A Personal Flavor

My girlfriend has decided she wants to eat healthier, and of course I’m happy to help her navigate the path to a greener food lifestyle. I could stand to lose a few pounds, so while I still plan to taste what I’m cooking for people, maybe it’s time for me to start cooking for myself with a little less butter and fat. Okay, a lot less butter and fat.

She has a hellish month going with her job and a heavy schedule at school (she’s going for her Masters, you think I’d date a slacker? ), so her time is limited. She also had me remove any “temptation food” and unhealthy food from her house.

So, the other night, the dilemma was this: She had a stressful day at work. She had a huge project due for school and a computer that was going out of its way to make her life miserable with faulty software (that she needed for her project). She was frustrated, because – as she put it – she had “no food” in the house. And she was hungry.

I told her to focus on her homework and I would make her something healthy that would fill her up, that would taste good and that she could feel good about eating. Then it was time to go on a scavenger hunt, which yielded the following ingredients for a late night salad:

- Spring Mix Greens
- Fresh Broccoli
- Button Mushrooms
- Red Potatoes
- Roma Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Brown Mustard
- Honey
- White Wine Vinegar
- Olive Oil

This became a warm salad with a brown mustard and honey vinaigrette, topped with a red potato and veggie hash, garnished with sliced tomatoes. Both the honey and the potato were used sparingly; just enough was used for flavor and texture (honey for the vinaigrette and potato for the hash), and the dressing was also used sparingly – probably less than two teaspoons for the plate. A healthy pinch of mozzarella (again, probably about a tablespoon) was melted over the veggie hash.

I was informed by the female person that “this is so good it’s ridiculous.” And that she was full and happy. Mission Accomplished. MacGyver out.

Yield: 6 Servings

* 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
* 1 Pint Half & Half
* 12 – 14 Large Fresh Figs, Peeled & Chopped
* 1/4 Cup Honey
* 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
* 2 Tbsp. White Granulated Sugar
* 1 Tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
* 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
* Dash Cinnamon

TO MAKE:

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add figs, brown sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon; cook until figs are very soft (5 – 10 minutes at the most). Set aside mixture to cool – I put it in the freezer to speed up the cooling process.

If you have an ice cream maker, combine the cooled mixture with the rest of the ingredients and run the machine. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, combine this mixture with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until whipped and thick, adding honey or sugar to taste if you would like it slightly sweeter.

Pour into a freezer-safe bowl or dish and chill for at least 3 hours.

Optionally, whip two egg whites in a separate dish and fold gently into the whipped ice cream mixture before freezing – this will aerate it a bit and make it easier to scoop. Otherwise you’ll need to take it out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving and allow it to soften slightly.

On Saturday, 08/21/2010, I had the pleasure of cooking for a Meetup Group called “Single Friends” in the far northern suburbs of Chicagoland – actually I don’t know if it can even be called Chicagoland, it’s almost at the Wisconsin border!

The event was called “An Affair to Remember,” and it was put together by a very gracious and awesome hostess, Patty Hook, along with her funny and sarcastic boyfriend Mitch. There were 24 people at the party, which had a black-and-white theme in which everyone dressed in formal black and white, and black and white martinis were served. Not by me, I left that to the bartenders, Patty and Mitch. They did a quite capable job, I must say. Not that I drank martinis, that is definitely not my drink, plus I was too busy cooking to drink anything.

I also could not have pulled this off without my awesome Sous Chef, Chris Aakre. The catch: He was also the DJ! But he had all the right music cued up in his computer and on his iPod, so that freed him up to chop veggies, do temp-check runs on the turkey, spread pesto on crostinis, and help me serve. He did an awesome job, both with helping me and with the DJ’ing. If you want a good DJ for one of your parties, he goes by “DJ Sonne” and you can contact him through his website here: http://www.djsonne.com/

As with all events, this one came with its challenges. About 1/3 of the menu consisted of items I planned to either cook completely or finish in the oven. This included a 10 pound turkey, which is a small one to be sure, but I had the meal timed to put the turkey in the oven at 3:00 p.m. Which I attempted to do, by setting the bake temp and timer – and the oven didn’t respond. It was broken! I finished stuffed mushroom caps (usually done for a short time in the broiler and then the oven), the turkey (almost exclusively done in the oven) and the crostinis (again, frequently toasted in the broiler) all on Patty’s gas grill. The turkey was my biggest concern, and while the grill never got hotter than 340 degrees, the turkey was exactly where I needed it to be temperature-wise early. I’ll give myself credit for seamlessly adapting to using the grill instead of the oven, but the turkey being done early was a definite stroke of luck. I’ll take it.

There were quite a few moments that remind me of exactly why I cook. The hostess acknowledged the dinner and the hard work to everyone, which she didn’t have to do…and the people gave great feedback. I made a Greek dish as the main course, and it just so happened that a Greek (we’re talking “off the boat” Greek) gentleman was there. One of the best moments of the evening was when he asked me if I was Greek, told me the dish was like what he had back home, and declared me officially Greek when he found out I wasn’t. Wow! I can’t even begin to tell you how much that kind of thing means to me.

The absolute best part was that of all the dishes that were sent out, only ONE of the 24 came back with anything on it, and that was just a little pasta. Hors d’oeuvres, gone. Soup, gone. Main course, gone except for that one plate with a little pasta left. Dessert, gone and people asking for seconds…which unfortunately, I didn’t have enough to offer, but everybody got a full dessert serving so it was still fine.

The next catering gig is for only four people, so that won’t be quite as crazy, but it will be just as fun.

And I have one on October 10th, for 100 people…and with no kitchen. Now THAT will be interesting. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Until next time….

Scot

COMMENTS FROM THE PARTY:

“Wow…sigh…WOW! I could never imagine SO many classy, fun folks under one roof…sipping chilled martinis. Each man more handsome than the last, every beautiful woman dressed in classic black-and-white, showcasing her beauty mark in her own special way! MAJOR kudos to our incredible chef, Scot, who pulled it ALL off beautifully, even with my oven breaking down at 3pm (ALL foods moved instantly to my BBQ grill, and he never blinked an eye!)” – Patty (“An Affair to Remember” Hostess)

“This evening was very classy and a lot of fun. Dinner was excellent!” – Marie L.

“Great food, great music, just the right amount of people for mingling … hope to do it again in a few months!” – Janice M.

“Three words – FAB U LOUS. Thanks Patty, Mitch, Scot and Chris.” – Susan P.

“This was a very well planned party that picked up a few challenges during preparation and serving. Scot kept the ball rolling and the evening was magical. A special Thanks to Patty for opening up your home and putting so much effort into the supplies and décor.” – Chris A. (Sous Chef & DJ Extraordinaire – www.DJSonne.com)

“Food, setting, music, dancing and ambiance set the stage for a very special evening.” – Michael B.

“The chef, the food, the drinks and of course the FRIENDS… WERE ALL WONDERFUL!!” – Linda E. S.

“It was AWESOME! The food was amazing, the music fun and the people beautiful and wonderful!!!” – Lorri E.

“The food was to die for, the atmosphere sophisticated, yet friendly, and the Friends were FABULOUS as always.” – Melissa

This is something fairly quick I whip together for myself a lot of mornings. I didn’t think of taking a picture of it until after I had eaten it this time – sorry! – but I will post one the next time I make this and can find my stupid camera cord to upload pics to the computer.

Thanks to Chef Barrae for help with tips for diabetics on this recipe!

Nutritional Information, Standard Version:
72.1 total carbohydrates, or 36.05 carbs per serving
609 total calories, or 304.5 calories per serving
11 grams dietary fiber
Glycemic Load = 34.8

Nutritional Information, Diabetic Substitutions Version (and without cheese):
29.5 total carbohydrates, or 14.75 carbs per serving
403 total calories, or 201.5 calories per serving
14 grams dietary fiber
Glycemic Load = 11.0

SERVINGS:
Enough for 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

3  small to medium red potatoes, skin on, small diced (Diabetic? Try this with 1 1/2 cups diced rutabaga instead.)

Juice of 1 medium to large orange (Diabetic? Try using the juice of a lime instead.)

2 egg whites (I use cage-free organic eggs – I also like this with whole eggs, but you know, the whole healthy thing.)

2 shallots, small diced

2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves, washed & drained

1 large clove of garlic, small diced

1.5 Tbsp. pure olive oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. shredded white cheese (I use Pecorino Romano, but you can try parmesan, jack or chihuahua. The cheese is a “luxury” item in this dish – if you can’t eat it, don’t use it! I like the flavor and a little extra caramelization you get when it’s added.)

2 tsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

1 tsp. – 2 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (for me, the more the better, but 1 tsp. is more subtle)

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Dash hot sauce (Louisiana Hot Sauce is ok, I like Trader Joe’s chili sauce.)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

* Combine all of the ingredients except the spinach, cheese and parsley in a bowl.

* Scoop the contents of the bowl into a hot (preheated) non-stick pan. Stir occasionally. Or if you want to be really cool do that “I don’t need a spoon” pan toss. I think the coolness factor is the only reason I can figure out that this is better than spoon stirring.

* When the potatoes seem like they’re about halfway done (they should feel al dente), add the spinach. Stir occasionally. The spinach will cook down to quite a bit less than what it seemed like you added.

* When the potatoes are coming down the home stretch (you can taste test them and there is very little crunch/rebound to them) add the cheese and most of the parsley. Stir. Set aside a small pinch of parsley for garnish.

* Whisk the two egg whites, then add them to the potatoes. Stir in until they’re loosely scrambled throughout the potatoes.

* Taste, adjust salt & pepper as necessary.

* Remove from heat. Serve on plates or in bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley you have left.

NOTE:
I thought it looked great. I had someone tell me that he hoped it tasted better than it looked. So, while I’m not sure which camp you’ll fall into, it’s good for you and it tastes good.

ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE:
Wrap this in flour tortillas with a little salsa and you’ve got yourself some tasty breakfast burritos.

When I’m not cooking, going to school, being a dad or working, sometimes I still delude myself that I can write songs and sell millions of downloads on iTunes. OK, not really. But I still write songs and from time to time will test them on poor unsuspecting audiences. This video was shot the day I wrote this new song, and the first time I performed it anywhere. The song is called “Weight.” It was recorded at the “Maggie Happy Fun Show” at Studio 303A in Chicago, 07/10/2010.

For the first several editions of “Elegant Cooking Made Easy,” I want to focus on sauces. Why? Because once you know the base or “mother” sauces (Bechamel and Hollandaise being 2 of the 5), the number of dishes you can prepare – even without having a recipe – goes off the charts! It gives you so many options. It’s like they say in “The Matrix” – some rules can be bent, some rules can be broken. But you do have to know the rules first! Once you do…”Free your mind, Neo, free…your…mind.”

Hollandaise Sauce

This is a beautiful sauce that can be used in a variety of applications. It is also a sauce that you can’t really “set and forget,” it needs a little babysitting. Therefore, it’s best to have the other components of your dish (whatever it may be) finished and warm holding, or nearing completion, when you start making your Hollandaise sauce. You can warm-hold this sauce in a double boiler or bain marie for up to 30 minutes. After that…nasty, just start over!

First, I will show you the traditional method, which is a bit more difficult but also easier to salvage if it “breaks.” After that, I’ll show you the “Cliff Notes” version, which is great if you’re in a hurry or want to cut the process down by a few steps.

SAFETY TIP: In a Hollandaise sauce, the eggs are not fully cooked. I highly recommend using pasteurized eggs. Some chefs say this negatively affects the flavor. I say malarkey. I also would not recommend serving to very young children, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system. A healthy adult eating Hollandaise sauce made from pasteurized (non-expired!) eggs should not have any difficulties.

Yield of this recipe: 2 – 3 servings.

Pans & utensils you will need to make it in the classic/traditional way: Medium saucepan, 2 small saucepans, stainless steel bowl that will rest on top of said saucepan, whisk, ladle, optional bain marie.

Pans & utensils you will need to make it the faster way: Blender, 2 small saucepans, optional bain marie. (See? Told ya it was easier….)

In either case, you can use a lemon juicer if you want to squeeze every last drop out of the lemon, or just feel like being lazy. I use my hands…but then, I like playing with my food.

Ingredients:

* 1 egg yolk (from large or extra large egg)
*1 lemon
* 3/4 stick of whole, unsalted butter (the recipe usually calls for clarified butter – I say it’s not necessary!)
*1/2 Tbsp. mustard (you can use yellow or dijon; I prefer dijon)
*2 Tsp. white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
*2 Tsp. dry white wine (pinot grigio, riesling or chablis will all work)
*Salt to taste
*White pepper to taste (traditional recipe calls for crushed peppercorns – I’ve always done fine without them)
*Dash smoked Spanish paprika
*Dash Cayenne pepper (optional)
*About 1/2 cup of room temperature or warm (not hot) water set aside to adjust consistency & color

How to Make the Hollandaise Sauce (Classic/Traditional)

—-> No thanks, take me to the easy one!

* Fill the medium saucepan just under 1/2 way with water and bring to a light simmer, NOT a boil. If it does boil, back off on the heat until it slows to a simmer.

* In one of the small saucepans, melt the butter completely over low heat. HINT: Once it’s completely melted, whisk in a small amount of water. This will help it stay in liquid form, hold better, go further, and actually have a slightly creamier consistency.

* In the other small saucepan, combine the white wine and the vinegar (either white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar). Bring to a boil and let it reduce by half. You should end up with about 2 teaspoons of total liquid since you started with 4. Here we’re cooking out some of the alcohol and also concentrating the flavors. Remove from heat.

* In the stainless steel bowl, add the egg yolk, mustard and juice of 1/2 the lemon. If you squeeze the lemon by hand, squeeze with one hand and strain with the other so you don’t get any seeds in the bowl! Reserve the other 1/2 of the lemon for later. If we don’t need it for the sauce, usually it can be served with or squeezed over the food – we don’t want to waste anything.

* Whisk the ingredients in the bowl together until they are just combined; don’t over-whisk. Yet. You’ll come to the “developing Popeye arms” stage soon enough.

* Whisk in the white wine/vinegar reduction.

* Place the bowl over the medium saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that your small saucepan of melted butter is easily accessible.

* (Welcome to the “Popeye arms” stage) – While steadily whisking, add one ladle full of the melted butter. Repeat this action several times until you start noticing the consistency get to nappe (there’s that word again! “nappe” (nap-PAY) means thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). You will probably not use all of the butter, but it’s better to have slightly too much than not enough.

* A few things you MUST know when using this method:
- Use an oven mitt or towel to hold the stainless steel bowl. It will get hot.
- If you see smoke coming out of your egg/butter mixture, take the bowl off the heat momentarily.
- Never stop whisking, whether the bowl is on the heat or off. The sauce could “break” or the eggs could scramble.

* Once your mixture has reached the nappe consistency, remove the bowl from the heat and turn the flame off. Leave the hot water available on the stove, though.

* Add salt, white pepper, smoked paprika and/or Cayenne pepper to taste. Keep your guests in mind; not everyone can deal with spicy food, and even if you add Cayenne you should do so very sparingly just to give it that hint of a kick…not enough to kick someone in the face.

* If you like your Hollandaise a little more tangy, add the juice of the other 1/2 lemon. If not, cut it into wedges and serve with your dish.

* If the sauce is a bit too thick, add a little of the room temp water at a time and whisk in. This will also lighten the sauce color.

* To hold, either keep in the stainless steel bowl and place back over the warm water (flame off), or keep warm in a bain marie.

* If there are any lumps in the sauce that you can’t whisk out, strain before serving.

How to Make the Hollandaise Sauce (Super-fast, Cliff Notes Style)

* In one of the small saucepans, melt the butter completely over low heat. HINT: Once it’s completely melted, whisk in a small amount of water. This will help it stay in liquid form, hold better, go further, and actually have a slightly creamier consistency.

* In the other small saucepan, combine the white wine and the vinegar (either white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar). Bring to a boil and let it reduce by half. You should end up with about 2 teaspoons of total liquid since you started with 4. Here we’re cooking out some of the alcohol and also concentrating the flavors. Remove from heat.

* Add all of the ingredients with the exception of the butter to the blender. Blend on high speed for about 5 seconds or until everything is combined.

* Turn the blender on low (either “grate” or “blend” setting) and gradually add the melted butter in a steady stream until the sauce reaches the desired consistency, usually about 20 to 30 seconds. If it gets too thick, add small amounts of room temp or warm water to thin it out (this will also lighten the color).

* To hold, place in a bain marie or a stainless steel bowl over hot (not boiling or even simmering) water. Too much heat can cause the eggs to scramble.

* If there are any lumps in the sauce that you can’t whisk out, strain before serving.

Applications of Hollandaise Sauce:

* Eggs Benedict: Toast an English muffin, pan-fry a slice of Canadian bacon and poach an egg. Stack the Canadian bacon and poached egg on top of the English muffin, ladle the Hollandaise sauce over it.

* Eggs Florentine: Do exactly the same as Eggs Benedict above, but saute some fresh spinach and place it on the English muffin before you add the Canadian bacon, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce.

* Serve over asparagus or broccoli. Delicious!

* Use it to create a well-known “small sauce,” Bearnaise! This is often served with steaks, and I personally love to have a “dipping bowl” of this sauce with a nice char-grilled sirloin or filet. That way I can let the steak’s flavor speak for itself or get that little extra somethin’-somethin’.

* How to make the Bearnaise: Chop up about 1/2 teaspoon each of fresh tarragon and chervil. Add these plus another 1/2 teaspoon of champagne vinegar, whisk in. That’s it!

Heart Healthy / Diabetic Version of Hollandaise Sauce

Follow exactly the same directions as the “Super-fast, Cliff Notes” version above; however, substitute 50-5o butter for the whole unsalted butter, and 1/4 cup Egg Beaters (www.eggbeaters.com) instead of the egg yolk. The flavor will be different and you will have to adjust your seasonings, but this is a perfectly acceptable approach for those who are watching their diets.

Hey gang! Wow, it’s been awhile since I’ve been back, my apologies for that. I’ve been trying to get some work/life balance things in order and it’s still interesting, but I wanted to get some new info out there to you guys.

If you like to shop local farmers’ markets (and I hope you do), info like this should be helpful for you. I’m posting a list of farmers’ markets and co-ops all within 20 miles of downtown Chicago.

If you are from a different city and want me to post a list for your area, just add a comment to this post. I do read your comments and will respond; again, my apologies for being a little behind on this but I am going to do better, I swear.

And now, on with the Chicago Farmers’ Market & Co-op List:

Farmers’ Markets & Co-ops Within 20 Miles of Downtown Chicago

Addison Farmers Market
One Friendship Plaza, Addison, IL 60101
Time of Year: June – September

Ashburn Farmers Market
87th & Kedzie Ave. (8700S – 3200W), Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Austin Farmers Market
Madison and Central, Emmet Academy, Parking lot, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: July – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Berwyn Farmers Market
3300 S. Grove Avenue, Municipal Lot, Berwyn, IL 60402 http://www.berwyn.net
Time of Year: May – September; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-12:00 noon
Beverly Farmers Market
95th Street & Longwood (9500S-1821W), Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Sunday, 7:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Bronzeville Farmers Market
30th & Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. (3000S – 400E), Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October Accepts: WIC

Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand
66 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601
Tel: 312-742-8419
Downtown.Farmstand@cityofchicago.edu

http://www.chicagofarmstand.com

Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand, located at 66 East Randolph Street, od in October 2008. The
Farmstand’s promise – local, delicious, and edible – is fulfilled by hundreds of products, all from
within 250 miles of Chicago.
Local dsn’t just mean locally grown – in addition to sustainably grown fresh fruits, vegetables and
herbs in season (including many organic items), Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand features a broad
selection of edibles produced throughout the region. Each day, a wide range of dairy products,
condiments, seasonings, preserves, breakfast favorites, baked goods, and other items arrive at our
location.

Daley Plaza Chicago Farmers Market
Washington & Dearborn, Daley Plaza, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: May – September; Day of Week/Hours: Thursday, 7:00 A.M.- 3:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Dunning-Eli’s Farmers Market
Eli’s Cheesecake.com
pany parking lot, City Hall, Room 806, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL
60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Thursday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Edgewater Farmers Market
Thorndale & Broadway (2000N – 700W), City Hall, Room 806, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL
60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October Accepts: WIC

Evanston’s Farmers Market
University Street & Oak Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 http://www.cityofevanston.org
Time of Year: May – November; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:30 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Farmstand at CHSAS
3851 W. 111th St., Chicago High School for Agricultural Science, Chicago, IL 60655
Time of Year: July – September; Day of Week/Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Federal Plaza Farmers Market
Federal Plaza at Adams & Dearborn (230 S-50 W), City Hall, Room 806, 121 N. LaSalle Street,
Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Tuesday, 7:00 A.M.- 3:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Forest Park French Market
405 North Wabash, Unit 3009, Northwest corner of Madison & Circle, Chicago, IL 60611

http://www.bensidounusa.com

Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.
Garfield Park Farmers Market
Garfield Park, North of Conservatory, City Hall, Room 806, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org

Time of Year: June – October

Gately/Pullman Farmers Market
111th & Cottage Grove (111000S – 800E), City Hall, Room 806, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL
60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Glen Ellyn Farmers Market
400 Main St. Adjacent to Giesche Shoe, Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.bensidounusa.com
Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Friday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Glencoe French Market
Wyman Green off Village Ct. between Park & Hazel, Chicago, IL 60022

http://www.benisdounusa.com

Time of Year: June – October

Glenview Farmers Market
Jackman Park, Glenview, IL 60025 http://www.GlenviewWomenofToday.org
Time of Year: July – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-12:00 noon

Green City Market
1750 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614
Tel: (773) 880-1266
Fax: (773) 880-1262
admin@chicagogreencitymarket.org

http://www.chicagogreencitymarket.org/default.asp

The Chicago Green City Market is Chicago’s premiere farmers market with a focus on sustainability
and locally grown produce. It also features local farmers and acclaimed local chefs, loads of organic
produce, and one of the loveliest outings of the summer.
The Green City Market’s Mission is:
- To improve the availability of a diverse range of high quality foods.
- To connect local producers and farmers to chefs, restaurateurs, food organizations and the
public.
- And, to support small family farms and promote a healthier society through education and
appreciation for local, fresh, sustainably raised produce and products.
For information regarding the market’s vendors and/or the chefs and restaurants that support the
Market by participating in its events and/or purchasing its products, visit the Green City Market’s
website.
NOTE: The Green City Farmers Market has two locations during the year. It opens outside in
Lincoln Park for the summer, and then, in November, it moves indoors until spring arrives again.
Summer Location: In Lincoln Park, just a bit northeast of the intersection of Clark and LaSalle. The
organizers peg it as just east of 1750 N. Clark.
See website for the address of Green City Market’s Administrative Office.

Hinsdale Farmers Market
Garfield Ave. parking lot, Hinsdale, IL 60521 http://www.hindsdalechamber.com
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Monday, 7:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Homegrown Chicago Farmers Market
2626 W. Division Street, Chicago, IL 60622 http://www.prcc-chgo.org
Time of Year: July – November; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 12:00 noon-3:00 P.M.

Hyde Park Farmers Market
Cul-de-sac at Harper Court, 52nd Pl. &, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October Accepts: WIC

LaGrange Farmers Market
Harris Ave. & Sixth Ave., LaGrange, IL 60525 http://www.westsuburbanchamber.org
Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Thursday, 7:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Lake Shore East Farmers Market
220 North Park Drive, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org
Lawndale Farmers Market
Greenshaw & Homan (1100S – 3400W), Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October Accepts: WIC

Lincoln Park Farmers Market
Lincoln Park High School parking lot, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Lincoln Square Chicago Farmers Market
City parking lot adjacent to Brown Line station, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Tuesday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC
Page 12
Personal Guide: Farmers Markets

Lisle French Market
Downtown Lisle-Main & Burlington, Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.benisdounusa.com

Logan Square
Southeast corner of Logan Blvd. & Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Sunday, 11:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

Lombard French Market
St. Charles Road one block east of Main St., Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.benisdounusa.com
Time of Year: May – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Morgan Park Farmers Market
Shiloah M.B. Church lot, 92nd & Ashland, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Museum of Contemporary Art/Streeterville Market
On MCA Plaza, Chicago & Mies van der Rohe, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Tuesday, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.

Near North Farmers Market
Division & Dearborn Streets (1200 N-50 W), Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Nettelhorst French Market
Corner of Broadway & Melrose St., Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.bensidounusa.com
Time of Year: April – November; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

North Center Farmers Market
Belle Plain/Damien/Lincoln (4100N – 2000N), Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.- 2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

North Halsted Farmers Market
Faith Tabernacle Church parking lot, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

North Riverside Farmers Market
2401 DesPlaines Ave. parking lot next to fire stat, Riverside, IL 60546 http://www.localharvest.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Northfield Farmers Market
Happy Road South of Winnetkaa Rd., Northfield, IL 60093 http://www.northfieldchamber.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:30 A.M.-12:00 noon

Oak Lawn Farmers Market
North Parking Lot of Village Hall, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 http://www.oaklawn-il.gov
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

Oak Park Farmers Market
SE corner of Lake & Elmwood Streets, Oak Park, IL 60302 http://www.oak-park.us
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Palos Heights Farmers Market
Tiffany Square Shopping Center, 119th & Harlem Ave, Palos Heights, IL 60463
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Palos Park Women’s Club Farmers Market
123rd & 88th Ave., Palos Park, IL 60464 http://www.palospark.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Friday, 8:00 A.M.-12:30 P.M.

Park at Jackson & Wacker Farmers Market
311 South Wacker St., Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Thursday, 7:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Park Ridge Farmers Market
Prairie Ave., south of the Metra Train Station, Park Ridge, IL 60068

http://park-ridge.il.us/about/farmers-

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Printer’s Row Farmers Market
Dearborn & Polk (36W – 800S) Parking lot, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October Accepts: WIC

Prudential Plaza Farmers Market
Prudential Building Plaza, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Tuesday, 7:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Seaway Farmers Market
87th Langley (8700 S.-645 W.) Seaway, National Bank, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org

Time of Year: June – September; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

Shore Bank Farmers Market
Shore Bank Parking lot, 70th & Jeffery, Chicago, IL 60602

http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents

Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Skokie Farmers Market
5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL 60077 http://www.skokie.org
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Sunday, 7:30 A.M.-12:45 P.M. Accepts: WIC

South Chicago
83rd & Marquette (Chief Nomo’s Oasis), Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org
Time of Year: July – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

Villa Park French Market
On Park Blvd., West side of Ardmore Ave., Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.bensidounusa.com
Time of Year: April – October; Day of Week/Hours: Sunday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Wheaton Farmers Market
SW Corner of Scott & Seminary St., Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.bensidounusa.com
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Thursday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Wicker Park/Bucktown Farmers Market
Wicker Park & Damen Streets, Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Time of Year: June – October; Day of Week/Hours: Sunday, 7:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M. Accepts: WIC

Wilmette French Market
Metra Parking Lot-Green Bay and Central, Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.bensidounusa.com
Time of Year: April – October; Day of Week/Hours: Saturday, 8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.

Oooooh, Bechamel sounds so fancy and scary and intimidating, doesn’t it? But it’s not! I can practically guarantee that by the second time you make this, you’re going to be an absolute whiz at it. And then you can tell your neighbors that you do fancy French cooking now.

Here’s how to make a classic bechamel sauce. How you season it turns it into different things…for instance, add some grated parmesan and black pepper and you have an alfredo sauce! At the bottom of this article beneath the recipe, I’ve included four ideas for which you can use this sauce: Fettucini Alfredo, Homemade Mac & Cheese, Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel, and Chicken with Mushroom Sauce. Of course the possibilities are endless, but you gotta start somewhere….

And now, on with the recipe:

BECHAMEL SAUCE

Yield: About 1 – 1.5 cups. Depending on the application, generally can serve 3 – 6 people.

Ingredients

* 1 cup milk (you can even do this with skim to watch fat content, but use ½ and ½ or heavy cream if you want it to have a richer, creamier consistency)

* ½ of a yellow onion, peeled

* 2 cloves

* 1 or 2 bay leaves

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

* 2 tablespoons all-purpose white flour

* Pinch salt (to taste)

* Pinch white pepper (to taste)

* Pinch nutmeg (to taste – I recommend grating a small amount of fresh nutmeg & tasting, add carefully as necessary)

* 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed (completely optional, depending on flavor you’re after…not part of “classic” bechamel)

How to Make

* In a saucepan, heat milk or cream on the stove on low heat, bring to a simmer.

* While the milk is heating up, attach the bay leaf(s) to the ½ onion with the 2 cloves. This is called an “onion pique” (pee-KAY). Add the onion pique to the lightly simmering milk/cream and let it be for at least 10 minutes. The ½ onion should be mostly covered but does not have to be 100% immersed.

* Add the flour to a small saute pan (dry). Cook over medium heat for a minute or two to cook off the flour flavor, keeping the flour moving with a spoon or whisk. Remove from heat.

* Heat the butter up in a separate saute pan until melted. As soon as it starts to bubble/foam, turn to the lowest heat possible. You don’t want the butter to brown or burn. Start adding the flour in small increments, constantly moving with a whisk in order to prevent lumps. When all the flour is incorporated, cook for approximately one to two minutes over low heat. Don’t allow the mixture to brown; you’re looking for a white roux. The roux will be pretty thick…no worries, this is a good thing.

* Remove the onion pique from the milk/cream and gradually whisk into the roux. The consistency you’re after is “nappe,” which means it will coat the back of a spoon and you can run a line down the back of the spoon with your finger and the mixture won’t run back together, at least not quickly. But it should also not be too thick…the longer it sets, especially without heat, the thicker it will become. If it gets too thick you can adjust the consistency by whisking in more warm milk.

* Add salt and white pepper to taste. A classic bechamel should have a somewhat sweet (from the cloves & nutmeg) and lightly peppery taste to it. It’s a base sauce…if you start adding too much to it, it becomes something else. As mentioned before, it’s a great start for an alfredo. Season sparingly.

* Completely optional – and again not part of a classic bechamel – add the crushed garlic to the mixture. This definitely imparts a bolder flavor, but since garlic is powerful it will take away a bit from the lightly sweet & peppery profile.

MEAL IDEAS USING A CLASSIC BECHAMEL AS A BASE

^ Fettucini Alfredo: Melt shredded/grated parmesan cheese into the bechamel (I prefer Parmegiano Reggiano but if you’re on a budget you can use a less expensive parmesan from the deli counter or even pre-grated parm in a bag). Add black pepper to taste. Cook fettucini pasta to “al dente” in salted boiling water. Drain pasta, plate, and ladle the sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle more parm over the top and chopped parsley if you like.

^ Homemade Macaroni & Cheese: Cook elbow macaroni noodles to just shy of al dente; drain. Melt shredded parmesan, mild cheddar and American cheese into the bechamel sauce; pour over the macaroni and stir. (hint: you can add any chopped & cooked meat or veggies here that sound good to you too…i.e. mushrooms, broccoli, ground beef, etc.) Season with salt to taste. Mix Panko breadcrumbs, herbs of your choice and parmesan cheese; place mac & cheese in a baking dish and generously crumble this mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Finish in the broiler for 1 – 2 minutes or until you have a nice golden brown breaded crust. Careful not to burn it!

^ Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel: Hey, I’m not going to second-guess Giada De Laurentiis and her baked rigatoni recipe. You’ve already got the bechamel, now just cook the rigatoni noodles, mix with the bechamel and fontina cheese, dot the top with butter and bake.

^ Chicken with Mushroom Sauce: Grill or saute chicken breast(s), saute mushrooms in a bit of butter & add to bechamel, season, and serve the tasty mushroom sauce over the chicken!

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Have a question or a comment about this? I’d love to hear from you. Post a comment and I’ll reply as quickly as possible. Thanks!

Okay, chefs and home cooks alike, here’s a challenge for you.

Have you ever watched “Chopped” on the Food Network? One of my favorite things to do is hit “Pause” on the DVR after the chefs open their baskets and figure out what I would make with the ingredients. I give myself about 60 seconds because I think that’s all I could afford to lose on the show before I had to bust ass to get my mise en place right and start cooking. Do you ever do anything similar? Now is your chance!

I have a lot of fresh food that I don’t want going bad, so I need to prepare some dishes to be either refrigerated or  frozen to be reheated and eaten at a later date.

In contrast to “Chopped,” I have a -ton- of normal ingredients available and we don’t have to think of something and prepare a jaw-dropping masterpiece with marshmallows, cilantro and soda crackers.

Here is what I propose: To the chef or home cook who comes up with the most creative three (3) dishes using the ingredients I list below, I will write a feature article about you and include a link to your website here.

What I need for each of the dishes is a recipe including: Ingredients & amounts of each, kitchen items needed, yield, approximate cooking time, and preparation/cooking processes.

Contest entries will be accepted until Saturday, June 12 at 11:59 p.m. Winner will be announced via Twitter (follow me @aPersonalFlavor) on Sunday, June 13. Yes, the contest is entirely subjective because I’m judging it…but what have you got to lose? You’ll either be featured on my site, or you’ll have fun putting dishes together!

Ready? Here is the ingredient list.

Ingredient List

1 lb. Ground Beef

3 Large Sweet Italian Sausage

30 Tortillas

1 lb. Penne Pasta Noodles

14 Eggs

8 Jalapeno Peppers

7 Limes

4 Avocados

3 Heads Garlic

3 Small Boxes Raisins

3 Florida Oranges

2 Heirloom Tomatoes

2 Yellow Onions

2 Red Bell Peppers

2 Green Bell Peppers

2 Over-ripe Bananas

1 Red Onion

1 Idaho/Russet Potato

1 Lemon

1 Bunch Fresh Parsley

1 Large Can Whole Tomatoes

2 15-oz. Cans Tomoto Sauce

2 8-oz. Cans Tomato Paste

2 Cans Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

2 Cans Old El Paso Refried Beans

1 Jar Kosher Dill Pickles

1 Can Evaporated Milk

1 Box White Rice

1 Box Brown Rice

1 Box Multigrain Crackers

Sour Cream

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Unsweetened Dark Powdered Cocoa

Coffee

Butter

Olive Oil

Canola Oil

Organic Peanut Butter

Worcestersire Sauce

Soy Sauce

Fish Sauce

Organic Thai Peanut Sauce

Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce

Louisiana Hot Sauce

Trader Joe’s Chili Sauce

Balsamic Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar

White Wine Vinegar

Rice Wine Vinegar

Pomegranate-Infused Red Wine Vinegar

Honey

Catsup

Yellow Mustard

Dijon Mustard

Horseradish

Organic Mixed Berry Preserves

Organic Mango Lemonade

Organic Apple Cider

Pinot Noir

Cornstarch

All Purpose Flour

Brown Sugar

Hello! My name is Scot Robnett and I am a personal chef serving the Chicagoland area. The name of the business is “A Personal Flavor.” I specialize in what is traditionally referred to as “comfort food,” but I think that’s a misnomer. It implies that food is put on this earth to comfort us, and needed in times of trouble and stress. While this is sometimes the case, I prefer to call it “happy food!” Food can and should be about community, interaction, LOVE, health and happiness!

To learn more about me and the business, contact me and/or schedule a time to talk about how I can help you, please visit the About A Personal Flavor page.

Bon Appetite!