A few weeks ago, I received a message from Frontier Market, a local farm located just outside Plainview, Texas. They asked if I’d like to try some of their produce and create something with it. I didn’t hesitate for a second. My answer was not just a yes, but a hell yes!
When I met them to pick up the vegetables, I couldn’t wait to see what beautiful bag of earth and sunshine I’d get to work with. There was no theme, and I had no plan for what I‘d make. I just knew I had a collection of ingredients pulled from the ground and delivered with love: kale, lettuce, red cabbage, okra, carrots, jalapeños, red onions, squash, zucchini, tomatoes…the works.
That’s my favorite way to cook, by the way. I went into this with no agenda and an open mind. I didn’t write a menu first or search for recipes. I simply let the ingredients lead. I rinsed the earth off the leaves and stems, held them in my hands, and waited. Vegetables always have a way of revealing what they want to become.
This time, they told me three things.
First, a Roasted Carrot Salad layered with crisp lettuce and kale, massaged with avocado to reduce the bitterness of the kale. I added shredded red cabbage for bite, toasted pepitas for crunch, and a jalapeño cream dressing.
Then came a Grilled Zucchini, Peach, Okra and Avocado Salad that hit every note; cool, charred, creamy, sweet and tangy. I topped it with gorgonzola, added a few spoonfuls of pesto made from the basil in my veggie haul, and finished with a drizzle of hot honey that tied it all together.
And finally, something simple and perfect: Jalapeño Toast with Tomatoes and Burrata. Sliced tomatoes layered on toasted bread, torn burrata spilling over the sides, thin slices of jalapeño tucked between. Nothing else needed.
This collaboration with Frontier Market reminded me why I do what I do. I care deeply about where food comes from and the people who grow it. Our local produce matters, not just for its flavor, but for the connection it fosters. Supporting farmers, like those at Frontier Market, means investing in your community, one meal at a time.
So here’s to the mess of it all. The unplanned, dirt-covered, unexpectedly beautiful meals that come from listening instead of leading.
And more importantly, here’s to the vegetables for showing up with their whole story still intact.
You can grab a treasure trove of gorgeous veggie options from Frontier Market in downtown Plainview, Texas, from Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. If you want to take a shorter drive, you can find them at the Canyon Farmers Market every Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. They grow year-round.
I’m looking forward to the fall season and Frontier’s glorious pumpkin varieties!
So, try walking through a farmers market without a shopping list or plan. You’ll enjoy not knowing what you’ll come home with. That sense of surprise, of play, of responding to what’s in front of you … it’s how you’ll do your best cooking!
Roasted Carrot Salad With Creamy Jalapeño Dressing
1 bunch carrots, tops removed and sliced in half lengthwise (save the tops for another recipe like homemade carrot top pesto)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzle
2 large handfuls lettuce mix
1 bunch curly kale, stems removed, then roughly chopped
½ ripe avocado
½ large zucchini, shaved into ribbons with a potato peeler
Roasted pepitas
For Dressing
2 fresh jalapeños, deseeded and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ cup salad oil
2 teaspoons lime juice
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss carrots in a medium bowl with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the carrots, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. In a large bowl, add the kale, avocado, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Carefully massage everything together with your hands until the avocado is fully incorporated into the kale. Set aside. To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside and begin building the salad. Arrange lettuce and kale onto a large platter. Top with roasted carrots and pepitas. Fold zucchini ribbons and tuck them in and around the salad. Top with jalapeño cream dressing and serve.
Serves
