I love little better than foraging for dinner at the farmers market, and the fact that the offerings change every week is a big part of the fun.

Will Blue Zee Farm have fresh peas today? Should I load up on garlic scapes because they keep well and are about to disappear? I hope Yellow Birch Farm will be there with their fabulous goat cheese.

Beets are getting really good, so this week I score some from Horsepower Farm and roast them to use in a salad with the aforementioned chevre. And local organically fed pork! Yes! I’ll make patties and put them atop French bread toasts spread with a mustardy sage butter. Then I’ll add steamed parslied new potatoes to the plate for a meal to remember.

PORK ON MUSTARD-SAGE CROUTES

You can also grill the pork patties. You won’t have pan drippings to make a wine sauce, but the terrific grilled flavor makes up for it.

Serves 4

1/2 cup butter

1 heaping tablespoon coarse-grain mustard

1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 loaf French bread, 3 inches in diameter

1½ pounds ground pork, preferably local

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon light olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

Combine the butter, mustard and sage in a plastic container and let sit at room temperature until the butter is very soft. Stir well to combine. (The flavored butter can be made up to 3 days ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut bread into 10 (1-inch thick) slices and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until barely tinged with gold, about 7 minutes. (Can be made up to 6 hours ahead and stored in a sealed plastic bag.)

Season pork with salt and pepper. Shape pork into 10 oval patties about the same size as the croutes. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook pork until nicely brown on both sides, 8 to 12 minutes total, depending on thickness. Patties should be cooked until no longer pink within, but not dry.

Spread toasts generously with mustard-sage butter. Place cooked patties on croutes, leaving drippings in the pan.

Add wine to skillet, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring up browned bits, until sauce is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes. Pour into a small pitcher or gravy boat and pass at the table for drizzling over croutes.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE AND WALNUTS

Beets can be boiled or steamed. But I like to oven roast them because it sweetens and concentrates their flavor. Once baked, they taste fresh for several days, so be sure to cook extra.

Serves 4

8 small or 4 medium-sized beets, rinsed and trimmed, leaving about 1 inch of stems

2 to 3 ounces goat cheese – plain or herbed

4 small handfuls mesclun greens

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted in a small skillet until fragrant and one shade darker

SWEET LEMON VINAIGRETTE:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the beets, place them on a double thickness of foil and wrap loosely.

Roast for 1 to 1¼ hours (depending on size), until tender when pierced with a small knife through the foil.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim their stems and slip off skins. Slice into ¼-inch-thick rounds and refrigerate. (Can be made a day or so ahead.)

Meanwhile, make the Sweet Lemon Vinaigrette by stirring all the ingredients together in a covered container.

Preheat the broiler. If the goat cheese is in a log, slice into ¾-inch-thick rounds. If not, shape 1½-tablespoon portions of cheese into rough rounds. Place on an oiled baking sheet. Broil, about 6 inches from element, until the cheese begins to melt, watching carefully. (Softer cheese may spread a bit on baking sheet. That’s okay.)

Divide the mesclun among 4 plates, arrange the beets over, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Use a spatula to dislodge the cheese and place atop beets.

Scatter with walnuts, drizzle with a bit more vinaigrette and serve.

Brooke Dojny is author or co-author of more than a dozen cookbooks, most recently “Chowderland: Hearty Soups & Stews with Sides and Salads to Match.” She lives on the Blue Hill peninsula, and can be contacted via Facebook at:

facebook.com/brookedojny