BRYN MAWR FARMERS MARKET

The Bryn Mawr Farmers Market "Winter Market" is open this weekend - like all 4th Saturdays through April.

Come join your neighbors and shop for local items between 10am and 12 noon.

This week our participating vendors include:

Amaranth Gluten-free BakeryAndyB Confections
Birchrun Hills Farm
Canter Hill Farm
Davidson Exotics
Frecon Farms
Joe Coffee (now Philly Fair Trade Roasters)
J&K Chocolates
Two Gander Farm
Wild Flour Bakery

Spring is just around the corner, but there's still time to enjoy the coziness of winter indoors: relax with a good book, by a warm fire, and relish in the lingering cold and quieter weekends with family and friends. February and March are perfect months in which to cook something slowly. We are therefore sharing a recipe for a wonderfully rich, slow cooked pasta dish - we recommend using Davidsons Exotic Mushrooms and buying a crusty loaf of your favorite Bryn Mawr Farmers Market bread to complete this hearty meal. And a starter sized portion of this pasta would also be nice accompanied by a braised meat or chicken again from one of our fabulous market vendors. Top it off with local chocolates for dessert and a cup of Joe's coffee and you've done well!

Wild Mushroom Ragout with Ziti
adapted from Heart of the Artichoke and other kitchen journeys
by David Tanis
Serves 4 - 8 depending on portion sizes

1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil [start with 1/4 cup and add remainder if dish seems dry]
1 large onion, finely diced
Salt and pepper
2 pounds wild or cultivated mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with salt or finely chopped
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 tsps sage
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp red pepper flakes [to taste]
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups homemade or purchased vegetable, or mushroom, or chicken stock, warmed

1 pound long ziti [or your favorite pasta or perhaps brown rice or even polenta!]
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley [optional]

To prepare ragout, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over high heat. Add onion and cook stirring until it begins to brown. Lower heat to medium, season with S and P, and stir until carmelized approx 5 mins.. Remove onion to small bowl. Return pan to heat, add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and turn heat to high. Add mushrooms, stirring well to coat with oil. Keep heat high and saute mushrooms until they brown lightly. If Juices accumulate in pan pour them off and reserve. Season mushrooms with S and P, add spices above and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, add carmelized onion and tomato paste, and stir well to coat mushrooms and to dry mixture slightly. Cook for another 2 mins, stirring. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir it in. Warm broth of your choice by heating for 1 minute in microwave. Ladle in 1 cup of hot broth, stirring well as mixture thickens. Repeat with 2nd cup of broth and cook for 5 minutes. If thin, cook for another 5 mins. If thick, add more broth and/or more olive oil. Taste for seasoning.

This recipe may be prepared ahead and freezes nicely.

Serve with pasta or another starch from our list above, or use your creative powers, even a baked potato would be a nice base for this ragout!

If you're following our standard recipe and serving with pasta, cook pasta as directed on package. If desired, mix drained pasta with warmed garlic and olive oil/butter as per ingredients list. Then add ragout and mix to combine.

Enjoy!

Laura and Molly