Walking through a farmers market with a chef is a lesson in possibilities.

That's why we asked Andy Schaumann, chef de cuisine at Vivace, which has restaurants in Raleigh and Charlotte, to let us tag along one Tuesday morning as he shopped for that evening's farmers market special at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh.

Vivace, an Italian trattoria, sticks to simple preparations of fresh ingredients with its housemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Watching a chef like Schaumann be inspired by what's in season at a farmers market can enliven anyone's shopping and cooking routine.

(Whether you're shopping for a meal you have in mind or plan to build your menu from what you buy, it's smart to limit yourself to what you will use in the next few days. It's also smart to learn what's in season; check the N.C. Department of Agriculture's "What's in Season" chart posted at blogs.newsobserver.com/Mouthful.)

When we caught up with Schaumann at the market, he had already ordered red snapper from the coast and was looking for produce that would inspire the side dishes.

First to catch Schaumann's eye was a bin of small Yukon Gold potatoes. "These are great; nice and young, not as starchy," he said. While most folks would think of meat and potatoes, this chef thinks he can pull off fish and potatoes by turning these small yellow gems into a warm, savory potato salad.

With his starch in hand, Schaumann went in search of vegetables, but not without noting an array of dried beans, including split yellow peas and cranberry beans. Maybe those will be featured in the next farmers market special.

The sight of sugar snap peas made Schaumann stop at the Wise Farms stand.

"Did you grow these?" he asked.

"We sure did," Helen Wise responded.

A foot away were yellow squash and zucchini, which came early because the Wise family laid black plastic on the fields to warm the soil and wrapped the young plants at night to protect them from freezing temperatures.

Schaumann bought six pints of the snap peas, noting that they might be good sauteed with shallots, nuts or pancetta. "They can stand alone but are nice with a little kick," he noted. Then he filled a bag with yellow squash. Helen Wise didn't let him leave until he had bought blueberries and strawberries as well. After that flurry of purchases, Schaumann stopped: "I need to think before I shop anymore."

He pondered his potato salad idea: warm potatoes combined with fresh basil and diced fresh mozzarella, which breaks the cardinal Italian rule of not mixing fish and cheese. But Schaumann says fresh cheese is the rule breaker. Finally, he settled on sauteeing the peas and the squash together and finishing the dish with a sundried tomato pesto.

Shopping complete, Schaumann headed back to the restaurant. And we went along for another lesson, this one in cooking. While home cooks may seek out simpler preparations, watching this chef transform these ingredients into such a savory, memorable dish could inspire anyone to aim higher with farmers market goods.

Chef’s cooking tips

Andy Schaumann offered several tips while preparing the evening’s special:

Most vegetables benefit from blanching in boiling salted water. Drop the prepared vegetables into hot water for a few minutes and then remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and reserve until you are ready to saute. At this point, they can be quickly sauteed in oil or butter. This works well for most vegetables except greens and squash.

Roasting is another easy cooking method for vegetables. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake in a 500-degree oven. Turn to keep from burning and check frequently. They are done when lightly browned and yet still crisp.

Cut vegetables into a uniform size so they will cook evenly. Otherwise, smaller piecs of potatoes or squash will cook faster than the larger pieces.

Basil is best torn at the last minute and added to the dish. Otherwise, it oxidizes and turns black.

Make an easy pan sauce for sauteed vegetables: Add 2 tablespoons chicken stock and a pat of butter in the last 2 minutes of cooking. It will add a nice glaze.

Cookbook suggestions

Looking for inspiration at the farmers market can mean bringing home unfamiliar ingredients. Here are a few cookbooks to help you find recipes for those new ingredients.

“Vegetable Love,” by Barbara Kafka with Christopher Styler (Artisan, 2005)

“How to Cook Everything,” by Mark Bittman (Wiley & Sons, 2008)

“The New Southern Garden Cookbook,” by Sheri Castle (UNC Press, 2011)

“The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook,” by Amelia Saltsman (Blenheim Press, 2007)

Sundried Tomato Pesto

1 cup sundried tomatoes, dry, not packed in oil

1 cup white wine

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup blanched almonds

1/2 cup grated Grana Padano cheese

1 cup warm water

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Handful tender inner celery leaves, diced

PLACE tomatoes and wine in a saute pan, and heat until simmering. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Drain wine and rough chop the tomatoes.

COMBINE tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, almonds and cheese in a food processor. Begin to process, gradually adding water until smooth. You may not need all the water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in diced celery leaves. Set aside.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Red Snapper and Sautéed Vegetables

4 red snapper filets, 4-6 ounces each, with skin on

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash

3 tablespoons chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Warm potato salad (recipe below)

Sundried tomato pesto (recipe below)

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees.

CUT shallow slits in the skin side of the fish, first one way, then another, creating a criss-cross pattern. This will help prevent the fish from curling while cooking in the skillet.

ADD 3 tablespoons oil to large cast-iron skillet. Turn heat to high and bring oil to a smoking point. Once you see smoke, add fish skin side down. Immediately take another smaller skillet and press down on the filets so they don’t curl. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Let fish cook about 75 percent through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then place skillet in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Turn fish over and let cook another 30 seconds. Remove from oven and set aside.

PLACE remaining oil in a skillet. When sizzling, add peas and squash. Sauté for 2 minutes. Finish with stock and butter to create a pan sauce.

PLACE one-fourth of potato salad in middle of plate, top with one-fourth of sautéed vegetables and top with fish filet. Drizzle with sundried tomato pesto. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Warm Potato Salad

1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

1 cup cream

1/2 cup diced fresh mozzarella

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3-4 basil leaves

COVER quartered potatoes with salted water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat cream in a small pan over low heat. When potatoes are easily pierced by knife, drain well and place in a large bowl. Top with fresh mozzarella and warm cream. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Tear basil leaves and stir in at the last minute. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.