Farm Fresh Dinner

One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh produce that is available. On Tuesdays and Fridays there is a wonderful farmer's market held in Copley Square. Local farms from all over Massachusetts get together and sell everything from fresh cut flowers and herbs to freshly baked bread and just picked strawberries.

I stopped at this farmer's market today on my lunch break. The smell of just picked strawberries was intoxicating. I could smell it as far away as Berkley Street! But alas, I did not get any strawberries. Instead I picked up some baby beets, buttercrisp lettuce, arugula, an organic tomato (wahoo!), goat cheese and some fragrant basil.

For dinner, I decided to make a composed salad of roasted baby beets, buttercrisp lettuce, caramelized onions and goat cheese.

We also had veal schnitzel and creamy, dreamy polenta.

The polenta is a variation on a Mario Batali recipe.

Creamy Dreamy Polenta
2 1/2 cups of water

1 cup of quick cooking polenta (stone ground cornmeal)

1/4 cup of basil, cut into thin strips

1/4 to 1/2 cup of mascarpone

Pinch of salt and pepper

1. Bring water to boil in a med. saucepan over Med. heat

2. Add polenta and stir continously (DO NOT STIR VIGOROUSLY OR YOU WILL GET SPLATTERED!) for 10 min. or till thickened.

3. Turn off heat

4. Stir in mascarpone, salt, pepper and basil.

I have to say (and I think Erich would agree) this was one of the most wonderful meals I have created.