Farm-Market-Fueled Feeding Frenzy

Since moving to DC, we've been eating a lot better. Not that we ate terribly before. I don't mean better in the healthy sense, but better in a conscientious way. In Philly we mostly shopped at Whole Foods and then at farm markets as often as possible, which was maybe twice a month. Now, with a market just a block away, we take advantage of the Chesapeake region's bounty every week, using Whole Foods for staples not available at the market, like garden burgers, Greek yogurt, and chai. Saturday mornings are a joy. I wake up every week raring to go see what goodies the farmers, bakers, and other purveyors have brought me--ok, us--that day. (Though wouldn't it be amazing to have the whole market to yourself? All the foodstuffs there just for you? No more pushing to get to the pears. No more waiting in line. Dream on.)

Anyway, check out what we've been eating recently. I'm not providing recipes because these dishes are E-Z to whip up from my ingredient suggestions. Also, I whip 'em up differently every time so there really aren't recipes. I'm a bit manic that way.

First up is my 20-minute better-than-any-jar pasta sauce: butter instead of olive oil (for extra body and silkiness), grated onion, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes (I like San Marzano), herbs (I typically use oregano and basil). Drizzle good olive oil over top when serving. Other variations include rendering pancetta instead of butter, splashing in some red wine, and adding cooked ground bison (the gaminess is glorious). I've even put vegetables like carrots, celery, and bell peppers through the food processor and added a spoonful or two to the onions and garlic to soften before adding the tomatoes.

Next are vegetarian bean or legume soups using whatever dried or canned beans or legumes you have on hand plus whatever greens and vegetables you picked up at the market. My base usually consists of half vegetable stock, half water, a small can of crushed or diced tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The sky's the limit after that. This includes herbs and spices, too. We typically get two nights out of these concoctions.

In the same vein is chili. I've done vegetarian, chicken, turkey, beef, bison, etc. I've used half fresh tomatoes, half canned--both traditional and fire-roasted. I've added corn, poblanos, jalapenos, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, even edamame. I've thrown in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro, shredded cheese. You get the idea. Try serving over rice, elbow macaroni, orzo, even quinoa. This usually yields two nights and a couple lunches.

Last up is something I just discovered that I'm now in love with: shredded Brussels sprouts. Shred them up like you would cabbage for cole slaw and add to browning butter. Season with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds. Saute for three to five minutes. Maybe crumble on some bacon. Eat.

Suggestions for Holiday Charitable Giving

To help fight hunger close to your home, around the country, or worldwide, check out these sites:

Washington, DC
Brainfood
Capital Area Food Bank
DC Central Kitchen
Food and Friends
FRESHFARM Markets
Future Harvest-CASA
Martha's Table
Miriam's Kitchen
Thrive DC

Philadelphia
Farm to Philly (Click on the many links in the middle of the page. This site is a fantastic resource.)

National
Feeding America (This is the "nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.")

International
Action Against Hunger
Bread for the World
Heifer International
The Hunger Site
World Food Programme

Sustainable Salmon and Scallops Are Super

I know I said my next post would be about the bounty of our nearby farm market, but after getting Cook's Illustrated in the mail (Christopher Kimball, I love you) I just had to try their seared scallop method. And then we received CI's The New Best Recipe cookbook as a gift, and my salmon-adoring husband just had to make the Broiled Salmon with Barbecue Sauce and Crisp Potato Crust. Doesn't that sound incredible? It was, and so were the scallops…

…though we tweaked the recipes just a tad--not because we needed to--but because we're food geeks and find it fun. Here are our recipes, heavily influenced by the even bigger food geeks at CI.

Pan-Seared Scallops with Caper Brown Butter
(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated No. 101)
Serves 4.

Note: Soak scallops in 1 quart water, ¼ cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons salt, 30 minutes. Step should only be done with “wet” scallops. “Wet” indicates treatment with sodium tripolyphosphate to increase shelf life and help scallops retain moisture. This is the kind available in most supermarkets. “Dry” scallops are preferable because they lack the chemical taste STP produces and they brown better because they’re less moist. Whole Foods only had “wet” so I started them off with a soak.

1 ½ lbs sea scallops, small side muscles removed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp capers
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Line baking sheet with kitchen towel. Put scallops on lined sheet and cover with second towel. Press gently and let rest at room temperature, 10 minutes.

Heat 4 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in capers, parsley, salt, and pepper and cook, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cover with foil.

Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet (NOT non-stick as recommended by CI; I don't think the scallops brown well enough in non-stick) over high heat. Cook half scallops until browned, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and flip scallops, cooking for 1 to 1 ½ minutes while basting with butter.

Move cooked scallops to plate and cover with foil. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat cooking with rest of oil and butter.

Serve with sauce.

Broiled Salmon with Barbecue Sauce and Crisp Potato Crust
(Adapted from The New Best Recipe 2004)
Serves 8 to 10 (or 2 for a few days; it’s really good cold).

3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
4 oz salted potato chips, crushed
6 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 side salmon filet
1 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 tbsp barbecue sauce (your favorite)

Put oven rack at highest position and second rack at upper-middle. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Pulse bread in food processor until you have about 1 cup crumbs. Spread them evenly on baking sheet and toast on lower rack, shaking couple times, for 5 minutes. Combine crumbs, chips, and parsley in bowl.

Turn oven up to broil. Cover baking sheet with foil. Rub salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook fish on upper rack for 10–12 minutes. Remove from oven, slather with barbecue sauce, and cover with mixture in bowl.

Cook on lower rack until top turns brown, about 1 more minute.

Three Glorious Gustatory Weeks

We spent most of Sept. in Italy and Greece, eating our way from Rome--through Pompeii and Naples--to the Amalfi Coast's Positano to Athens to Rethymno, Crete. Here are the 30 best foodie photos out of over 2,000 total shots by the hubby.

Caprese salad with the best mozzarella ever, Obika, Rome:



















Mercato Trionfale, Rome:















































































Late-afternoon espresso pick-me-up, Rome:














Multitudinous espresso and cappuccino makers, Roman outdoor market:














Street vendor at night, Rome:














Figs, Chez Black, Positano:














Tiny neighborhood market, Positano:














Chicken souvlaki, Savas, Athens:














Central Market, Athens:









































































































Gyros, Rethymno:














Outdoor market, Rethymno:








































Octopus vase, National Archaeological Museum, Athens:














Piglet sculpture, National Archaeological Museum, Naples:














Bacchus (god of wine) sculpture, National Archaeological Museum, Naples:














Restaurant awning, Rethymno:














Pomegranates, Rethymno:














Needless to say, it was a glorious trip, giving us lots of memories--gustatory and non--but it seems that the ones I go to every day are the ones involving food. Maybe it's because I'm always hungry, and remembering all those terrace breakfasts, afternoon picnics, and moonlit dinners makes me feel full. Yes, that, and that remembering all those meals and market strolls conjures the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes--the sensuousness--of it all like I'm there again.

Note: If you're planning a trip to any of the places we visited, and you're looking for some advice, just leave me a comment. I kept a journal so I'm ready and waiting to give restaurant suggestions, must-have dishes, and more.