Happy Boy Farms

Mercado Kitchen: Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette)

Posted on by Jeremy in Blog, Blue House Farm, Great Valley Poultry, Happy Boy Farms, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes | Leave a comment

After last week’s gazpacho recipe, I thought I’d share another one of my favorite dishes I came across when I lived in Barcelona. Tortilla de patatas is a staple in Spanish households and perhaps one of the best-known Spanish dishes.

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Locals eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner and every self-respecting tapas bar has it in its repertoire. It’s incredibly easy to prepare with only 3 main ingredients: potatoes, eggs, and onion.

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You can eat it warm or cold, serve alongside some castelvetrano olives or a fresh bagel.DSC05493

Ingredients

  • 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 5 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4+2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Mix together diced potatoes and onion in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add the potato-onion mixture.
  3. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat until potatoes are soft.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt.
  5. Add the cooked potato-onion mixture to the eggs, and stir to coat evenly.
  6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the egg-coated potatoes to the skillet, spreading them evenly to cover the base of the pan.
  7. Once the mixture is half set (you can test this by shaking the skillet), cover the skillet with a large  plate and flip the tortilla onto it. Then, slide the tortilla back into the pan with the uncooked side facing down.
  8. Cook until the second half of the mixture sets as well.
  9. Allow it to cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve.

 

*Eggs from Great Valley Poultry, potatoes from Happy Boy Farms, onions from Blue House Farms, optional olives from Home Maid Ravioli, optional bagels from Marla Bakery.

Mercado Kitchen: Traditional Gazpacho

Posted on by Jeremy in Blog, Blue House Farm, Happy Boy Farms, Mercado Kitchen, Moua's Farm, Recipes | Leave a comment

Surprise! I have another tomato-based recipe for you! Gotta take advantage of the season while you can; am I right?

Gazpacho is a cold soup made of raw fruits and vegetables originating from Spain. This recipe is very close to my heart because I got it from my wonderful Catalan host family when I traveled to Barcelona a few years ago. It’s a staple in Spain, so much so that I’ve spotted people drinking canned gazpacho on the subway many times during the hot summer months.

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It’s such an easy dish and can be made ahead of time – in fact, it’s even better the next day. Take it to work in a Mason jar or sip on it at your weekend picnic.

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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ripe tomatoes (about 10-12 medium tomatoes)
  • 1/2 small green bell pepper (you can use Anaheim pepper if you want to add a little kick to it)
  • 1/2 small cucumber
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4.4 oz extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1/4 cup of water (more, if need to adjust consistency)
  • 1 clove of garlic

Directions

  1. Peel cucumber.
  2. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for 2 ½ minutes.
  3. Strain through a sieve and add more water if you need to thin it out.
  4. Serve cold.

Mercado Kitchen: Mexican Style Grilled Corn

Posted on by Jeremy in Blog, Great Valley Poultry, Happy Boy Farms, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes | Leave a comment

With this heatwave going through the city, we wanted to share the recipe of one of our summer favorites: elote asado or Mexican style grilled corn.

You could use store bought mayonnaise for this recipe, but I find that the homemade version tastes better and is really quick to make. However, when using raw eggs, it’s important to buy high quality eggs that you trust have been handled well. You can get organic, pasture raised eggs from Great Valley Poultry at Mission Community Market every Thursday.

Similarly, you can use store bought chili powder to complete this dish, but upon running out said condiment one day, I realized that I can just use a homemade barbecue spice blend I had prepared for another recipe, and it turned out amazing. Of course, I’ll be sharing the ingredients below to that as well. Take advantage of fresh corn from Happy Boy Farms before the season is over!

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Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of corn
  • 3 limes
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (see recipe below)
  • 8 oz cotija, pecorino or parmesan cheese
  • Chili blend to taste (see recipe below)

Mayonnaise

  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon mustard (dijon or yellow mustard both work well)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

You can use your food processor or your kitchen mixer (or even your bare hands if you want to break a sweat). Add egg, mustard, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Now the trick is to add the oil in tiny amounts – a few drops at a time, until you can see the mayo starting to thicken. This usually starts once I slowly added about a ¼ cup of the oil. After that, you can add the oil to the mixture a bit faster, maintaining a very thin stream as you pour it in. Taste it and adjust salt and lemon if needed. I usually add a bit of sugar to it, but it’s completely optional.

You can store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Chili blend (recipe adopted from The Chubby Vegetarian’s Signature Memphis Dry Rub)

  • 2 parts chipotle chili powder
  • 2 parts sweet paprika
  • 2 parts smoked paprika
  • 2 parts granulated garlic
  • 2 parts kosher salt
  • 2 parts cracked black pepper
  • 2 parts cumin
  • 2 parts dried thyme
  • 2 parts dried oregano
  • 1 part ground ginger

Mix all ingredients until they are equally distributed and store in a spice jar.

Corn

Clean corn and place into a large pot with enough water to cover. Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 10 minutes. When done cooking, stick them in the oven (in lieu of a grill) and broil them for about 5 minutes, turning them every now and again to develop an even brown color.

Now it’s finally time to assemble your dish!

  1. Rub each corn with half of a lime.
  2. Spread as much mayo on them as your heart desires.
  3. Cover with cheese.
  4. Sprinkle with chili blend to taste.

Enjoy!

Mercado Kitchen: Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

Posted on by Jeremy in Blog, Blue House Farm, Happy Boy Farms, Mercado Kitchen, Moua's Farm, Recipes, Shoup Farms, Tomatero Farm | Leave a comment

This super easy and quick recipe can be summed up in one word: summer. As you have probably already guessed from the title, the main cast in this colorful salad are tomatoes, corn, and avocado.

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Tomatoes are at their peak season which means each bite is packed with a wonderfully delicious harmony of flavors from sweet to tangy. You could use frozen corn in this recipe, but why not take advantage of the fresh corn available at markets right now. Plus, they are quicker to prepare than you’d think (see below). Then there’s the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth avocado which adds an extra layer of deliciousness to this crowd pleasing dish. And finally, it’s all tossed in a lime and cilantro dressing for a bright and summer infused dish. Need I say more?

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You can pick up all the main ingredients from some of your favorite vendors at Mission Mercado and you likely already have the rest in your kitchen.

It’s a fail-proof recipe that’s a perfect addition to a picnic in the park, a potluck with friends or a quick weeknight dinner. Pair it with a fresh baguette or some grilled chicken and you got yourself a delicious and healthy treat.

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Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 ears of fresh corn (or 2 cups frozen corn)
  • 1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion

Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Clean corn and place into a pot with enough water to cover. Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 10 minutes. When done cooking, I also like to stick them in the oven and broil them for about 5 minutes, turning them every now and again to develop an even toasted color. Once they’re cooled, cut the kernels off the cob.
  2. Combine the corn, avocado, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Gently toss to mix and, if you can wait, chill for an hour to let the flavors blend.
  3. Enjoy all the compliments!

 

A Happy Farm Makes Happy Produce: Farm Profile Featuring Happy Boy Farms

Posted on by Mission Community Market in Blog, Happy Boy Farms, Vendor of the Week | Leave a comment

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Happy Boy Farms returned to Mission Community Market two weeks ago, bringing their bags of lettuce, buckets of tomatoes, and fresh stance on organic produce with them. The farm is remarkable because of its variety––in the summertime, Happy Boy sells from over 200 acres worth of production. These acres vary in climate and geography; because the farm grows on multiple fields in multiple counties, some of Happy Boy’s fields are hot and dry, while others get coastal breezes even in the summertime. The result is a a varied landscape for produce.

Drivers at Happy Boy's MCM stall.

Staff at Happy Boy’s MCM stall.

Working for the farm means variation, too. Iva, a driver with Happy Boy, tells me that drivers “play with a lot of different skill-sets,” including interacting with customers, handling produce, navigating markets, and driving long distances. Happy Boy’s drivers start their journeys from the farms packing sheds, where Happy Boy houses seedlings. Before the drivers even arrive at a market, they start out by checking in on the farm’s teeny plants. That initial interaction fosters an intimate relationship between the drivers and Happy Boy’s crops, beneficial for shoppers browsing at Happy Boy’s stalls.

At their MCM stall, the mounds of tomatoes crowding their front tables are framed by the bunches of herbs and barrels of greens behind them. The stall hosts zucchinis, summer squashes, and bagged salad. A few customers in line are clutching finger-fulls of carrots, and some other are cradling bags of Happy Boy’s heirloom tomatoes. In addition to the vegetables, basil and fennel leaves are fanned out on Happy Boy’s tables. While most are likely familiar with basil, fennel’s bulbous white bottom and sprawling top is alien to many shoppers. Fennel has a taste similar to licorice and anise, though it is described as sweeter.

“I’m a really big fennel fan,” Iva tells me. “I feel like every year I work farmer’s markets people get more and more excited about fennel.” Iva suggests getting the most out of fennel by using the stems in pesto. Other recipe suggestions include caramelizing fennel in a salad, baking it with fish, or incorporating the seeds into biscuits.

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During the summertime, Happy Boy has San Marzano, Earl Girl, cherry, and heirloom tomatoes. Iva’s favorites are the purple heirlooms, which she suggests slicing and placing on top of a cooked dish, dicing for salsa, or eating them on their own for a snack. Earlygirl tomatoes are often prepared with mozzarella and basil, and San Marzanos make excellent sauces.

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After customers have come and picked through Happy Boy’s stalls, the farm donates all of its leftover produce. “Personally, one of my favorite things is knowing that everything we have is going to be eaten and enjoyed,” Iva says.

“Personally, one of my favorite things is knowing that everything we have is going to be eaten and enjoyed.”

At MCM, Iva notes, Happy Boy’s customers are variable. And though everyone living in The Mission District is aware of the changes the area has been going through, Iva says that she believes the market has stayed true to the heart and culture of the Mission. “I love the mission,” she says, “and the market is something that feels like it could really build a community. I like the size of it; it feels like people are wandering through.”

“I love the mission, and the market is something that feels like it could really build a community.”

“I love being outside, I love interacting with people––I love people who come from outside California who are surprised by whats possible,” Iva says. “One of the best things is when people are excited when new things come in.”