The Morningside Park Farmers Markets New York Times Ratatouille Recipe For You

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have begun, with millions tuning in to watch as athletes from across the globe compete on a world stage in the French capital.

France is a country renowned for its much-celebrated cuisine that has historically emphasized meat and cheese heavy dishes. However, as countries the world over transition towards more climate-friendly agriculture, athletes and fans at this year’s Games are being treated to a lower-carbon diet, with Paris aiming to host the most sustainable iteration of the sporting event yet.

In camaraderie with these “greener” Parisian games, here are some gold medal-worthy dishes made with local, seasonal ingredients that you can easily source at the farmers market this weekend.

Citrus Salad with Watermelon and Pearl Mozzarella

The Paris 2024 Olympic Committee is emphasizing local, plant-based food as it hopes to halve the environmental impact of catering at the games this year. Around 13 million of these sustainably focused meals are predicted to be served throughout the event while the French capital becomes the “world’s largest restaurant” this summer.

To sample some of what this year’s slate of athletes are enjoying, click on the link to preview a delicious post-workout recipe that comes straight from the Olympic Village menu. With a fruity twist on the classic Caprese salad, this 5-ring creation substitutes hydrating watermelon and citrus for tomatoes, while featuring cheese and nuts for extra protein. To make your own version, pick up fresh basil and watermelon from the farmstalls, grab a container of Maplebrook Farm pearl mozzarella and follow along.

Freshly Baked Baguettes

The baguette is France’s most popular bread, enjoyed for breakfast and throughout the day. In keeping with this national tradition, the Olympic Village’s main restaurant features a boulangerie producing fresh baguettes and other breads to help fuel hungry athletes. Athletes are even able to participate in daily bakery training and can learn how to make their very own piping hot French baguette.

Fortunately, you don’t have to jet off to Paris for the real deal as Orwashers Bakery and Wave Hill Bread baguettes are baked daily and brought fresh to our farmer’s markets. Simply toast and thickly slather a slice with Maplebrook Farm butter and Meredith’s Bread jam, then dunk it in a hot mug of Cano Coffee Company coffee for an authentic French breakfast experience.

Ratatouille

Audiences fell in love with the endearing characters in the 2007 animated movie set in Paris, so why not fall in love with the famous plant-based French dish it’s named after? Ratatouille is a classic Provençal recipe consisting of eggplant, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic and herbs that are cooked separately and then gently stewed together. The result is a deliciously creamy and harmonious mixture of summer vegetables that serves as a wonderful side or main dish.

A traditional ratatouille recipe uses roughly equal quantities of vegetables that don’t have to be perfectly cubed, in keeping with the dish’s rustic roots. However, the key to its brilliance lies in using the freshest, brightest, most aromatic seasonal ingredients that are easy to find in the farmers market right now.

New York Times Ratatouille

• 4 4E Green Farm garlic cloves
• 2 medium 4E Green Farm white onions
• 3 medium Berry Brook Farm zucchini
• 2 medium Jersey Farm Produce eggplant
• 3 sweet Jersey Farm Produce sweet red peppers (bell or red cubanelle)
• 3 sprigs Berry Brook Farm fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs Berry Brook Farm fresh thyme
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 2 large Migliorelli Farm heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes
• 2 small bay leaves, ripped in half
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper

“Ladera” (Olive Oil Recipes)

The Olympic Games, which began in 776 BCE in Olympia, Greece, were not only a celebration of athletic prowess, they were also deeply intertwined with ancient Greek culture, religion, and daily life. Olive oil was a crucial element in these games, symbolizing purity, health, and athletic excellence.

Victors in these ancient Olympic Games were awarded wreaths made of leaves from a sacred olive tree said to have been planted by Hercules near the temple of Zeus. In addition, winners were often given jugs filled with the finest olive oil, a highly valued commodity used for cooking, lighting, and personal care.

Ladera is a Greek word meaning “in oil” that refers to a category of traditional Greek vegetable dishes cooked in copious amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Since meat was eaten sparingly in the traditional Mediterranean diet, people relied on recipes like this to fill them up and give them enough protein:

Horta (Greens) with Potatoes

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 bunches 4E Green Farm Swiss chard
• 2 bunches 4E Green Farm spinach
• 6 Migliorelli Farm baby potatoes, peeled and cut into halves
• 10 cloves Migliorelli Farm garlic, sliced
• Half lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Your Down to Earth farmers market will have all the fresh, locally and sustainably sourced ingredients you need to fuel yourself through the exciting coverage of the 2024 Paris Games!

They look forward to helping you eat like this year’s athletes while cheering them on as they seek to fulfill their lifelong Olympic dreams.

Photo credit: Down to Earth Markets.