This week from the Westport Farmers’ Market: Quinoa Tabbouleh

 

Shopping at a farmers’ market can sometimes be intimidating; all that beautiful produce can be overwhelming if one isn’t a seasoned at-home chef. Folks at the Westport Farmers’ Market understand that, and it is just this reason the WFM provides a recipe page on their website. Sue Smith, owner of Prime Health Style in Westport, is a frequent contributor to the page and guest at the market. Her recipe for Quinoa Tabbouleh, below, is perfect for farmers’ market goers who have a bounty of herbs and vegetables in hand. Featuring tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, garlic, parsley, and mint, Sue’s recipe is a refreshing twist on tabbouleh that utilizes much of the farm-fresh produce found at the market. Try it topped with crumbled cheese from Beltane Farm or Sankow Beaver Brook Farm and served with a sliced baguette from SoNo Baking Company, Wave Hill Breads, or Bien Cuit.

Sue Smith’s quinoa is not the only recipe you’ll find this week at the farmers’ market. The Whelk is the featured Chef of the Week. Be sure to grab a spot early for this ever-popular demonstration by one of WFM’s stalwart sponsors, beginning at 10:15.

This week welcomes a very special guest, also – James O’Brien, a Staples High School graduate and founder of Workshop Garden Technologies. Workshop Garden Technologies uses an agricultural device developed by researchers at MIT to grow crops in small, Internet-controlled environments.  MIT recently released the technology, called ‘Food Computers’, for public usage, and James jumped at the chance to build one. In his words, “MIT researchers developed a desktop-sized farm so that plants can be grown indoors without the need for pesticides, GMOs, or wasteful amounts of fertilizer, and I built a functioning unit from their designs.” James will share this state-of-the-art technology with WFM shoppers and vendors this Thursday

Music this week is provided by Henry, Whole Foods Westport will sponsor the Get Growing children’s activity, and Homes with Hope is the highlighted non-profit organization. Open from 10 to 2 this and every Thursday, the Westport Farmers’ Market is your source for local, farm-fresh food, recipes, and summer fun.

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Parsley and Mint

Prep time 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
• 2 cups cooked quinoa  
• 1 cucumber, skin on, seeded and diced into small cubes
• 1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion

Directions

1. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Add the garlic to the dressing and let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, carefully mix the cooked quinoa with the remaining ingredients.
3. Discard the garlic halves and pour the dressing over the tabbouleh. Fold all together gently and chill
4. Serve chilled or at room temperature.