Karista Bennett - The Oregon Farm Table Cookbook

101 Homegrown Recipes from the Pacific Wonderland

KARISTA BENNETT

Copyright 2020 by Karista Bennett

All rights reserved

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Cover photographs Karista Bennett

Production manager: Gwen Cullen

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

The Countryman Press

www.countrymanpress.com

A division of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

www.wwnorton.com

978-1-68268-500-6 (pbk.)

978-1-68268-501-3 (ebk.)

For Craig, Alexandria, and Ameliayou are the food for my soul

Each season is like a little treasure box filled with the gift of food.

In 2002, my family and I moved to the enchanting Pacific Northwest. After living in Washington State for several years, we are now proud to call Oregon home. However, it wasnt until setting out to research this book that I truly came to know it. Oregon is a diverse landscape of rugged shoreline dotted with fishing communities, densely pined mountain ranges with sprawling ranches, lush valleys with rich soil, and high desert plains that extend beyond the sunrise. Its terrain is visually inspiring and home to some of the freshest, most delicious food and wine in the country.

While traveling the state, I had the privilege of meeting and mingling with remarkable individualsmakers, farmers, growers, and producerswho impacted my life in ways I never expected. I am immensely grateful for these earnest and hard-working people and, in some respects, I feel as if Ive gained a new family of friends.

The Oregon Farm Table Cookbook tells the story of a handful of inspiring individuals who are devoted to producing clean, healthy, and sustainable food. These farmers, chefs, fishermen, food artisans, brewers, and wine makers are committed to providing the highest-quality food for their communities while nurturing our magical landscapes.

The states farm-to-table movement has been steadfast for decades and is continuously supported by the Oregon State University Extension Services Small Farms program, which is a national leader in applied research and education. Despite the ever-changing fads of subscription meal boxes and special diets, Oregons small farms have continued to grow through support systems, bringing new generations of farmers and food producers into the fold. Each food and drink producer is passionate in the belief that locally grown and sourced food is the most sustainable way to feed a community.

The compelling human stories told here are paired with beautiful images and approachable recipes created with fresh, seasonal ingredients. This book is filled with 101 recipes that result in a feast for the eyes, food for the soul, and a treasure for the kitchen.

It is my deepest hope that these stories and recipes will inspire you to gather with family, friends, and community, and to create food that is flavorful, healthful, and whole. Ive always believed that food is the element that brings us to the table, where life is lived and memories are made.

With love and peace from my table to yours,

Karista

Map of Oregon State

I am often asked specific cooking termrelated questions such as What is the difference between chopping and dicing? or Is panfrying the same thing as sauting? To make preparing these recipes easier, Ive added a list of cooking terms with definitions that I use throughout the book.

I believe recipes are excellent tools for success in the kitchen. However, I also believe recipes are guidelines and not always the rule. I encourage you to use the recipes in this book and enjoy them, but I also advise tailoring them to you and your familys tastes. Have fun with the ingredients and dont be afraid to substitute with a more preferred ingredient.

Bake: To cook using dry heat, e.g., an oven.

Blanch: To cook an ingredient briefly in hot water before the finishing or final cooking process.

Braise: To saut meat or vegetables, which are then slowly cooked over low heat.

Brown or pan sear: A cooking technique that browns the surface of food in fat over high heat before finishing by another method, such as braising or roasting, in order to add flavor.

Chop: To cut into pieces of approximately the same size.

Dice: To cut ingredients into cubes; a small dice is approximately -inch squares, a medium dice is approximately -inch squares, and a large dice is approximately -inch squares.

Emulsify: To slowly combine a fat (such as butter or oil) with another liquid (such as vinegar, lime juice, or water) to create a creamy, silky sauce.

Garnish: To add finishing touches to your prepared dish, such as fresh herbs, edible flowers, or fruit.

Mince: To cut ingredients into pieces smaller than -inch squares. This is typically used for pungent ingredients, such as garlic.

Panfry: This method uses much less oil than deep frying but more oil than a typical saut.

Poach: To cook in simmering liquid that is 160F to 185F.

Puree: To mash, strain, or chop an ingredient, turning it into a smooth paste.

Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling or simmering.

Roast: A dry-heat cooking method; to cook in an oven until golden brown, such as roasted vegetables and meats.

Roux: Typically flour and a fat (butter or fat from a meat protein) that cooks into a paste for the purpose of thickening soups and sauces.

Saut: To cook ingredients quickly on the stovetop using a small amount of fat, such as olive oil or butter.

Simmer: To cook slowly on a stovetop while maintaining a temperature just below boiling. The temperature range for simmering is 185F to 200F.

Spoon-and-level method: To use a spoon to gently fill a measuring cup before leveling it off with the back of a knife or straight edge.

Wilt: A process that warms leafy greens to the point where they look wilted with a droopy appearance.

Zest: To gently scrape or shred pieces of the outer rind of citrus. The zest of any citrus contains intense oils that enhance the flavor of many recipes.