I was at the markets yesterday and was surprised by the lack of people. Only halfway through shopping did 
I realize next week was a huge holiday week and people are probably heading out of town and therefor not stocking up. There was less of a selection at the market but I still found some interesting things. First up top are some nice long thai chillies. I will have to do a curry or perhaps a stir fry to use them. Also at the market, from one of my absolute favorite stands at Salcedo, Gil Carandang had lots of kale which I snapped up despite only vaguely knowing how to use it in a bean and kale soup… He suggested I just stir-fry it and that sounded like an easy and nutritious idea.
I also spied some herbs that I decided to stock up on without any 
specific use in mind. There was terrific fresh dill, great for cucumbers, sour cream and dill or for a lemon dill sauce for seafood or a dill mayonnaise with shellfish. There were nice chives, a really unusual find that you just can’t count on at all since the supply is so erratic and they are perfect for baked potatoes with butter or sour cream and chives, or as a garnish for other dishes. There was also rosemary, the nice hardy type as opposed to the anemic looking versions I grow in our garden…it was aggressively pungent and screaming to be stuffed in a chicken or tied around a roask pork tenderloin…
Finally, there were these really small red capsicums about two to three inches tall. 
Not sure what I am going to do with these but stuffing them with a really flavorful mix of minced meat, or sausage and herbs sounds good to me. Alternatively, I could roast them whole and serve them with a generous slice of fresh mozzarella, some olive oil and a drizzle of really good balsamic vinegar. Throw in a few slices of prosciutto and its a terrific starter or appetizer… You just have to keep your eyes out for interesting and or really fresh ingredients in the markets…our local markets have really gotten significantly better over the last few years!
21 Responses
kailan leaves, yummy! yeah stir frying them is always good especially with oyster sauce ü and have you ever tried adding chopped fresh rosemary while making ‘sinangag’? it’s the best! i also heard it’s good in adobo but i have yet to experiment on that…
a few years ago, in a chinese resto in paranaque, i had chives with its buds as a dish–it was cooked in the usual chinese dish slurry/sauce. it was really good! :)
MM, try cooking the kale in a soup– it retains its texture well. I usually cook it with italian sausage, bacon, onions, potatoes and heavy cream (it comes out tasting like the zuppa toscana at olive garden) and is perfect with a baguette! Yum!
How long do those fresh herbs last? What’s the best way to store them so they last longer?
I just got rid of a pot of rosemary which I have for the last 7 years or so. The stems have already become so hard that it seems like I’m putting a branch of evergreen in any recipe with rosemary (but is is very hardy plant surviving the change of temperature). Have you tried beef stew braised in white wine and rosemary and thyme. It’s a very simple recipe with just carrots as the main vegie (no potato, celery). I am not very fond of rosemary ’cause just like bay leaf you only have to add a certain amount just to impart the flavor, else the flavor is so strong.
Mandy, I think those may have been garlic chives… ykmd, yes, I have had it in soup, with this batch, I stir-fried them…post up in the next few days… maddie, I easily get 5-7 days from most herbs. I tend to was them then store in a moist paper towel in a zip lock bag in the fridge. Normita, I love rosemary but yes it can get a bit overpowering at times…
I am always curious about what you will bring home from the markets. I LOVE kale, bok choy, pechay, etc. Kale is fantastic stir-fried with crispy pork (Kana Moo Krob), served with steamed rice and a fried egg. Wickedly fatty but delicious and so satisfying!
veg and herbs all look fantstic! but am particularly interested in what MM’s going to do with the beautiful chilies….
i think i’m giving up on growing rosemary for now. so far i’ve already killed 3 plants in less than a year; the last effort being relatively successful for a few months…before milenyo came and drowned my potted pet. gardening ain’t for everyone.
I love dill, it has this very suitable flavor for seafood, subtle flavor but really excellent for fish and seafood. . .
another typhoon in Philippines?
Hi MM,
Nice produce, I am not able to go Salcedo last saturday becasue I am busy cooking my magosteen jam…
It was really delicious my kids, neighbors and relatives love it…I followed all the instruction step by step..
Though the mangosteen was a bit pricey the verndor told me mangosteen are much cheaper in davao than in cebu, last week I bought P90 per kilo, anyway I bought 8 kilos just enough to fit one crate…
I cookec d it and gave to friends and relatives and the verdict …”good” …
Its just you have to remind them that before eating they have to let it out of the refrigerator because it gets hard when you let the jam stay long in teh ref…
My kids said its good with toasted bread and butter..
Thanks MM…
arlene, I am glad it worked for you. Yes, I am a little perturbed that it gets too hard in the fridge, but if you warm it up a bit it does get softer… At PHP90 a kilo, that is double what I paid, so the season must be very short indeed say 2-3 weeks at most then the prices start to rise again… wib-b, yes a massive typhoon is currently hitting the northern provinces at the moment, I hope damage to lives, homes and crops is not too bad…
MM, would you have a recipe for dill sauce, similar to what Santis has in those small containers? Love to dip their deli items in it. Thanks!
In Macau restos you will find the ubiquitous kale soup- a thick, hearty blend of potatoes and kale sometimes garnished with grilled POrtugese chorizo.Perfect for the cool autumn days sneaking up over HK/Macau.
Hi Marketman! It’s thanks to you that I discovered Gil Carandang’s stall before :) Thanks for these wonderful market posts that encourage us to go out and discover the goodies our local markets have in store for us!
I like to roast and peel red capsicums and put them in a jar with olive oil and use them in everything from pastas to salads…and they go great in tuna sandwiches! :)
I’m sorry to sound so provincial…but may I know where this Salcedo Market really located? Heard a lot of good write up about this place, but can’t seem to find the place. My apology, not very familar with Makati since my whole life revolves around Divisoria. TIA
Malou, I have a post on Salcedo market here. Salcedo Market is in the heart of Salcedo Village. From Makati Avenue turn left or right onto Paseo de Roxas, then head towards Ayala Avenue, turn right at Citibank building, left at the second street and 100 meters to your left will be the market. It is only on Saturdays and runs from roughly 7 am to 2 pm.
Like anonymous paul, I’m not lucky with rosemary. But I see dill a lot in Laguna. Anyway, my brother got 6 pots and transferred planted them in the ground for aesthetic purpose, not knowing how to use them. They can grow to about 3 -4 feet tall. I guess not a lot of people know how to use them. He still hasn’t used them even if I told him it’s great with anything that has mayo, or for steamed or baked fish. He seems suspicious of it, hehe. So, I just happily get from his garden every time i visit.
maddie,
the best way to store fresh herbs in a fridge is to make sure the herbs are dry, then wrap them in clean manila paper. if u want to recycle your used plastic bags, u can use that but make sure its dry and punch holes to allow the herbs to breath.
storage periods of fresh herbs may last 7 to 10 days. one thing i noticed, as long as its organic it lasts longer than those grown with chemicals.
Hi MarketMan, this may be a stupid question but… is Kailan the same as Kale? I’m trying to cook more vegetable dishes and I keep seeing Kale in recipes but can never seem to find them… thanks!
Nadjie, no, technically kale and kailan are different greens. But they are dark leafy greens, rich in similar minerals and vitamins, I would imagine. They sometimes have kale now at S&R, imported from the U.S., but if you are seeking the healthy benefits of dark green veggies, kailan, broccoli, spinach, etc. should all be reasonable substitutes…