Market Adventures: The Last

My last sunny Saturday in Halifax, I did what all good Haligonians do; go to the Market. I had a small snack  before leaving the house to avoid buying everything I saw at the market, but it did not end up stopping me. I walked around for a while, admiring all of the options, before settling on my snack:

Middle Eastern Spinach and Chickpea Patties

These are "spinach and chickpea" gluten free patties, from a small middle eastern booth somewhere in the middle of the Market (I had never seen it before, and it was just called "Middle Eastern Food"). I clearly need to have a better self control strategy, because I had these heated and ate them immediately. They were deep fried in oil but also had spinach in them, so it is a completely acceptable option, right? They are made with potatoes and chickpeas, spinach and spices and then deep fried until delicious. They were just crispy enough to taste the delicious oil, and then mushy enough on the inside to have a delightful texture.

Next I decided to try something radical, and buy some food to bring home and cook! I have a lovely little cookbook called "Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens" with exciting old Maritime recipes:

Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens

I decided to make myself a "South Shore Boiled Dinner" with codfish, white sauce, potatoes and broccoli. Preparation involves soaking the fish overnight (I skipped this step), boiling the fish, and then boiling the vegetables in the nice fishy water; frying up some bacon, and covering everything with bacon and white sauce. Yum. Now,what you may not know, is that the main ingredients in white sauce are flour and milk. But never fear! I was ready to make the gluten and dairy free version. I used buckwheat flour and almond milk. This did not mix together well, and I was reluctant at first (it did not look appetizing), putting the sauce on the side. It ended up tasting not the greatest, but completely edible, so I dumped it all over for my excellent feast.

South Shore Boiled Dinner

The dish is typically made with root vegetables, not broccoli, but I substituted and it went well with the dish. I also used Pemeal bacon, but in retrospect I would probably have stuck with normal bacon to get a nice crispy touch.

Overall my last trip to the market was a success! If you are in Halifax for a Saturday or Sunday I would definitely recommend heading down to the Market and sampling some seafood (they have breakfast oysters!) or any of the local and international dishes scattered throughout the pier

Gluten Free: Yes

Dairy Free: Yes


The Halifax Farmers Market is Located at 1209 Marginal Road. Hours and vendors can be found on their website: halifaxfarmersmarket.com