block of East Simpson Street
4-8 p.m. Thursdays through Sep. 26
Longmont Farmers Market
Boulder County Fairgrounds
8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 23
Union Station Farmers Market
Denver’s Union Station
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 26
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