Peachy Keen

Hearing the word "peach" reminds me of the Macinaw Peaches, from Oregon, that are ripe for just two weeks every year. Eating them brings your taste buds alive, like having a circus in your mouth. Macinaws are a miracle of nature, like the Aurora Borealis.  Well, almost. Peaches do bring your taste buds alive and are one of many miracles of nature ... but, Mackinaws only exist in the land of Seinfeld.

So were does that leave us? I'd say with some pretty darn tasty peaches - everywhere! We're in full fledged peach season right now with a couple of varieties to choose from: white peach, yellow peach, white and yellow nectarine and peacharine. Peaches and nectarines are essentially the same fruit, only nectarines have a smooth skin. A peacherine is a cross between the two. Each sweet and juicy with a hint of tartness.


Peaches are another of the many foods that are so good for you. Low in calories with virtually no fat, they are a great source of Vitamins A, C and also B-carotene, the pro-vitamin that converts Vitamin A in to your body. You can find them year around, but they are in season from May through October. So now is the time to get them!


Peaches can be used in many different ways: the ubiquitous pie, tarts and muffins; the Bellini, a Prosecco and peach puree cocktail originating in Venice, to name just a few. They can be eaten raw, grilled, baked and blended. As always I decided to look for another way to use this ingredient, other than the typical application.

First I decided to do a salsa recipe. Larry and I both love salsa's. I make them all the time using all sorts of ingredients from veggies to beans and of course fruit.


For this peach version I used both white and yellow peaches, but you can use all yellow if you prefer. I added red onion and bell pepper to get the savory side of this going. 

Lime, jalapeño, garlic and cilantro finished it up. I will say that this is a salsa you are going to want to make and eat right away. The flavor will hold up over night, but sadly the pretty peaches won't. It's not really like a tomato salsa ... the peach breakdowns quickly and doesn't look as pretty the next day.

This salsa is very versatile. You can use it straight up with chips, or as an accompaniment with your main course. I decided the latter was the way to go and picked up a lovely piece of halibut from my favorite fishmonger Lou at Port Chester Seafood. This piece was especially beautiful and I wanted to do something simple - so a bit of salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil is all it took. I did a nice grill on both sides and then let it rest for a couple of minutes. The center bone came out easily leaving me with two perfect fillets for us.

I had a little bok choy left over from last week's CSA from Gaia's Breath Farm and added that to the dish, after a quick sear. Larry is a big fan of avocado so I thought "why not?" I finished it with a squeeze of lemon and some fresh basil from my garden. This could have easily been perfect with chicken too. The salsa is very versatile.

That was going to be the end of the story for this week, but a few nights ago I came across something interesting and decided to give it a try today. I have Mark Bittman's fabulous tome How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and use it not only for ideas, but as a resource guide. I was looking at some of his peach recipes and read a tiny mention of peach pickles. They sounded intriguing. A quick check of the pantry assured me I had everything I needed, so I put this together in less than 20 minutes:

The pickling liquid just needs to come to a boil and then cooled.

While that is happening you can get your peaches peeled and sliced. Top with the liquid and get then to the 'fridge. Mark describes these as being like a middle eastern turshi, or pickled vegetable, traditionally served over rice.

I happen to like cooking this brand of short grain brown rice. It's super simple and has a great nutty flavor.

Here is my finished dish. I must say these pickles are wickedly briny and spicy - I love them. If you're not up for a real kick then cut the chili flakes in half.


I hope you enjoy these two simple dishes using peaches. If you would like to taste them this week I will be demoing them today (July 25) at the Farmers Market at PepsiCo in Purchase, and on Thursday (July 26) at the Phelps Memorial Hospital Farmers Market in Sleepy Hollow. Both days I will  be there from 11:30-1:30. Please stop by my table and say hi!


Buon Appetito!


Chef Maria’s Peach-Pepper Salsa
Makes about 4½ cups


1 garlic clove, minced
Zest and juice of 1 large juicy lime
¾ cup red onion, ¼” dice
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups peaches, ¼“ dice, 
1 cup red bell pepper, ¼ “ dice
2-3 tablespoons jalapeno, finely diced 
2-3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
In a large mixing bowl mix the zest, juice and garlic. Add the onion and salt to combine. Add in the peaches, bell pepper and jalapeno gently tossing to combine. Taste for seasoning. Add the cilantro and serve.
Cook’s note: the jalapeno and cilantro are a personal taste. Add more or less to your own.



Mark Bittman’s Peach Pickles (slightly adapted)
Makes about 4 cups


1 ½ cups cider vinegar
½ cup white wine vinegar
4 small garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons dried mint
2 teaspoons coriander
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
2 lbs peaches, peeled and cut into wedges, about 4 medium size
In a non-reactive pot add all the ingredients except the peaches. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile peel and pit the peaches. Depending on the size cut them in 4 or 6 wedges and place in a glass jar.
Pour the cooled pickling liquid over them. Seal and place in the ‘fridge for a few days … the longer you wait the better they get! He says they last indefinitely, but they are so tasty, they will be gone before you know it!
Cook's note: feel free to add less chili flake if you don't want them to be "wickedly" spicy.

What is a CSA?

You’ve probably heard the term “CSA” bandied about at your local farmers market and wondered what it meant. A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a way for you to participate directly with a farm. You are buying into a relationship directly with your farmer, similar to what you do at the farmers market, but the arrangement is beneficial to both of you in so many ways.

CSA “shares” are typically every week (full share), or every other week of the season (half share). By purchasing your “share” in advance you are helping to support the farm’s cash flow. You benefit from getting their products as they are harvested and the knowledge that you are supporting the farm directly. (It’s a great feeling!) There is also a bit of the unknown in the whole process. The day you pick up your share is when you find out what you are getting. That said, you need to be open to figuring out what you are going to do with what you get. Don’t worry, it’s not like you are going to get something that is a complete mystery. Your farmer will let you know what is in the box that day, and of course you always have me to ask!

You’re probably wondering why I would have decided to do this, especially since I visit the markets every week. (My husband certainly was wondering!) As a personal chef and caterer I am pretty much planning ahead for what I am going to do. While I do go to the market and find things that inspire me to cook a particular dish, it’s rare that someone hands me ingredients and says “do something with this.” That was intriguing to me.

When I found out that Gaia’s Breath Farm was offering shares I jumped at the chance. I’ve done a lot of collaborating with Mark Santoro and his sister Tara for many of my demos, and had the opportunity to visit his farm in Jordanville late last summer with Larry. I’ve had a a great time getting to know them both and using their incredible produce and proteins. Since I am at many markets every week I decided that a “half-share,” made the most sense. So let’s talk about what I got last week:

Breakfast Radish, Thumbalina Carrot, Chioggia Beet

Red Russian Kale

Bok Choy

Red Leaf Lettuce

I also got garlic scapes, garlic and spring raab. I know what you’re thinking: oh my gosh … how on earth can I handle all of that produce? It does sound like a lot, but with a little organizing and planning I used all of it in several dishes through out the week.

Let’s start with the kale first. Simply wash the leaves, strip off the tough stems and slice them thin. Then I sautéed the kale with a little olive oil, a couple of minced garlic cloves, salt and  pepper. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the kale is tender, but not burnt. Remove from the pan and cool.

Larry wanted me to make turkey burgers this weekend, and instead of my typical spinach I decided to use half of the kale. In the same pan that I cooked the kale, I minced a couple of garlic scapes and sautéed them as well. After a quick check of my cabinet I found I was out of fresh breadcrumbs but did have some bulgar wheat. Hmmm, what if I used the bulgar instead of breadcrumbs? I made a couple of cups thinking I would use the balance of the bulgar and kale as another dish.  Everything needs to be cool when you put the burgers together so this is where your multi-tasking skills come in to play. While this does look like a lot going on, you will see with the recipe below it will all come together easily. Let me add two thoughts on the burgers:

First, this is one of my little nifty gadgets my mother got me years ago. It’s a Tupperware Burger Press. I’ve long since lost the pieces that hold the burgers and have just these parts left – not a problem – as this is all I need to make the most perfect patties!

Yes, of course you can make them by hand – but if you want nice even symmetrical burgers this is the way to go.

I decided to use Ancho Chili in the burgers as my main seasoning, so we topped the burgers with salsa as the condiment – with great success!

With the rest of my kale I simply mixed it in with a cup of cooked bulgar wheat and seasoned with a little olive oil, lemon juice and a zesty Lemon Pepper blend from Boxed Goodes, that I picked up at the John Jay Farm Market a few weeks ago. I used that as a side dish later in the week.

On another night I was grilling a couple of chicken breasts and wanted to try something different with my scapes. I found a box of  Kashi 7 Grain Pilaf in the cabinet and pulled together just a few other ingredients to add to it: cilantro and lime.

Following the instructions the pilaf took about 20 minutes. So while that was cooking I got the rest of the ingredients together and used Penzey’s Jerk Seasoning  on the chicken. The spicy jerk seasoning blended beautifully with the limey zip in the pilaf.

Now, what to do with my two nice heads of bok choy? Typically you see this ingredient chopped and used in Asian salads. I wondered what they might be like grilled? I’ve already used garlic scapes grilled, which renders them beautifully smoky and mild – so why not give it a try for the bok choy?

Driving home from my Pilates class I always pass Port Chester Seafood, which I’ve mentioned in previous posts. I knew I was going to grill the bok choy and scapes and thought why not get a few fish and throw them on too? Grilled fish might seem a little daunting, but again, it’s all about having the right gadgets to help you along. If you don’t have have a fish grill basket you can get one at just about any kitchen store or on-line. Just load in the (seasoned) fish of your choice and place on the grill. As you can see, I used whole fish, but you can easily use a filet. My only suggestion would be to keep the skin on the filet, and cook on the skin-side. That will keep it together and in one piece. Depending on the type of fish you get, you might not want to flip the filet on the grill. Check with your fishmonger when you make your purchase.

The fish I used was Orata, also known as Sea Bream or Dorada. Perfect for the grill. It has very few tiny bones, always a plus when dealing with a whole fish. Once the whole fish is grilled you remove the head and gently pull away the top skin. Slide your knife across the top edge of the fish to loosen the filet then use a spatula to gently flip it out. Carefully pull the back bone away and the bottom half will lift right out.

This dinner was also a great success, and relatively easy to put together. After a seasoning of olive oil, salt and pepper on my bok choy and scapes I grilled them for just a few minutes next to the fish. Once they got a little char on both sides I removed them to a pan and covered loosely with foil. I chopped up the scapes and tossed both with a little olive oil and balsamic. In particular I used a really tasty balsamic called Lemon Vincotto. I use it on many things as a finishing touch. You can buy it on-line, or pick it up at a specialty store. I get mine at Tarry Market. Just before serving I gave it all a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, another pinch of salt and pepper and topped with some fresh basil from my garden. Yum!

Let me quickly add a note about the carrots. These are “Thumbalina” carrots. They are just about the tastiest little carrots you will ever eat and they take no time at all to cook. I simply cook them just as I do beets: starting in cold water over medium high heat, with a little salt and sugar. (This is a small bunch, so I only used a half teaspoon of each in about 3-4 cups of water.) Once they are fork tender, and not mushy, pull them out and peel. These took me about 10 minutes, tops. The skins will rub away simply with a paper towel.

I still had beets, radishes and spring raab left from the box. Beets I talked about last week, and radishes a few months ago. For the spring raab, that is on the menu tonight. I’m going to be doing a simple sauté with a bit of garlic. I’ll have a few pictures of that next week.

While I do realize this was a long post for you this week, I hope I was able to show you that with a little planning and organizing you can take your share and work it into several dishes during the week. The key is to get it all home and spend an hour or so cleaning and packaging your greens and veggies. Once washed and air dried a bit, I wrap things loosely in paper towels and then in a produce bag. This will keep your things fresh as you use them during the week.

Buon Appetito!

Bella Cucina Maria’s Turkey Burgers
Makes about 5 patties

2 garlic scapes, chopped fine in a mini-prep
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup tightly backed kale, medium chopped
1 lb ground turkey
½ – 1 teaspoon of Penzey’s Ground Ancho Chili 
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper
¼ cup grated asiago cheese
1/3 cup cooked bulgar wheat
1 egg, OR 2 egg whites, beaten slightly
Salsa, optional

In a small sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced scapes with a pinch of salt and pepper and sweat for about 2 minutes. Remove to a small bowl to cool.

In the same pan add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the kale with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes to soften. Remove to another bowl to cool.

In a large mixing bowl add the turkey and sprinkle 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper and ancho chili over the meat. (If you want a little less spice use ½ teaspoon of chili.) Add the cheese, bulgar, egg, and cooled scape and kale. Mix well and form into patties.

The mix will be a little soft, so pop them into the freezer to firm up. Place on a well-oiled grill or non-stick sauté pan and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve with your favorite salsa as a topping, with lettuce and tomato. (We’re both partial to Green Mountain, medium hot.)

Limey 7-Grain Pilaf
Makes 4 servings

1 cup of Kashi 7-grain pilaf
3 tablespoons of finely sliced garlic scapes, about 2 whole
Juice and zest of one nice juicy lime
1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

Cook the pilaf according to the box directions. Meanwhile, place the sliced scapes, lime zest, juice, olive oil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in the bottom of a medium bowl and whisk to combine. When the pilaf is done (it should be al dente) add it to the bowl and mix well.  Taste for seasoning and add a little more salt, pepper and olive oil if needed. Just before serving mix in the cilantro. 

Heart Healthy Beets

Growing up in Pittsburgh in the early 70’s I remember my mother always having canned goods in the house. The Green Giant variety seems to be my main recollection; corn, peas, green beans and beets.  It’s funny to think about that now, because in our house the only two canned vegetables I keep in my pantry are tomatoes for sauce and beans for salads. I will say that I generally enjoy making beans from scratch, as they are really not hard to make - only requiring a little planning on my part to soak over night; but in a pinch, for a quick dish, you can’t go wrong with having ceci, cannellini or even black beans handy.

I remember my mother always saying my Dad liked beets (and still does) and she would make them, using the canned variety of course, with sliced onions and olive oil. I honestly have no real food memory of eating them as a little kid, strange to say, but I’m sure I did. I think the first time I had a fresh beets was many years later, buying them at Fairway in New York City, near my first apartment building on the Upper West Side. After a quick perusal of my Better Homes and Garden cookbook (the only one I had back then) I boiled, peeled and sliced them. I remember I loved the fresh earthy flavor. Not being completely set up in my kitchen or even having a clear cooking thought-process in those days, I decided that even though I did like them, they seemed too messy and complicated to deal with. (Shame on me!) It would not be until years later when I really started to expand my culinary repertoire that I rediscovered them, and have been making them pretty regularly ever since.

Beets are generally known to be red. It’s only been in the past few years the beautiful golden variety have made an appearance in grocery stores and given mainstream shoppers some variety. Farmers markets on the other hand have not only red and gold, but also white – which are quite pretty.

I like to think of beets as a real “super food.” They are very low in calories and contain only small amount of fat. Their nutritional benefits come particularly from fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unique plant derived anti-oxidants. Red beets are a rich source of a compound called Betaine. Betaine is important as it helps lower the amino acid homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease. Raw beets are an excellent source of Folate  and Vitamin C. Beet greens (the tops) are an excellent source of Vitamin A.

So with all that great goodness, what should we do? After a little pondering, I decided it would be fun to show you two different ways to use beets in recipes this week: one is a simple salad and one a cold soup.

Your initial prep for both recipes will be the same: trim the stalk about 2 inches from the beet, and set the greens/stalks aside. With a small brush clean the beet under warm water to remove any dirt that might be lurking about, then give the stems and leaves a good rinse and set on some paper towels. You start the beets in cold water, as you would potatoes, adding equal amounts of salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer until cooked through. You want them to be tender in the middle, not mushy. So keep checking after about 10-15 minutes. Cook time all depends on their size. (I should note that since I was making the gold and red I cooked them in separate pots, wanting to keep the gold color.)

After they are done simply pull out of the water and let them cool a bit. If you are cooking the red variety I would suggest wearing disposable gloves at this point. Your hands will be stained for a few hours if not. Use a paper towel to rub off the skins while they are warm. If they end up getting cold you can use a vegetable peeler to get the job done.

For the beet salad I simple chopped up the greens and tossed them with equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar with a pinch of salt, pepper and honey to taste. For this salad I kept the greens raw - but you can wilt them slightly in a sauté pan with olive oil. It's totally up to you - both ways they taste delicious.

I used the same dressing for the beets plus added a little mustard seed for flavor and texture. I also want to note that the best time to add your dressing is when they are still warm. Once the beets get cold, very much like potatoes, the dressing doesn't get a chance to soak in. They will still taste fine - but so much better if they can really take on the flavor! All together I had about a 1/2 cup of the dressing. So 1/4 cup each of vinegar and olive oil and then a dash of honey, salt and pepper. Use a couple of tablespoons on the greens and the rest for your beets. 

Starting with the same process for the soup I just added a few other things to my beets and came up with a pretty simple dish for you to try. My onion ratio ended up being 1 cup. Use what you have in your kitchen. Although I did not try it, I'm sure a sweet Vidalia would work just as well. So while the beets were cooking I sautéed my leek and scallion. The key is to just sweat the onions to soften them and bring out their natural sugars and flavor. I wasn't going for the caramelized flavor here. 

Everything goes straight to the blender to be pureed. I used the water that the beets were cooking in as my "stock" for the soup. You can see my ratio below, but do this to your preferred texture. Just keep in mind that the soup will thicken slightly as it cools. Recheck the seasoning at this point and add salt and pepper to taste. Then get it into a container and into the 'fridge. You want this soup to be nice and cold when you serve it.

For an added zip I topped it with a little chèvre, which I had handy and some of my beet greens - just because they are so darn pretty - and good for you too! You can also use a little plain Greek yogurt or even sour cream if you like ... I think a little tang set this soup right over the top.


I hope you enjoy these two ways to eat beets. I'll be at the Rye Brook Farmers Market this coming Saturday, so please stop by for a taste.

Buon Appetito!


Maria’s Cold Beet Soup
Serves 4-6

1 bunch of beets, about 1½ lb.
Sugar
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small leek, white part only, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
Chevre (goat) cheese
Beet green, garnish

Trim the greens from the beet leaving about 2” from the base of the beet. Wash the beets and greens thoroughly. Set the greens and stalks aside for another use, wrapping loosely in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag.

In a small sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil gently and add the equivalent of 1 cup of onion to the pan. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and gently sweat the onions until they are soft and translucent. Scoop out ½ cup of beet water and add to the pan mixing into the sautéed onions. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. 

Once the beets are cooked remove them from the pot, but save the liquid. Allow them to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then remove the skins using a paper towel. (You might also want to use latex gloves as well – the beets will definitely stain your hands!) Chop in to quarters and place in your blender. Add the onion mixture along with all of the liquid from that pan to beets in the blender. Then add 2 cups of beet water. Cover the lid of the blender with a kitchen towel if the liquid is still hot, and hold down firmly. Blend on the low speed and slowly increase. (This is very important, you don’t want the lid shooting off and making a huge mess in your kitchen.)

Place the beets in a small 4-quart pot and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Add 1 tablespoon each of kosher salt and sugar. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until the beets are tender on the inside, testing with a small paring knife. Depending on the size of the beets this step will take 10-20 minutes.

Once your mix is blended add another cup of the beet liquid pureeing very well and then check the consistency. Depending on your taste you can add a little more beet water, but I found this to be the best ratio with 1½ pounds of beets, which ended up being 9 in total, from my bunch.

Check for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper to taste. Place the soup in a container and when completely cool cover and put in the ‘fridge for at least 3 hours.  To serve top with a tablespoon of chevre or plain Greek yogurt and garnish with some thinly sliced ribbons of a beet green.

A delicious take on Smoked Trout

It’s hard for me to pick a favorite Farmers Market these days. I love each one that I go to for my demos and shopping. They are all as unique as their surroundings. Each has a vibe of their own, lent in part by the vendors, customers and the Market Managers. I can’t remember exactly how I came to find the John Jay Farm Market, or if Jennifer, the market manager, found me; but last summer I made it there three times and loved every minute.

First, you can’t beat the location: it sits right in front of the historic John Jay Homestead, in Katonah, every Saturday. After jumping off 684N in Katonah you make a right on to Cross River Road (Rte 35) and then a first right on to Golden’s Bridge Road (Rte 22), which becomes Jay St. You travel down the slightly winding street about a mile and a half and you’ll find it on your left. The market usually has a live band playing which lends to its welcoming feeling.

I’d been planning since their closing day this past October to be at the opening this year. After a couple of touch-base emails with Jennifer we decided it would be fun for me to collaborate with Cabbage Hill Farm.

A little about CHF: they are dedicated to the preservation of historic farm animals and the small farm. In addition, they practice sustainable agriculture and aquaponics; and increase awareness through an educational model built around a working farm.

Their greenhouse is used to produce high quality greens and fish year round.  Aquaponics is the practice of using nitrogen rich water that fish are reared in to grow vegetables.  Their aquaponics system is a closed system that uses very little water and land to yield a high amount of protein and vegetables.  The fish they farm include Tilapia, Sunshine Bass, and Rainbow trout.

I took a drive up there early in June to see the farm and figure out with the Greenhouse Manager, Barney Sponenberg, what would make sense for me to use. Since it was early in the month many things were just starting to sprout so it was a little hard at the time to gauge what would make sense for me to use at the end of June.

After a look around I decided it would be fun to highlight something I typically don’t work with: smoked trout. Admittedly I not a huge fan … I’ve just never really liked smoked trout. However, I am always open to trying things a second or third time to see if my mind can be changed. I’m happy to report, that in this case it was. Their product is just delicious! So I decided to create a salad for you using the trout along with farro and perhaps a nice stone fruit.

Aside from the outer skin, bones and the head, the fish is full of meat. After carefully pulling off the outer skin the fillets separate easily – just do it slowly so you can capture all the tiny bones. Then flake it in to large pieces.


Basically in the time it takes you to cook the farro you can have all of your prep business done with the fish and fruit. I used apricots for this recipe, but you can easily change it up with peaches. Texturally I think a softer stone fruit makes sense. The smokiness from the fish and sweetness of the fruit and dressing really are a match made in heaven!

Cabbage Hill only goes to the John Jay Market so jet over there this coming weekend and pick up some of their trout. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Happy 4^th of July and Buon Appetito!

Smoked Trout, Farro and Apricot Salad
Serves 4

1 cup farro
1 Cabbage Hill Smoked Rainbow Trout, about 2 cups
1¼ cups apricot, about 2, ¼” dice
1-2 tablespoons Cabbage Hill Farm “pistou” oregano, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup shallot, finely minced 
4 cups of arugula
1 lemon

In a small pot of boiling salted water cook the farro for about 20 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain and set in a large bowl.

Meanwhile remove the skin from the trout. Carefully pull off the meat and break up, but keeping it in bite size pieces. Take care to pull out all of the small bones as well. 

Place the honey, lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Whisk to blend. Whisk in the finely minced shallot.  Add the dressing to the warm farro and thoroughly combine. Fold in the apricot, oregano and fish gently, taking care to not break up the trout. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. If possible, cover and place in ‘fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to marry. (It tastes even better the next day!)

Dress the arugula with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Divide between 4 plates and top with the trout-farro salad and serve.

Cooks note: if you are not able to get the tiny leaf oregano from Cabbage Hill Farm, start with 1 tablespoon of the fresh larger leaf and add to taste.