So we needed some groceries today and stopped by the local farmer's market which is just down the hill from us in downtown Renton, WA. Produce is coming in from the Yakima Valley; it's over the mountains about a 4 hour drive away but it's a hell of a lot more local than Chile... The weather warms up over there a lot faster than it does on this side of the mountains so things tend to be ripe sooner.
There were at least 8 produce vendors there but they all had pretty much the same stuff... fresh green and yellow string beans, snow peas, squash, zucchini and more... We got some very nice beets with nice, thick greens, fresh local honey, an enormous lettuce, some spicy white radishes, some yellow squash, the first of the Walla Walla Sweet onions, apricots ($1 a pound!) and Bing Cherries. We also scored 3 lbs. of pickling cucumbers for home-made pickles as well as a mystery vegetable that no one seemed to know how to pronounce and opinions varied as to how to prepare... Pics of that tomorrow and maybe some sort of prize for the first person to identify it.
Inspired by the fresh fruit and vegetables we put together an amazing dinner of pork-roast and fresh greens...
Slow-Cooked Pork Roast with Apricots and Bing Cherries
1 2-3lb Pork shoulder roast
1 lb. of apricots
1/4 cup honey
1/2 lbs. of Bing Cherries
Place the pork-roast fat-side up in a slow-cooker set on High. Pit and quarter Apricots and toss thoroughly with honey. Fill space surrounding roast with apricots. Drizzle remaining honey over roast. Half and pit cherries and cover the meat with cherries. Slow-cook for 3-4 hours or until internal temperature of the roast reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove roast and slice, serve topped with fruit or with fruit on the side. The pork will be melt-in-your-mouth tender and sweet from the honey and fruit. Ambrosia! Serves 4-6
Sauteed Beet Greens
You paid for those greens; why throw them away? Beet greens have a 'hard' texture that almost demands cooking to soften the leaves. The raw leaves also have a slightly bitter finish that cooking and appropriate spicing diminishes. Under cooking the leaves become tender and generally these greens respond well to somewhat more thorough cooking than spinach.
1/2 lb. Beet Greens
4 Tbs. Olive oil
1 White Radish
1 Tbs. Crushed Garlic
1/2 Tsp. ground black pepper
Sea-salt
Finely dice the white radish and heat with the garlic and olive oil in a 12 inch saucepan over medium-low heat until oil begins to sizzle; this allows the flavors to permeate the oil. Chop Beet Greens into preferred size. Increase heat to medium and add stems to oil and cook until tender then add greens. Add pepper and sea-salt; the salt is important as it helps to cut the greens naturally slightly bitter aftertaste. Toss the greens until thoroughly coated then cook until leaves are fully wilted and tender and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Farmer's markets can be a great source when you are eating seasonally but beware- more than once at these things we have found non-farmers selling produce straight from wholesalers with some decidedly non-local stuff. Larger farmer's markets around here a great place to connect with local cheese-makers and organic meat and seafood suppliers too. Mine these markets carefully and keep in touch with the producers- they can alert you to upcoming special items and continue to supply you after the markets have closed for the season.
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