Locavores Savor Slow Food

Whether hunkering down at home for the winter, or heading to warmer climates in an RV, one can be a “locavore.” What is a “locavore” you ask? It describes a person who eats locally produced food, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary. It is being a member of the Slow Food Movement.

Slow Food is a movement that has spread around the world, counting 80,000 enthusiasts in 100 countries. It is one of the hottest culinary trends to come along in years. It emphasizes a return to regional traditions and home cooking from locally grown ingredients (defined as anything grown with 50 to 100 miles of where you live).

The Slow Food Movement is opposed to fast, packaged and processed food. Seasonal local food is good for the economy and for people. Eating food that comes from a local area is a great way to maintain health because it is fresh and harvested when it is ripe, and for the community because the food dollars stay in the local area. You support businesses that steward the land and keep it in agricultural production.

In an RV, moving along from town to town, it is easy to participate in this movement.

This month of January you will find a wide variety of foods available that are in season and at their peak—beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, onions, parsnips, potatoes, winter squashes, and leafy greens. And there are many interesting and good ways to use them.

WARM BEET, BIBB, AND BACON SALAD
4 beets
6 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of dark beer
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (packed) of dark brown sugar
1 large head of Bibb lettuce, coarsely torn

Boil beets in salted water until tender; peel and slice. Fry bacon until crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of drippings from the skillet. Add onion to the skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Mix in the beer, vinegar and brown sugar, then the beets; simmer until dressing coats beets, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve mixture on lettuce; sprinkle with bacon. Serves 4 to 6.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH APPLES
1 1/2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, trimmed
4 bacon slices
1 apple, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons of minced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup of dry white wine
1/4 cup of chicken broth
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Cut Brussels sprouts in half, and then into shreds. Fry bacon until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet. Crumble bacon.

Sauté apple, shallots, and garlic in hot drippings over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Stir in wine, chicken broth, and salt and pepper, stirring to loosen particles from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté 8-10 minutes until sprouts are crisp-tender. Top with Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon and serve immediately. Serves 6.

OVEN-ROASTED VEGETABLES
1/2 pound each of rutabagas, carrots, and parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound of Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 pound of yams or sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons each of fresh chopped thyme and sage
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Marsala wine

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the rutabagas, carrots, parsnips and Brussels sprouts and simmer until they give slightly with a fork, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; add the cauliflower and simmer 1 minute. Drain.

In a large roasting pan, place the rutabagas, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and yams. In a saucepan, melt the butter; add the oil, thyme, sage, and nutmeg and stir. Drizzle the butter mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat completely. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a preheated 450-degree oven 40 minutes.

Remove the foil, toss the vegetables, and continue to bake until the Marsala is evaporated and the vegetables are done, 20-30 minutes. Serves 8. This recipe can be easily cut down.

ONION PIE
12 saltine crackers
1/2 cup of butter, melted
4 cups of chopped onions
1 cup of white sauce, medium thick
1/4 pound of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Crush saltines and mix with half the melted butter; press into pie pan. Sauté onions in remaining butter until tender but not brown. Put onions on piecrust and pour over all a cup of white sauce to which the grated cheese has been added. Sprinkle a few crushed crackers on top and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.

ORANGE-GINGER BEETS
1 pound of beets, cooked and peeled
1 teaspoon of grated orange rind
3/4 cup of orange juice
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of butter

Cut cooked beets in julienne strips; set aside. In bowl mix orange rind and juice, lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, ginger, salt and pepper. Melt butter in pan; add orange juice mixture. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils; reduce heat. Add beets and return to boil. Remove and serve with sprinkling of grated orange rind.

Interaction over food is the single most important feature of socializing. So, go with this hot new trend, the Slow Food Movement—give up the fast foods, slow down, sit down at a table with family and friends, and eat seasonal foods grown on local farms. Food is a source of joy and health, and also is an expression of our politics and of our hopes for a better world.

HINT OF THE MONTH: The more stark and unadorned a vegetable is, the more it needs to be perfectly cooked. For example, it must be cooked until JUST done and no more. The most common mistakes are to use too much water or to cook the vegetables to within an inch of their lives.

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Marian Platt's regional narrative cookbook of Washington’s Sequim Valley, From My Kitchen Window, can be ordered by sending cash, check or money order for $25 (includes tax and handling/mailing costs) to Marian Platt, 434 Chicken Coop Rd., Sequim, WA 98382. Phone (360) 683-4691