EAT BEAT

Market Value

Get all your goods early in the week

Posted by: Logan Buckley on Jul 19, 2010 at 09:00AM 2 Comments

Photo: Logan Buckley

Locals in need of nourishment crowd the weekly farmers market at Pioneer Courthouse Square—and will continue to do so every Monday through Oct 25.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

Locals in need of nourishment crowd the weekly farmers market at Pioneer Courthouse Square—and will continue to do so every Monday through Oct 25.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

Verdant rows of leafy greens from Gathering Together Farm in Philomath look pretty appetizing to even the most ardent carnivore.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

A bounty of Oregon Cherries from Tamiyasu Orchards in Hood River reflect a summer’s worth of sunsets.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

With visions of salsa and marinara sauce dancing through her head, a shopper selects the freshest tomatoes in the house.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

A table full of tuberous veggies direct from Rick Steffen’s Farm in Silverton await the stew pot.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

It’s not all about the eats at the farmers market. A bouquet of beautiful flowers from Portland’s Lucky Farms would brighten any table.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

Overflowing cartons of fresh-picked raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries from Unger Farms in Cornelius look “berry berry” good indeed.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

A magnificent mushroom entree is in the works at Lovejoy Food, one of several stands where patrons can grab a bite.

View Slideshow » Photo: Logan Buckley

Meat eaters needn’t be shy. Olympic Provisions’s small stand draws big crowds looking to sample some Greek-influenced pork salamis.

The Monday Market at Pioneer Courthouse Square is Portland’s latest urban incarnation of its famed farmers market franchise, and since it’s inception a fortnight ago, it’s seen a growing crowd of farmers, foodies, and fans of all things fresh flock to its many booths and vendors. From 10-2 every Monday through October 25 Portlanders may mosey on downtown to explore fresh-grown goods from traditional fruit and veggie stands to more personalized purveyors such as Pesto Outside the Box and Rose City Pepperheads. And when your appetite eventually overtakes you, satisfaction can be found at numerous booths serving up everything from hearty sandwiches to soups and prepared salads to a whole crop of vegan options. Even if you don’t do the green thumb thing, all the natural nourishing goodness you could possibly imagine is here in our own backyard to help kick off your week and dispel that lingering case of “the Mondays.” You might even spot a celebrity chef haggling over the chanterelles! Feast your eyes on our web-exclusive slideshow and let it be your guide to locally sourced sustenance.

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Tags: Farmers Markets

Support Your Local Farmers Market

Posted by: Eat Beat Team on Oct 20, 2009 at 03:00PM 0 Comments

It’s only ten bucks. Click here to purchase

Listen up. An international magazine recently named the Portland Farmers Market the best in the entire world. That figures. Each week from March through December, the PSU Saturday Market location alone lures as many as 16,000 shoppers into the urban core. The people come, they buy local produce and artisan food, they spend money at neighboring businesses, they add vitality to the urban core in a way that really nothing else does. The Farmers Market is a zeitgeist for all Portland represents. It’s our town green, among our best amenities, our Studio 54. And PSU is but one of five weekly markets that has for 18 years granted our farmers an outlet to sell local ingredients, has given our restaurants a forum to buy them, and allowed home cooks and aspiring foodies direct access to the best local ingredients, which happen to be some of the best in the entire world. After all, this is Oregon people.

For 18 years, the Portland Farmers Market has been a lightning rod for economic development, a tiny nonprofit that has helped launched hundreds of successful businesses, restaurants, and has earned Portland praise in Gourmet (RIP), The New York Times, and The Huffington Post. For as much as it gives the city, the Portland Farmers Market is a rather small operation, one that still depends on your financial support. (Because it sure doesn’t get it from the city) So, from now until Halloween, the good folks at the market are sponsoring a fund-raising raffle to raise some cash. A measly ten dollars buys a chance to win all sorts of good prizes, not the least of which being a $50 weekly farmers market shopping spree every week for 40 weeks straight. That buys a gaggle of heirloom tomatoes, Jim Dixon olive oil, potatoes from Joseph, and fiddlehead ferns. There’s also Dave’s Killer Bread, Pine State Biscuits, Zuppa, and Two Tarts Bakery. After all, without our market, most of these businesses might not exist. To purchase, click here.

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Tags: Farmers Markets

Market Makers: Kathryn Yeomans

Local chef talks cheese…

Posted by: Kaitlyn Evans on Sep 08, 2009 at 06:00PM 2 Comments

Chef in the Market at the Portland Farmers Market

Nostrana’s chef de cuisine took the stage at the PSU Farmers Market this past Saturday, sharing ideas about how to spice up our most favorite recent culinary delight—cheese.

The Cheese Course: Condiment Ideas for Cheese Plates: Savory or Sweet?

Savory—

Seared and salted Padrón peppers
Baguette croutons with sautéed wild mushrooms
Dressed tender lettuces or greens

Oven-roasted beets, peeled, sliced, and seasoned with olive oil and salt
Spiced carrot salad
Marinated roasted peppers
Pickled vegetables (asparagus, carrots, beans)
Grilled porcini mushrooms
Soft herb salad (parsley, chives, basil, tarragon) dressed in a light vinaigrette
Salted Marcona almonds

Sweet—

Italian mostarda
Spiced nuts
Fruit chutney
Red pepper or tomato jam
Fresh fruits
Dried fruits
Poached pears
Local honey
Membrillo, the Spanish/Mexican quince condiment classically paired with salty Manchego cheese

Spiced Nuts—

Ingredients

½ an egg white
½ tsp water
2 cups Oregon walnuts or hazelnuts
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
A small pinch of salt

Directions

1. Lightly whip the egg white with the water. Add nuts and toss to coat.

2. Combine the sugar and spice. Add salt and toss this mixture with the nuts.

3. Put the nuts on a slightly greased baking sheet and bake at 300° for 20–25 minutes. Remove and cool on waxed or parchment paper, then break into clusters.

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Tags: Recipes, Farmers Markets

Market Makers: Bryant Terry

The author of Vegan Soul Kitchen makes a visit to the PSU Market

Posted by: Eat Beat Team on Aug 31, 2009 at 07:30AM 0 Comments

Bryant Terry

Let me be honest. When I see the word “vegan” inserted into a recipe or book title, I usually run away. For a style of cooking that supporters proclaim (often evangelically) as being the healthiest and most natural way to eat, many vegan dishes rely heavily on reconstituted soy products and other heavily processed foods in order to vainly replicate the flavor and texture of meat. To those of us who are ingredient-obsessed, this is an affront. After all, there are plenty of classic recipes that don’t rely on animal products for added flavor; they just don’t often find their way into the vegan section of the cookbook aisle.

And therein lies the reason why the recipes of chef Bryant Terry are so refreshing. The Oakland-based cook, food activist, and author of the excellent cookbook Vegan Soul Kitchen takes a more compelling approach to vegan cooking: he simply creates delicious and inspiring food. In most cases, the fact that it all happens to have been made without any animal products feels like an afterthought. In the case of the aforementioned title, his seasonally appropriate, ingredient-focused takes on Southern food are firmly rooted in classic technique, New World history, and a lot of Terry’s own creativity and flair. The end result is food that even the most committed meat eaters will love.

This Saturday, Terry prepared his chilled heirloom tomato soup with cucumber salsa and toasted peanuts, a recipe inspired by his colleagues Alice Waters and Peter Berley.

What I like most about this recipe is its simplicity. All you need is an upright blender, good heirloom tomatoes, and minimal time. It’s perfect for a summer barbecue. As anyone familiar with Terry’s work is aware, he recommends a particular song to be playing during the preparation or consumption of each dish. For this recipe, it’s the song “Sea Lion Woman” by Feist. I’ll post an interview with Bryant Terry later this week.

Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup with Cucumber Salsa and Toasted Peanuts

Cucumber Salsa
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh basil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium-size bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well. Set aside.

The Soup
3 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes cut into 1-inch slices
2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 cup toasted peanuts for garnish

In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of salt to enhance their flavor and help release their juices. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

Add the tomatoes to an upright blender and purée until creamy. Strain the liquid into a large bowl, discarding the solids.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, and with a slotted spoon, transfer a heaping tablespoon of cucumber salsa to each bowl. Finish off with a heaping tablespoon of toasted peanuts for garnish.

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Tags: Portland Chefs, Recipes, Farmers Markets

Market Makers: Nel Centro

Nel Centro chef makes killer bisque.

Posted by: Kaitlyn Evans on Aug 11, 2009 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

Photo: Keri Miller

Paul Hyman from Nel Centro captures the crowd with his bisque.

Last Saturday’s Chef in the Market demo featured Nel Centro’s culinary whiz Paul Hyman. Paul shared his Corn and Tarragon Bisque recipe with the folks at the Portland Farmers Market on the South Park Blocks at PSU … and it was delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Nel Centro’s Corn & Tarragon Bisque:

Ingredients:

2 cups corn

1 cup onions, small dice

1 cup celery, small dice

1 cup leeks, half moon

1 cup house-cured bacon, diced

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 qt corn cream

1 pt chicken stock

2 tbsp tarragon

1 tbsp thyme

1 tsp chive

1 tsp flour

2 tbsp butter

Directions:

Over medium-low heat, render bacon for about 4–5 minutes. Add butter, onion, celery, leeks, and garlic. Cook for 8–10 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour and let cook for 3–4 minutes.

Add corn cream and chicken stock slowly.

Add herbs and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

Season, serve, and garnish with chives and extra-virgin olive oil.

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Tags: Recipes, Farmers Markets

Market Makers: The Country Cat

Adam Sappington of Country Cat shares his famous summer succotash.

Posted by: Eat Beat Team on Aug 06, 2009 at 09:00AM 1 Comments

Adam Sappington

In a city where chefs and farmers are by far the biggest local celebrities, the Portland Farmers Market in the South Park Blocks at PSU is where you’ll find them every Saturday morning. The flagship market attracts 16,000 people each week, and was recently named the top farmers market in the country by the Huffington Post. One friend jokingly calls it the PDX version of New York’s Studio 54, but instead of speedballs and and booze, it celebrates Viridian Farms blueberries and Gene Theil’s potatoes. I’d say that’s a good thing.

One of the Saturday highlights is the Chef in the Market demo, where a local chef gives a live cooking demo using seasonal ingredients provided by market vendors. Starting this week with chef Adam Sappington of The Country Cat restaurant in the Montavilla neighborhood of Southeast Portland, Portland Plated will publish the recipe from the market demo for our readers to enjoy.

For nearly a decade, Adam Sappington was the executive chef at the seminal Wildwood Restaurant in Northwest Portland. He’s also perhaps the only person ever to cook at the James Beard House in New York City while wearing overalls (a Sappington trademark), which the Beard House patrons loved.

Of course, the patrons also loved his food, which is inspired by American rural traditions but executed by the deft hands of a classically trained chef. Adam is also a skilled butcher who cures his own bacon, prosciutto, and country ham. The result is unique dishes like molasses and hickory-smoked duck leg, pheasant confit with pork cracklings, and a mélange of pork goodness called the Whole Hog (belly, chop, and shoulder) served atop Portland’s best grits. Sappington’s food leads one to believe that his native Missouri might be a region of France.

On Saturday, Adam shared his recipe for summer succotash, and the recipe is provided below. Enjoy.

Country Cat’s Summer Succotash

Serves 4

2 ears of corn, kernels removed and cobs reserved

2 cups chanterelle mushrooms

1 onion, peeled and diced

½ pound fresh shell beans, such as cranberry beans, shelled and cooked (see recipe below)

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

1 lemon, halved

Salt and pepper to taste

Braising the shell beans:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium-size baking dish, add the fresh shell beans, 1½ cups of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of salt, and a sachet of thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and parsley sprigs. Bring the beans to a simmer on the stove top. Cover and bake in the oven until the beans are tender, but not falling apart. Stir occasionally. Check the beans after 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes until they are done. Remove from oven and set aside. The beans can be cooked in advance.

Preparing the succotash:

In a small bowl, take each corn cob, stand it on its end in the bowl, and use the back side of a chef’s knife to scrape the corn cob, releasing the residual liquid and corn pulp. Then take a small saucepan, add the heavy cream, the corn liquid, and pulp. Heat to a light simmer and stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the diced onion. Cook until translucent. Add the chanterelles, corn, and cooked shell beans and stir to incorporate. Season to taste. Add the corn cream to the succotash and simmer until cream has thickened slightly and has been absorbed into the vegetables. Finish the succotash by tossing in the chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

The succotash goes great with grilled fish, poultry, and meat.

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Tags: Recipes, Farmers Markets