Twice a month we highlight local restaurants, farms and farmers markets featured on episodes of UNC-TV’s “Flavor, NC.” This week, we review episode six of Season three, in which host Lisa Prince highlights Cobblestone Farmers Market in Old Salem and the Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen and Bar in Winston-Salem.
The Cobblestone Farmers Market has about 30 vendors selling local, sustainable and organic products from 7 to 10 surrounding counties. “The market is in the middle of the largest food insecure areas,” said manager Margaret Norfleet Neff.
While at Old Salem, Lisa visits the gardens to get a look back in time at farming in the 1850s and the many heritage varieties grown at the garden. “We participate in the Seed Saver exchange,” said gardener Eric Jackson. “Sharing and saving seeds is a way to preserve a lasting piece of our heritage.”
After a visit to the market, Lisa takes her farmers market finds to Chef Tim Grandinetti of Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen and Bar located in the former Bahnson House, a 1920 mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Chef Tim and Lisa cook up several recipes using fresh and local ingredients. Below is his recipe for quesadilla with corn relish, which Lisa calls a “farmers market on a plate.”
Quesadilla
Ingredients:
2 cups mixed mushrooms (portabello, cremini, button)
1/2 sliced white onion
1/2 sliced red onion
1 bunch slivered green onion
3 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing
8 flour tortillas
4 ounces pimento cheese
Directions:
Heat a frying pan and add olive oil. Add the green onion, red onion and mushrooms to the pan. Lightly season the mixture with salt and pepper and sauté for seven or eight minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Spread the pimento cheese all over one side of a flour tortilla. Spoon the vegetables on one half of the tortilla and fold it over. Heat a sauté pan and add a thin coat of oil. Place the filled tortilla in the pan and brown it on one side. Flip the tortilla and brown the other side. When browned and crispy, remove quesadilla from the heat, slice and serve.
Corn Relish
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
6 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Add corn kernels to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the sundried tomato, green onion, red onion, garlic and jalapeno. Stir ingredients together then toss with the fresh lime juice and allow to marinate. Just before serving, toss in the rice wine vinegar, olive oil and cilantro.