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Digging Deep: The Roots of our Food

January is Roots Month at the SFC Farmers’ Markets at our four market sites, and there’s nothing like thinking about the roots of where our food comes from to elicit the feeling of connectedness between ourselves and the farmers that bring us fresh, nutritious and sustainably grown food.

We are open this Saturday 9 am to 1 pm, and we hope that you’ll be there (albeit only if you can get there safely) to support the farmers and vendors that are at the markets in the frigid weather. They come because they feel that connectedness reciprocally and they certainly can’t push a button on a player and ask the vegetables to just “pause”. They’d appreciate your patronage tomorrow, as well as future days that are going to be tough as we experience this winter. The farmers come to the markets week in, and week out, in bad weather, and in good, literally pulling out our food from the ground hours before coming to market. Many of them rely on the farmers’ market sales as a majority of their farm income, so every Saturday or other market day counts.

We will continue to be open in the winter at the Saturday markets 9 am to 1 pm and our mid-week markets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3 – 7 pm, rain or shine or even cold weather.

For those who brave the weather tomorrow, here’s a root recipe to use when you get home:

Gingered Carrot Soup with Lime and Cilantro

Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side.

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or neutral oil)
  • 5 cups chopped carrots (about 2lb)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons diced ginger (about 1 inch squared)
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 5 cups vegetable broth or homemade chicken broth
  • 2 limes, zest and juice
  • cayenne pepper to taste
  • handful of cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

1) Put a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil. When hot, add onions and carrots. Saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

2) Add ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Saute 1 more minute.

3) Pour in broth. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook uncovered until carrots are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

4) Remove soup from heat. Stir in lime juice. Let cool a bit, add cilantro, and puree in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender right in the pot. Add cayenne pepper to taste.

5) Let soup cool to about room temperature. (An ice water bath in your sink is a good idea here – soup sitting warm for too long can spoil.) Stir in yogurt. Cover soup and refrigerate, at least four hours but preferably overnight.

6) When serving, garnish soup with a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of lime zest, and a few cilantro leaves. Pretty and delicious!