farmers market toast

Spring has always been my absolute favorite time of year. It is a beautiful picture of renewal and restoration after a long, cold winter. With new growth, fresh sun-kissed air, and birds singing a sweet song in every tree, I just can’t help but feel the urge to create, to make something lovely, tasty and utterly gorgeous with this gift of new life. The wonderful thing is, everything is already drop-dead-gorgeous all on its own. 

My sister, the husband and I made our way to the Ferry Building Farmers Market on Saturday morning to celebrate the beginning of Spring. We walked around with gurgling tummies, eyeing everything there was to offer. After making our way around the entire place, mentally cataloging all the produce we wanted to take home, we filled our basket to the brim and headed back to the house to enjoy our bounty. As I was unpacking, I was struck by the beauty of it all. This food, which will eventually be consumed and used for energy, was literally breath-taking, and that was before anything was done to it!

I have to tell you something. Food is only as good as the place it comes from. When you have the freshest of ingredients grown in such a way that promotes the best outcome, you’ll have to do very little to them to make them taste and look wonderful. There is really no skill in this particular recipe, it is merely a showcase of carefully grown, superbly tasty vegetables that stand perfectly well all on their own.

Farmers Market Toast
serves four

This is the time to splurge. Get the very best ingredients you can. If you have an accessible farmers market, go there. If you have an organic section of your super market, buy from there. This recipe, if it can be called that, is a blank canvas for the seasons. Use whatever is in season at the time. Maybe during the summer, you’ll use fresh tomatoes or in the winter some roasted squash. Usually, the produce that is in season will be whatever is the least expensive at your local grocery store. At the farmers market, you can trust that anything available to you will be in season.

Ingredients:

• 1 stalk green garlic, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts only
• 1 cup goat cheese
• 4 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 8 large slices country bread, cut in half
• salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat a griddle, grill pan, or skillet over high heat.
2. Mix the lemon into the olive oil and brush onto one side of each slice of bread. Place oil side down on hot griddle and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the goat cheese with salt and pepper to taste. I like mine pretty peppery, so I make sure to put enough pepper that the flecks are visible when mixed in.
4. When the toast is done, spread a generous amount of goat cheese on each slice, topping with a pile of arugula and a sprinkle of green garlic. Season lightly with sea salt. If you have some good quality olive oil, you could drizzle a tiny amount over each toast, if desired.

April 4, 2011. appetizers, bread, quick and easy, spring, vegetarian.