Brightest Young Things

Words by Emma Kelly

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, while Farmers Market season is quickly ending. Most Farmers Markets in the area end the week before Thanksgiving, so what better way to say goodbye than with a Farmers Market Thanksgiving?

If you’re a big fan of turkey, why not say goodbye to Butterball this year and order a turkey from a farmer this year. DCist has compiled an awesome list of farmers taking orders for Thanksgiving turkeys.

Vegetarian or too cheap to buy a turkey (Farmers Market meat’s expensive!)? Buy all the food to make sides at the Market. This time of year you have a lot of delicious items to choose from at the Farmers Market like brussels sprouts, butternut squash, pumpkins, apple butter, cider, kale and other goodies. The Fresh Farm Markets has a sweet page outlining what’s in season at Markets (it even provides recipes!).

Below are some recipe ideas, you should be able to get all the necessary ingredients at the Dupont Farmers Market (with the exception of flour, oil, etc.). If you can’t make it to the Dupont Farmers Market, check out the Washington Posts interactive map of Farmers Markets to see which one is by you.

Mashed Potatoes - Makes 4 Servings

1 Large Leek
2 lbs of Potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold or Baking Potatoes, just ask the Farmer what’s best)
1 1/2 Tbsp of Butter (Olive Oil if you must)
1/2 Cup of Milk (substitute vegetable broth if you’re lactose intolerant/vegan)
A Sprig of Rosemary (take the green part of the rosemary off the twig)
Salt and Pepper

2. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put them in a pot of boiling water that’s been seasoned with salt. Let it boil until tender (about 20 minutes)
3. While the potatoes are boiling, chop up the white and pale green parts of the leaks and saute them in butter.
4. Combine the leeks, potatoes, milk and rosemary in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher. If you want a smoother mashed potato use a hand mixer (don’t beat it!) and add a little more liquid.

Gravy - Makes about 1 1/2 Cups of Gravy
You can’t have mashed potatoes without gravy, that’s just crazy.

4 Tbsp of Butter (substitute 1/4 of vegetable oil if you need to)
1 1/2 Cups of Vegetable Broth (recipe below)
1/4 Cup of Flour
Chopped Mushrooms (optional)

2. Melt the butter in a saute pan, if you want mushrooms add them now. Then add the flour and whisk the flour and butter together until you have formed a paste.
3. Gradually add the vegetable broth and stir it into the paste making sure there are no lumps.
4. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat constantly stirring it until it has thickened.
5. Add whatever herbs you want at this point and salt and pepper to taste.

To Make Vegetable Broth:
Get some vegetables that look like they’re about to go bad carrots, onions, etc (Farmers will often sell these to you at a huge discount if you catch them at the end of the market). Basically whatever you can find. Cover them with water and put some salt and herbs in their if you want. Bring the pot to a boil and let it boil for an hour. Strain out the vegetables and then you have vegetable broth.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes - Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2-2 lbs of Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp of Butter (you can skip this if you want)
1 Tsp of Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp of Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp of Cloves
2 Tbsp of Maple Syrup (you can use a 1/4 cup of brown sugar if you don’t have syrup)
1/4 of Milk (Optional)

2. Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender. You can also put them in a steamer basket and steam them for 20 minutes until tender. It really doesn’t matter how you cook them as long as they’re tender.
3. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain them and add the butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, maple syrup and milk and mash them together. You can also use a hand mixer if you want a smoother consistency, just don’t beat them.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Makes 4 Servings

1 lb of Brussels Sprouts
1-4 chopped cloves of Garlic (depends how garlicky you like things)
Oil
Salt and Pepper

2. Set Oven to 400 Degrees.
3. Put the Brussels Sprouts on a sheet pan. Spread them out and cover them with garlic, oil and salt and pepper.
4. Roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes until they look crispy on the outside.

Previously in BYT Guides:

• 5/23: BYT Patio and Outdoor Dining Guide - Spring/Summer 2012
• 5/4: The Bourgey Guide to Guacamole
• 4/9: What to Wear to Work - Spring Edition
• 3/30: BYT STYLE GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012!!!
• 3/26: ARTS Guide: Spring/ Summer 2012
• 3/23: Creative Cocktailwear: BYT + Corcoran ARTINI 2012
• 3/22: Theatre Guide: SPRING/ SUMMER 2012
• 3/21: Food Guide: Spring/ Summer 2012
• 3/20: MUSIC GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012
• 3/19: FILM GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012