To prove that you can eat locally grown food AND stay within your grocery budget, the Dixie Classic Fair Farmers Market and the City of Winston-Salem is sponsoring the $20 Challenge twice a month from May through September in 2014. I will stage a live cooking demonstration in which I will attempt to prepare a meal for a family of four for $20 using ingredients I buy at the market that day.

Did you not make it to the market on Saturday? Watch the $20 Challenge on WSTV-13 on Time Warner Cable (Channels 74.3 and 1303), subscribe to the City of Winston-Salem's You Tube channel, click here OR watch it below:

This week I was joined by Chris Blackburn, chef/owner of Josephine's Bistro AND Lindley Park Filling Station in Greensboro, N.C. He was my right-hand man and sous chef. Without him, the day would not have been possible.

Do you like my super-cool apron? You can get one JUST LIKE IT at Retro Art Wear (R.A.W.) located at 608 N. Trade Street in Winston-Salem.

$20 Challenge: Country Ham, Broccoli, Hoop Cheese Frittata; Garlic Scape Pancakes; Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette

Yield: 6-8

Author: Nikki Miller-Ka of Nik Snacks

To prove that you can eat locally grown food AND stay within your grocery budget, the Dixie Classic Fair Farmers Market and the City of Winston-Salem is sponsoring the $20 Challenge twice a month from May through September in 2014. I will stage a live cooking demonstration in which I will attempt to prepare a meal for a family of four for $20 using ingredients I buy at the market that day. This week I was joined by Chris Blackburn, chef/owner of Josephine's Bistro AND Lindley Park Filling Station in Greensboro, N.C. He was my right-hand man and sous chef. Without him, the day would not have been possible.

Ingredients

Country Ham, Broccoli & Hoop Cheese Frittata

12 medium eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large bulb elephant garlic, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups diced country ham
2 cups chopped broccoli, florets and stalks
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Hoop Cheddar Cheese

Garlic Scape Pancakes

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 garlic scape stalks, sliced thin
1/2 cup water or milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette

1 pint (16 ounces) fresh strawberries, rinsed, capped and sliced
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup agave, corn syrup or honey (optional)
6 Tablespoons oil (olive, vegetable, canola)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Country Ham, Broccoli & Hoop Cheese Frittata

In a large ovenproof skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the elephant garlic, country ham, broccoli florets and broccoli stalks. Season with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to coat all of the vegetables and ham with the oil, until the broccoli turns bright green and the garlic begins to get soft, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
Make sure the filling is evenly arranged in the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook, stirring gently a couple times in the first minutes of cooking. Then let the mixture cook undisturbed until the bottom sets, about 5 minutes. Next, sprinkle the shredded hoop cheddar cheese evenly on top of the frittata.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook until the egg mixture has set around the edges but is somewhat liquid in the middle, about 8 minutes.
To speed up the cooking process, place the skillet under a preheated broiler until the surface is set and beginning to turn golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the frittata will be tough.
Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.

Garlic Scape Pancakes

Sift the flour, salt, black pepper and baking powder into a medium bowl. Add garlic scapes and stir to coat the scapes in the flour mixture. Whisk the water and 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil together into the flour mixture. Stir just until blended; mixture will be lumpy. If mixture is too thick, add more water. If mixture is too thin, add more self-rising flour, one Tablespoon at a time.
Heat remaining oil on a griddle or medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side, less than 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter.

Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette

Place the strawberries, dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, syrup (if using) in a blender; cover and process until pureed.
While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream; process until thickened.
Transfer to a large bowl or jar; cover and store in the refrigerator.

Notes:

What is hoop cheese? It's a mild, creamy cheese that gets its name from the apparatus the cheese is molded in. Sold in general country stores and in small quantities, it's not made much anymore because it's hard to reproduce in mass quantities by manufacturers. When you find hoop cheese, the red rind is mild cheese and black rind is sharp cheese.

What's a garlic scape? It's the flower stalk that grows out of the top of the garlic bulb. Usually discarded, it is perfectly delicious to eat. With the flavor of very mild garlic, yet fresher, you can chop and use them as a topping, like green onions. Sauteed lightly and used as garnish over pasta, eggs, greens or pickled are all additional ways to eat garlic scapes.

How to pick fresh strawberries: When looking for fresh, ripe strawberries to eat, choose ones that are deep, dark red. Those are going to be the juicy, sweet ones.

When making this or any vinaigrette, be sure to use a 3:1 ratio--3 parts oil to one part vinegar with an emulsifier like mustard, garlic, cream or an egg.

Calories

614.25

Fat (grams)

43.55

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.66

Carbs (grams)

30.64

Fiber (grams)

3.40

Net carbs

27.23

Sugar (grams)

16.41

Protein (grams)

27.13

Sodium (milligrams)

1150.91

Cholesterol (grams)

372.28

Please consult a healthcare professional or dietician about nutritional needs for your diet. I am a communications professional, not a physician.

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$20 challenge farmers market Winston-Salem

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About the author

Nikki Miller-Ka

Ms. Miller-Ka is a classically trained chef with a BA in English from East Carolina University and a Culinary Arts Associate Degree from Le Cordon Bleu-Miami.

Formerly, she’s worked as a researcher, an editorial assistant, reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has also worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker. Presently, she is a food editor, freelance food writer, and a tour guide for Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours.

$20 Challenge [Country Ham + Broccoli + Hoop Cheese Frittata] #dcfarmkt