The Oakland County Farmers Market is turning up the heat this winter with its Cooking With Edible WOW series, a run of free, indoor chef demonstrations designed to help home cooks bring restaurant-quality flavor to their weeknight meals.
“This is something everyone can do, and it’s wonderful for a weeknight meal,” said Chef Daniela Kalota, who joined Live in the D for a segment on a versatile homemade marinara. “You can actually make 12 meals out of this one sauce, and it can freeze for up to six months.”
Kalota’s demo featured chicken with peppers simmered in red sauce, built from sautéed onions, bell peppers, garlic and fresh tomatoes with herbs. She said the dish is “fast and easy,” often coming together at home in about 30 minutes.
Brad Wethy, the market’s manager, said the winter series has become a community staple. “We’ve gotten fantastic feedback - there’s typically a full house whenever we host our demos,” Wethy said. “The idea was to pair local chefs with fresh, local produce. All of us could probably benefit from some healthier eating, so it’s nice to have something tasty while healthy at the same time.”
The market’s chef demonstrations have run each winter since 2012, with six sessions scheduled each season. This winter’s lineup includes four more demos. Attendance regularly tops 150, and seating is first come, first served.
The Oakland County Farmers Market remains open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. January through April. Beginning in May, hours expand to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. In addition to produce and other edible items, shoppers will find artisan goods, with plenty of warm, indoor space to watch the cooking action.
Click on the video above to watch the segment. For more details on the farmers market, click here.
Here’s the recipe for Chef Daniela’s dish:
Chicken & Peppers with Red Sauce
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
This comforting Italian-inspired dish brings together tender chicken, sweet peppers, and a rich tomato-marsala sauce—perfect for scooping up with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1–2-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
- ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, puréed
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup sweet Marsala wine
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Crusty bread, for serving
Directions:
In a Dutch oven, head 3 tbsp. olive oil until the oil is shimmering. Add the chicken breast cubes and sauté with salt and pepper. Let cook on medium to medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through and slightly golden.
Remove the chicken and set aside. Turn off the heat.
Add in the last 1 tbsp. olive oil, add the red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes with salt and pepper. As soon as the veggies come to a low sizzle (about 10 seconds), turn back the heat to medium and let sauté until vegetables are soft.
Create a fond on the bottom of the pan (the brown bits stuck to the bottom), add the marsala, and deglaze by scraping up the brown bits. Let the alcohol evaporate (about 20 seconds), add back in the chicken, and add the tomatoes and water. Let the mixture come to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste.
Let simmer on low for 30 minutes until the sauce is thick. Add the basil and parsley and combine.
Turn off the heat and serve hot with the crusty bread on the side.