Our Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon has one of the best Farmer’s Markets in the nation. It is open from early March through the end of December – only two months in the winter we have to make do without. For a farmer’s market lover like me, those two months are the hardest, which I tried to cover with a Winter CSA last year that didn’t work out – but that’s a story for another day.
Our Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market on Thursday mornings in Medford now has everything you will need for this mouthwatering delicacy, this variation on the classic Hamburger, that is made exclusively with local, in-season ingredients from regenerative agriculture, grown by our amazing farmers and producers that really, truly care about their plants, animals, and products.
Let’s start with the main ingredient, the meat. Applegoat Valley Farm has excellent ground beef of a Dexter cow. They also have several varieties of goat cheese, which goes perfectly with our burger. These cheeses are out-of-this-world delicious!
Moving on to the greens. This might be unconventional on a burger, but give it a try: steamed broccoli. I found a purple variety that is very tender and tasty at Runnymede Farm. This sustainable farm located in Evans, Oregon has tasty vegetables year-round, also goat milk, plant starts, flowers, and chocolates. They are always at the Medford and Ashland markets, and are very dependable.
Now to the topping: caramelized onion and lettuce. Get these veggies from Intergalactic Acres. Not only has this farm a hilarious logo – a tractor flying over a galaxy – it also has delightful vegetables.
Find them at the Medford farmer’s market on Thursday mornings or on Instagram.
The finishing touch: a bread bun. If you are gluten free like me, try Organicos Gluten Free Bakery. Even though I originally met them at our Medford farmer’s market, they are only in Ashland on Saturday mornings this year. If you are not able to go there, they are well worth the drive to their store in Phoenix!
If you like to eat regular bread, try the Rosie Rolls from Rise Up! This artisan bread maker is another regular at our farmer’s market, with a variety of delicious bakery items and pastries that sell out quickly.
Now let’s put this local, in-season, veggie-laden Farmer’s Market Burger together for a delectable meal:
The Ultimate Farmer’s Market Goat Cheese Burger
Ingredients (2 people)
- 1 bunch Broccoli
- 1 small Onion
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 2 tbsp Goat Cheese
- 2-3 leaves of Lettuce
- Burger Condiments (if desired)
Directions
- Steam the broccoli.
- Cut the onion in half, then slice lengthwise. Caramelize on slow heat in butter. You should get soft and tender onion strips that are just light brown.
- Divide the meat in two, roll each into a ball, then flatten them on a board. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of cinnamon and a little cumin.
- Heat bacon grease in a skillet, then fry the burger patties 5-10 minutes on each side.
- Cut the bun and put it in the toaster.
- Add everything together by laying down some steamed broccoli onto the lower burger bun, then add the cooked meat patty, top with a tablespoon of goat cheese, caramelized onion, and condiments as desired, then add the lettuce leaf and finish the burger with the top of the bun.
- Enjoy!
Are you adventurous enough to try this recipe? Did you like it? Where you surprised about the addition of broccoli? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Written and original recipe by Karen Wegehenkel