Farmers' Market Challenge - Published 16th January 2015

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The #FarmersMarketChallenge started when I went to the first Wangaratta Farmers' Market late last year (2014).  I thought I would challenge myself and my chefs to produce a dish based on the produce available at the market on the day.  

Our first dish was a Harrietville smoked trout and snow pea salad with aioli.  I still remember that it was the sugar snap peas that went in this dish that were the suprise and how sweet and fresh they were.  It was also amazing how long they lasted.  I guess thats what happens when you buy fresh food!

At this first market I met Peter Ross.  Peter grows hydroponic tomatoes in Yarrawonga.  I bought a tray of his lovely truss tomatoes and put them on a bruschetta with basil and Yarra Valley Persian Feta.  This dish has stayed on the menu all summer.  Peter now sends us a couple of boxes of his tomatoes each week.

It's a similar story with the Harrietville smoked trout.  Seeing and using their produce from the market got us thinking how we could use it and how to access it on a weekly basis - not just once a month.  

Mountain Fresh Salmon and Trout now supply us with the smoked trout weekly to use in one of our gnocchi dishes.  To get the most from the trout, we make a stock from the bones and use this in the cream sauce giving it that extra bit of flavour!

It's been great having access to fresh local berries and cherries which have led to our crepes with white chocolate cream.  We are now serving them with strawberries and blue berries and a strawberry coulis.  

So we look forward to seeing what other producers head to the market tomorrow and maybe there will be another new dish at Derailleur that was inspired from the visit

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