Getting Inspired By Spring Veggies At The Santa Monica Farmers Market

Chef Damon Gordon has the good fortune to work within a quick walk of one of the nation’s best farmers markets. He makes good use of that close connection to draw inspiration for seasonal dishes at FIG Restaurant in the Fairmont Miramar. Here’s a deep dive into his latest creation, plus a fun market-focused collaboration with Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest.

Spring is a magical season

For chef Gordon, there’s nothing that gets his creative juices flowing like trip to the farmers market. “The quality of the product is second to none and it’s coming from the best local farms,” he said during a recent interview. “It’s pretty special to be able to walk around, see everything and taste it.”

Now winter in Southern California isn’t exactly cold and dreary, yet there’s still a pronounced shift in what’s showing up that strongly signals spring has arrived. “The thing that gets me this time of year is all the vibrant colors, especially the greens,” he said. “Spring really is a magical season.”

For the tender salad greens, Gordon recommends using the lightest touch: “You want those delicate flavors to come through.”

But one of his favorite signs of spring is the artichoke, which makes its annual return as the weather warms and days grow longer.

To celebrate the season, chef Gordon is pairing artichokes alongside fresh halibut, yet another welcome sign of spring. The pretty preparation of pan-seared, oven-finished fish sits on top of an artichoke Barigoule. That nod to Provence is brightened up by a preserved Meyer lemon beurre blanc.

Cool collaboration

Gordon has more than 25 years experience dating way back to the U.K. native’s working with Marco Pierre White, the first British chef to receive three Michelin stars. During his career, Gordon mentored many and collaborated with even more chefs and culinary pros.

Beginning April 10, FIG will showcase some farm-to-fork favorites from Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest.

The month-long collaborative menu series features a selection of Half Baked Harvest’s most popular comfort food dishes, elevated with Gordon’s signature spin and locally-sourced seasonal ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Menu highlights include:

• Ricotta Chocolate Chip and Banana Pancakes: A Half Baked Harvest brunch staple, these pancakes are loaded with bananas, chia seeds, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Served during weekend brunch.
• Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Burrata: This colorful dish features sweet cherry tomatoes from Wong Farm out of Mecca, Calif, served over creamy burrata cheese with an organic fresh herb vinaigrette from Kenter Canyon Farms in Sun Valley, Calif. Grilled house-made bread completes this starter, which is served during dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
• Spicy Pesto alla Vodka Rigatoni: This ultra-creamy spicy Pesto Pasta alla Vodka features fresh pasta made in-house by chef Gordon and his team. The toothsome rigatoni is tossed in a rich sauce that shines a spotlight on those tomatoes from Wong Farm. It’s offered on the dinner menu.
• Calabrian Chili Roasted Red Pepper Pizza: A pie built on house-made sesame seed-topped dough that makes for a crispy crust. This pizza delivers the sweet and heat combo with spicy Calabrian peppers and roasted red peppers from Weiser Family Farms, based in Tehachapi, Calif.