Grapevine March 16 2008 Market

this week
- What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Cooking Ideas - Irish Lamb Stew

I am looking forward to this weekend's market after a three week break. It was nice to have an extra week to prepare things for the coming season but our pantry is running low.

Ayers Creek Farm is finished for the winter season. Anthony and Carol will be back on June 29th with berries and preserves. Pitkin Winterrowd Farm is back with vegetables, herbs, cover crop seed and eggs. More farms will be returning over the next few market sessions.

Farris Seaman Plants, Garden Color and Honeyhill Nursery will all be at the market with hardy perennials for all of you gardeners. Vanveen Bulb won't be at the market this weekend but should be at the March 30th market. Tastebud Farm won't be making pizzas at the market this Sunday. Mark is putting the finishing touches on his new space on SE Milwaukie. Tastebud will be back on March 30th.

Finally, the Shamrock Run is this Sunday. SW Terwilliger Blvd will be closed from 8am-10am. The 15k race goes down SW Barbur Blvd so portions of SW Barbur will be closed as well. If you are coming from the eastside or downtown then get on I-5 southbound, get off at exit 297 (Terwilliger Blvd Exit), come up SW Bertha Blvd, go just past the second light (SW Vermont St.) turn right on SW Bertha Court, then turn right on SW Capitol Hwy. From there, just follow the market signs.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

Easter egg radishes and nettles, two sure signs of spring, will be available this weekend. Potatoes, carrots, celeriac and turnips should be in good supply as will black radishes and Jerusalem artichokes. As for greens, you should find mache, spinach, several varieties of kale, chard, salad mixes and braising mixes. Draper Girls Farm still has apples and pears and will be bringing cider.

As for meats, Pine Mountain Ranch will be bringing bison and elk, Kookoolan will have chicken and rabbit, Columbia River Fish will have steelhead. Ancient Heritage Dairy, Fraga Farm, Oregon Gourmet Cheeses and Organic Life Creamery will be bringing a wide variety of cheese as well.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who's coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Crabapple Company
Farris Seaman Plants
Garden Color
Salmon Creek Hydroponics
Pitkin Winterrowd Farm

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back June 29)
Blossom Vinegars (back in April)
Copper Crown (back in March)
Gales Meadow Farm (back March 30)
Stephens Farm (back in April)
SunGold Farm (back March 30)
Tastebud (back March 30)
Vanveen Bulb (back March 30)

Cooking Ideas - Irish Lamb Stew

With a name like mine, you can't hide from St. Patrick's Day. While many Americans think of corned beef and cabbage as the classic Irish meal, my relatives rarely had beef. Lamb and pork were far more common. And given the number of children (my grandmother was one of sixteen), stews stretched the meat further. This recipe is pretty simple. Be sure to brown the meat well on all sides. The stew's flavor will be much better. Enjoy!

Irish Lamb Stew
2 pounds lamb cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 large carrots, cleaned and cut into half-moon pieces
1 turnip, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1/2 cup dry red wine

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Dry the lamb cubes and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large thick bottomed Dutch oven on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add 1/2 the lamb pieces and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil, brown the remaining meat and transfer from plate.

Lower heat to medium and add the onions. Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add wine, scraping up the browned bits of meat and onion on the bottom. Add meat and any juices on plate, thyme, bay leaf and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and place pot in the oven. Cook for 1 hour.

Stir in potatoes, carrots and turnips. Cover, return to oven and cook until lamb is done, about 45 minutes to an hour. Let sit for 5 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Serve.