Local Harvest + Recipe!

I love everything about the summer months, but one of my favorite parts about this time of year is the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood! The farmers markets are exploding with fresh produce, and the kids cannot consume enough. While out east for the 4th, we went berry picking, leaving the orchard with four overflowing crates of raspberries, along with some other goodies. We all love seafood too, so I find myself cooking way more of our fishy friends during the summertime, for sure.

While I love to frequent the farmers markets in our neighborhood, we sometimes miss their allotted days on site, as a result of summer outings. This is a drag, because produce and seafood at the supermarkets are definitely are not as fresh as the farmers markets. I recently learned about OurHarvest, and I am completely obsessed! They are an online farmer’s market with a depth of product offerings including specialty meats, produce, pantry staples and more. They feature their suppliers right on the website, so you know where produce and each product is sourced. My first order consisted of fresh clams, peaches, blueberries, avocados, shisato peppers, spices, heirloom tomatoes, and cold brew coffee for those hairy mornings!

OurHarvest’s motto- the fresher your food is, the more delicious and nutritious it will be! They work directly with small family farmers in the communities and deliver the food, sometimes just hours after it is harvested. Farmers are able to get a larger share of the retail price of their products and grow produce for quality, flavor, and sustainability rather than its ability to survive shipment. As a result, customers receive fresher, more delicious food at fair prices.

For a flat fee, OurHarvest delivers directly to Manhattan and Brooklyn, and hosts pickup sites in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. There are more than 600 choices of fresh, all-natural, high-quality food from wild caught tuna to grass-fed ground beef to Sun Gold tomatoes.

With our fresh clams, I decided to make a quick, simple linguini and clam sauce! The kids devoured it, so I know this recipe will be in rotation for the remainder of the summer.

Check out this easy recipe I dug up:

1 pound dry linguine or spaghetti
Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
36 little neck clams, scrubbed
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground pepper

Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still firm. While the pasta cooks make the clam sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine and water and increase the heat to high. Add the clams, cover, and cook, shaking the pan periodically, until all the clams are opened, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the clam sauce. Add the parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among heated bowls and serve immediately.

The community also benefits by supporting local farms, and, more directly, through their meal donation program, where OurHarvest donates a meal to a food bank or food pantry, for every order over $25, to help combat hunger. I love their concept, and I am so excited for my weekly orders!