Organic Copenhagen gold garlic
This is one of my absolute favorite garlic varieties to work with in the kitchen. Grown and sold by Mount Olive Organic Farm of Paso Robles, it is recognized by its large size and stunning purple blush across the white papery outer layers.
Possessing large, aromatic, flavorful cloves, this garlic is excellent for use in salad dressings, pasta dishes, roasted or grilled meats, marinades, stir-fry, as well as sauces and salsas.
This week, I topped the garlic head, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned, then roasted whole in the oven. Once soft, it is ideal for adding to homemade hummus, baba ganoush or on a crostini, as in this week’s Fix on A4. Certified organic, Copenhagen Gold garlic can currently be found at the Saturday Santa Barbara farmers’ market while supplies last. Price is $20 per pound.
Sweet Italian chicken sausages
I’ve prepared these for dinner twice for my family over the past couple of weeks. This first time, I grilled them until cooked through with nice grill marks present, then cut into rounds and served with toothpicks and an assortment of dipping sauces. The 1.25-pound platter disappeared in about 5 minutes.
The second time I simmered them in a homemade tomato sauce low and slow for about 4 hours, and served them with farmers market purchased fresh pasta. Again, no leftovers.
The sausages are available at the Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets weekly from Casitas Valley Pastures. This product is produced from truly pasture-raised chickens.
Receiving an all natural diet, the quality of the meat is impeccable. In addition to this sweet Italian blend, there are about a half-dozen other offerings. Price is $15 per pound.
Pomegranates
This time of year, tangy antioxidant-packed pomegranates begin to shine.
This fruit is recognized by its pinkish-red colored skin. When cracked open, intricate layers of deep red pigmented edible flesh surrounding small seeds are exposed.
While the fruit is somewhat tart, it can be enjoyed by eating the beads right out of the tough skin and softer membrane, or you can remove them and add them to a salad or steamed rice.
You can also press the juice and use in a sauce, or in a host of desserts. Pomegranates are an excellent source of dietary fiber and boast an impressive list of essential vitamins and minerals.
Pomegranates can currently be found at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets, from a number of local farmers. Price averages $2 each.
