A New Hope chef finds inspiration at the local farmers’ market.

By Laura Matson Hahn

Caleb Lentchner, the chef and general manager of Marsha Brown Creole Kitchen and Lounge in New Hope, is a busy man. His daily responsibilities have him overseeing everything from the kitchen to the wine list. But when Thursday afternoon rolls around, he sets it all aside — temporarily — for a weekly meander through the New Hope Farmers’ Market, where he goes in search of fresh, locally-grown ingredients to inspire his specials for the weekend ahead. “Our kitchen orders hundreds of dollars of produce every day and we get excellent quality,” he explains as his eyes dance over the abundant display of greens and veggies at one stand during a recent shopping excursion. “But local is always best. I love talking with the farmer who grew the food and seeing things I haven’t worked with in a while. It gets my cooking juices flowing.”

Wearing his white chef coat and a big smile, Lentchner hails the farmer standing behind a display of seven different types of lettuce and asks, “Whataya got today, Dave?” The handsome man with a shock of brown hair flashes a thumbs-up as he explains his offerings, all of which were grown in Titusville, NJ. “This lettuce is called Tennis Ball — the same variety Thomas Jefferson ate.” He then points to a darker, sturdier leaf. “And this is Grandpa Admires from the Civil War era.” Lentchner points to a small, blond spider crawling out from one of the bibs and laughs. “Well, that’s as fresh as it gets,” he says.

Selecting several types of lettuce, Lentchner begins formulating his specials as he moves to inspect the vegetables — yellow haricot vert beans, white and purple scallions and torpedo-shaped onions that Dave says are sweeter than scallions. “I think I’ll roast all the onions and mix them with the beans,” Lentchner says, filling a large sack. “And I can’t wait ‘til the heirloom tomatoes are ripe. You have the best.”

Passing by the lush bouquets of flowers, Lentchner stops next at a table displaying small green Lodi apples and peaches from Wrightstown. Thinking of the duck he was planning to cook, Lentchner feels the zing of inspiration. “I could roast the peaches and puree them into a veal reduction for a sweet demiglace sauce, which always goes great with duck or lamb.” 

Strolling past a few more stands erected in the parking lot outside of New Hope-Solebury High School, where the market sets up each Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. through November, Lentchner suddenly calls out. “Hey Mr. Butter-.” A young guy manning a table full of unusual nut butters jerks his head upward in response. “That pine nut butter was phenomenal. What else should I try?” Lentchner asks, eyeing the glass jars of freshly made butters sprawled out before him: walnut, brazil, cashew, almond and macadamia. Nat, the guy behind the table, picks out a bright green one and says, “Try the pistachio — it’s really unique.” Lentchner buys some fresh pistachios as well. “I think I’ll encrust some scallops with the pistachios and put them on a bed of mixed greens dressed with a pistachio vinaigrette,” he says.

With a mop of salt-and-pepper hair and an impish air, Lentchner ambles across the grass to the breads offered by Rise Bakery. “Hi, Ana. Have you found your bakery yet?” he asks, scanning the crusty loaves before him: Peasant Rye, Raisin Walnut, Semolina. The demure Ana’s eyes light up. “Yes, in Clinton,” she answers. For the past six months she and her husband have been building a wholesale business in the area with heavy crusted bread they make in her father’s Newark, NJ, bakery. Born in Portugal to a long lineage of bakers, Ana can’t wait for her own shop to be fully operational. Lentchner chooses a seed-encrusted loaf called Pan aux Cereals. “The seeds are inside, too – pumpkin, flax, sesame, sunflower,” Ana says. Lentchner nods. “Perfect,” he says. “It will make a really nice crostini to go with the nut concept of the salad.”  

With an armload of fresh food, Lentchner heads back to his kitchen just down the street to work his magic. He can already envision the pistachio-encrusted scallops on greens with crostini to accompany an entrée of duck with a roasted peach demiglace sauce, black rice and roasted spring onions with haricot vert beans. 

Next Thursday, he’ll return searching for all new inspiration. 

Pistachio Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons pistachio nut butter

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup champagne or tarragon vinegar

1 cup rosemary, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Spring Onions with Haricot Vert Beans

Wash and cut onions to the same size.

Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Space evenly on baking sheet.

Roast in 450-degree oven for 15 minutes until golden.

Cool to room temperature.

Stem, wash and lightly steam beans.

Heat pan with olive oil, add garlic to taste and roasted onions to flavor oil.

Add beans and toss to mix flavors.

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve immediately.