Boulder County Farmers Markets
September has arrived, and we have had our first beautifully overcast and refreshingly chilly market weekend. No one understands the relief of respite from the unrelenting sun-filled days of summer like farmers.
The later sunrises and earlier sunsets bring shorter days in the fields for farmers, but luckily for us, the produce is just as plentiful. There is a spectacular variety coming to markets right now, and we can’t get over the colors of the root vegetables, in particular. Eating a rainbow of fruits and veggies has truly never been easier.
What are root veggies?
Root vegetables are crops that have the bulk of the edible portion of the plant grown underground. True roots are the organ of a plant that facilitate the uptake of water and nutrients. Root vegetables that are true roots include beets, turnips, carrots and cassava. Some root vegetables are technically a modification of the plant stem or growths that store nutrients. These include bulbs (onions and fennel), tubers (potatoes and yams) and rhizomes (turmeric and ginger).
Luckily, we won’t be having a quiz about the different distinctions of root veggies. You only need to know that they are delicious.
The apples of our eyes
In addition to the deep reds, purples and oranges of the root vegetables of autumn, the bright reds and greens of apples have arrived from the Western Slope. Our orchardists are bringing a wide range of organic apples to market: honeycrisp, Zestar, gala and cosmic crisp.
Peaches tend to steal the show when it comes to fruit season in Colorado, but we want to remind you that nothing beats a perfectly crisp apple. Apples, perhaps one of the most reliably loved fruits, are always a treat on their own or baked into a pie.
Apples are more than just a sweet treat, these versatile fruits can shine in savory dishes as well. Keep reading for a warming recipe that brings together a symphony of fall flavors. And to make your lives as easy as possible, you can find all the ingredients needed to make this Root Vegetable and Apple Hash at our markets in Longmont and Boulder, or through online ordering at bcfm.org.
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Root Vegetable and Apple Hash
INGREDIENTS
2 potatoes
2 beets (Rough & Ready Farm has a spectacular selection of beets right now.)
4 carrots
2 apples (Try Zestar apples from First Fruits Organic Farm.)
1 onion
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Optional: 4 eggs (Croft Family Farm’s eggs are organic, pasture-raised and delicious.)
DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Dice potatoes, carrots, onions, beets and apples. The smaller the cubes the better.
Add onions to the skillet, cook for 2 minutes. Add apples and the rest of the veggies.
Season with salt and pepper, and fresh herbs to taste.
Cook for 10-12 minutes,
To make this hash into a full meal, crack eggs into the skillet after the first 10 minutes of cooking. Roast for 5 more minutes for perfectly runny yolks.
