Home Sweet Homegrown at Central Market

From fine wine to great steaks, from delicious seafood to gorgeous produce, Texas is blessed with incredible farmers, ranchers, growers, and creators. To celebrate these hardworking Texans, Central Market is hosting a Home Sweet Homegrown Farmers’ Market. I’ve created some recipes to help take advantage of these delicious products.

Martin House Brewing’s Best Maid Sour Pickle Beer Brine

This is a great brine for poultry and for pork. I use it for whole birds, pork chops and tenderloins, chicken thighs, and turkey breasts. It even makes boneless, skinless chicken breasts taste great. And I love that it is Fort Worth through and through!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup kosher salt (please don’t use table salt for this!)
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 ½ cups ice cubes
• 2 cans Martin House Brewing’s Best Maid Sour Pickle Beer

Directions

Combine the kosher salt, light brown sugar, garlic, dill, bay leaves, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in a large bowl and add the boiling water. Stir to make sure that the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add in the ice cubes and stir to dissolve then add in the beer. To brine, either put the brine in a zippered plastic bag and add the meat or put the meat in with the brine in the bowl and cover with a plate that is slightly smaller than the bowl and weigh it down with cans. (You want to keep the meat submerged in the brine.)

Brining schedule

• 1 to 3 pounds: 45 minutes
• 3 to 5 pounds: 90 minutes
• 5 to 8 pounds: up to 6 hours
• 8 pounds plus: at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours

Sides Pea Farm Peas and Tomato Salad

We’re right at the end of fresh pea season, so this is a great way to enjoy the last of the harvest.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Sides Pea Farm crowder, purple hull, zipper cream, lady cream, or black-eyed peas
• 4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups mixed tiny tomatoes (yellow, red, orange…), halved
• 3 green onions, white and green, thinly sliced
• Several shakes of your favorite hot sauce
• 1 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the chicken broth, bacon, thyme, and bay leaves to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add the peas and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Drain and place in a bowl. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and hot sauce to taste and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, green onions, vinegar, and olive oil and toss to coat. This is great with grilled meats. If you want to make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth and leave out the bacon. If you add in a grain of some sort (rice, farro, couscous, bulgar, orzo, etc.), you’ll have a vegan meal that provides a full protein!

Mozzarella Company’s Goat’s Milk Ricotta with Local Honey

This is probably the world’s easiest, and yet so amazingly delicious, dessert. Serve with fresh fruit, on toasted bread, or simply a spoon!

Ingredients

• Mozzarella Company’s goat’s milk ricotta
• Local honey
• If you like, you can add some Texas pecans, too!

Directions

Drizzle the ricotta with honey. Serve.

Central Market has honeys from all over Texas right now. This is a great way to compare and contrast what honey tastes like from the Gulf Coast, Central Texas, Rio Grande Valley, West Texas Plains, and here in North Texas!