Farmers Market Monday: Pico de Gallo & Black Beans

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is visit all the Farmers Markets as much as possible. A few summers ago I took it to another level, I challenged myself to shop exclusively at the Farmers Markets and not the local grocery store.  I was able to do it for about 3 months, but living in Chicago we don't have a wide variety of produce all year round and I wasn't about to try to survive on root vegetables and acorn squash! I'm going to try to do a series for the remainder of the summer featuring produce found at the farmers market.  I'm lucky to work a block away from one of they weekly markets, I run over on my lunch to buy my produce for the week.  This week I was craving Mexican so I got as much as I could from the market to make some Pico de Gallo, and my version of re fried black beans.

Pico De Gallo is pretty straight forward and you can adjust the flavor to your liking.  Here is what I did:

3 Tomatoes, diced

1 Jalapeno, finely chopped

1/2 of a small white onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic minced

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro 

1 lime juiced

salt to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together and that's it! I let mine sit for about 30 minutes before serving. 

Black Beans

1 can of black beans, do not rinse

1/2 of small white onion

1 jalapeno

1 or 2 slices of chopped bacon, or bacon fat

In a pan, cook the chopped bacon or heat a tablespoon of bacon fat.  I prefer to use fresh bacon, but I was working with what I had so I used the fat. Once the bacon is cooked, and you have hot oil in your pan toss in the onion and jalapeno until they are cooked through.  Add the beans about 1/3 of the can at a time, let them heat up slightly then use your spoon to mash them in the pan.  I do a half mash, I don't like them to be complete mush, but do what you prefer. 

When you get the consistency you like, you're done! 

Another perk of shopping at the farmers market is all of the fresh flowers!! 

-Michelle