Cooking From the Farmer's Market

On market mornings the Old Grange Hall in West Tisbury is a hive of activity. Vendors offering everything from homegrown produce, homemade pies and breads, jams and jellies to breathtaking flowers start setting up their booths in the early hours of the morning. By the time the gate opens at 9:00 there is always a large crowd waiting. Regular customers come equipped with market baskets, coffee mugs and a stash of small bills. The gates open and the weekly ritual of shopping, socializing and sampling begins.

A visit to the market can provide all the ingredients for a perfect summer lunch; a sumptuous salad composed of several varieties of young lettuce, bunches of fresh herbs, delicate edible flowers, all embraced by a classically simple vinaigrette. Buy a loaf of bread, some homemade cookies, a bright bouquet and lunch is served. Enjoy!

For the salad choose a variety of young lettuces, herbs and edible flowers, the exact varieties and amounts being unimportant. The idea is to buy what intrigues you and to improvise. In fact the fun and beauty of this salad is that you could include anything that catches your fancy at the Farmers' Market. Tender young green beans, pea tendrils, tiny new potatoes, baby carrots can all be found at the market when in season. The addition of any of these after a quick blanching in boiling water would make the salad more substantial.

For the Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup white wine or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
Several grindings of fresh white pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the vinegar in a small bowl, add the salt and pepper and whisk until all the salt is dissolved. Add half the olive oil and whisk until well blended. Add the rest of the olive oil and whisk again.
Present the salad at table, and then toss with the vinaigrette. Serve with crusty bread, cool butter and cold white wine.

Photos by David Welch

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