Grapevine March 30 2008 Newsletter

this week
- What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Cooking Ideas - Spring Salmon & Sorrel Soup

I am writing this week's newsletter from Kansas City where I am attending the SARE's 20th Anniversary New American Farm Conference. SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education), a program within the US Dept of Agriculture, helps advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. Deep Roots Farm received a SARE grant to help launch the Hillsdale Winter Market in 2004-2005. The Hillsdale Winter Farmers Market Project was selected to present a poster at the conference. Farmers, ranchers, extension agents and market managers were all interested in the winter market and now want to explore extending their own markets.

While here in Kansas City, I had the chance to meet a lot of people working on really great projects. From a nonprofit marketing fresh fruits and vegetables for small farmers in the Northeast to Navajo farmer reclaiming its native corn heritage in Arizona, the diversity of projects was incredible. A local farmer, Larry Thompson over in Boring, was awarded the Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture for the Western SARE region. Congratulations to Larry and Kathy Thompson for their years of hard work promoting and strengthening sustainable agriculture.

It looks like it will be a bit wet in Portland this Sunday. But rain or shine the farmers and other food vendors will be there with plenty of great local food for you. See you on Sunday.

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

Asparagus should make its first appearance at the market this weekend. You will also find mache, spinach, several varieties of kale, chard, salad mixes and braising mixes. Potatoes, carrots, celeriac, turnips and Jerusalem artichokes should be in good supply as well. 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, duck 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
Gales Meadow Farm
Packer Orchard
Rick Steffen Farm
SunGold Farm

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back June 29)
Blossom Vinegars (back in April)
Copper Crown
Stephens Farm (back in April)
Tastebud Farm (back April 13)

Cooking Ideas - Spring Salmon & Sorrel Soup

We're trying something new this week. Our friends at Culinate have graciously opened their recipe collection to us. We will occasionally post a recipe from the Culinate recipe file and include links to other recipes using products coming into the market. Over the next few months, we will also be archiving recipes from prior Grapevine editions as well.

To kick off this new venture, here is a recipe by Diane Morgan. You can read Diane's introduction and serving suggestions here or by clicking on the recipe title below. Enjoy!

Spring Salmon & Sorrel Soup (from Culinate and Diane Morgan)

5 cups fish or seafood stock, or 4 cups chicken stock and 1 cup water
3/4 lb. red boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 salmon fillet (about 10 ounces), skin and pin bones removed, cut into 4 equal portions each about 2 1/2 inches square
2 tsp. olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 oz. sorrel leaves, stemmed, thick center ribs removed
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a heavy soup pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the potatoes. Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook the potatoes until tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the salmon on a rimmed nonstick baking sheet or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub the salmon with a little olive oil and sprinkle each piece lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, purée the sorrel, pulsing on and off for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and process until the sorrel is completely puréed and blended with the butter. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, place the salmon in the oven and bake until the fat between the layers begins to turn white and the fish flakes slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. The fish will appear to be underdone because the color is so beautifully pink and vivid, but it should be fully cooked.

While the salmon is baking, finish the soup. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the soup pot. Alternatively, working in batches, purée the soup in a regular blender and then transfer the soup back to the pot. Add the cream and stir until the soup is barely simmering. Add the sorrel butter and stir until well combined. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm until the salmon is done.

To serve, ladle about 1 1/4 cups of soup into each of 4 warmed large, shallow soup or pasta bowls. Carefully place a piece of salmon in the center of each bowl and garnish with some minced parsley. Serve immediately.

Other Recipes from Culinate
Roasted Asparagus (recipe by Deborah Madison)
Emerald City Salad (recipe by Cynthia Lair)
Buffalo Brisket in Tomato Sauce (recipe from the Culinate Kitchen collection)