From the farmers market to our table...

I would love to watch a cooking show that shopped only at farmer's markets! I guess it'd be pretty seasonal in some areas on what they could make, but they could include tips for shopping at markets.  For example, our market had tons of produce this week.  I saw blueberries for a dollar, which was an outstanding deal.  I walked over and noticed they looked like someone had purchased them from the store and was reselling them.  I believe Alton Brown had pointed out on one of his shows that people would do this and to watch for it. Sure enough, I asked the lady about them and she didn't even know where they were from! The guy helping her started to read the container to me to figure it out! I tried to politely bow out from their booth. As I was moving away the lady said, "they are organic!" I'm not sure how she knew that, because organic was not anywhere on the container.  The best part was that she didn't say the word like most people I know, instead she said, "organ-ick". She was a cute old lady. Do you have any tips for farmer's markets? Do you go to any?

As soon as we got there the aroma of green chili being roasted filled our car.  We walked past, did our normal loop through the small market, and started our final loop to make purchases.  We found these cool fishing lures made out of bottle caps.  We bought one, then I saw a cute gift for a friend at the same booth.  I love buying off the beaten path treasures! Finally, we purchased our mild green chili peppers. They roasted them for us right there.  We plopped them in the fridge over night and went fishing the rest of the day. (I caught my biggest fish of the year, a great, big sucker!)

Today I decided to make my own Colorado green chili! Here is the recipe and the results...

2.5 pounds roasted green chili peppers
20 oz. chicken stock
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, diced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 C. flour
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 1/3 pound chopped pork
2 limes
1 10 oz. jar tomatillo salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 C. V8 or vegetable blend tomato juice

Pour the olive oil in to the bottom of a large pot. Add diced onion and salt, stir.  Let the onion sweat a little, then add garlic, stir.  When onion is starting to soften, add pork.  Add pepper.  Pork will turn white on all sides, add flour and stir.  Let pork brown a little more.  Add chicken stock and stir.  Add jar of salsa, green chili, tomatoes, and vegetable juice. Stir and add in juice from the two limes.  Bring entire mixture to a simmer.  Turn heat off and use a ladle to take out about half of the mixture, omitting any pork.  Carefully, put chunky mixture into the food processor to puree.  Pour pureed mixture back into pot and stir all together.  Makes 8 generous portions.

Now, when we tasted our green chili it was very spicy! Even though we bought mild peppers, it turned out very hot.  We steamed some white rice and made a base in our bowl to pour the green chili over. We scooped our chili on and added some finely shredded colby jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  It was delicious!!