PastaWorks

Shopkeeper Talk

This "shopkeeper talk" is not from a shopkeeper, but from Scot Laney, driving force behind Eat Oregon First (EOF), one of Pastaworks' primary purveyors. Scot penned this opinion after being queried about "pasture raised" animals.

Fun Facts for Engaging Dinner Conversation:

This week we focus our Fun Fact on the term "pasture". That's right, those patches of green grass that form the nexus of the term "Pasture Raised". Seems like everything is pasture raised round these parts: chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, cows, pit vipers, snails, the whole works. In reality, pasture opportunities in Oregon are really limited. Sure, an animal can stay outdoors in winter here, if you're cruel enough to make it do so. The fact is that pastures around here have little (close to none) nutritional value for about seven months out of the year. In fact, fast growing grass in early spring here can actually be poisonous to cattle until it grows through some of the toxin it creates during the rapid growth phase of spring. So, knowing this, a great question to ask about the Pasture Raised food you eat is this: what does it eat as a supplement to the lack of nutritional pasture value for most of the year? If the answer is that the animal is on commercial feed, we really haven't accomplished much. If the answer is that the farmer raises the pasture supplement him or herself, now we're getting somewhere. That animal is what we call Bi-local: raised on the farm and fed from the farm. If it is born on the farm too (Tri-local) that's a home run. Simply running an animal out on a pasture with no food value makes no sense. Feeding that animal commercial feed from who-knows-where makes no sense in addition to the no sense it already makes, so now we have a doubly non-sensical approach to local food.

Don't get me wrong, there are true pasture raised products out there. Carman Ranch has an excellent grass program. But they are sensible and raise their cattle only during the time of year that it is beneficial to do so. Year round pasture raised beef, pork or chicken is an imaginary market tactic only, plain and simple.

Food Riot!

Scot

Guest Recipes

Slow Food USA Board Chair Katherine Deumling also has a day job offering cooking classes, cooking demos and recipes for a number of local CSA's. Here's an early winter recipe to take a little of the chill off our cool, wet evenings. Cook With What You Have.

Caldo Verde (Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
–adapted very slightly from Tender, by Nigel Slater

Savoy cabbage is very good in this but regular ol’ green cabbage or any kind of kale works just as well. One chorizo is really plenty to flavor this soup well but if you’ve got meat lovers at the table feel free to toss in another. If you’d like to make this without the meat, I would add a teaspoon or two of smoked Spanish paprika (Pimenton) and another clove or two of garlic at the beginning.

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 -4 medium waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, scrubbed and cut into medium dice
4-5 cups water or broth
2 bay leaves
1 chorizo sausage (about 4 oz), cut into thin rounds
4 cups Savoy cabbage (or other, see headnote), cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
Good olive oil for drizzling

Saute the onion and garlic over medium-low heat in a large pot in a bit of olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for a few more minutes before adding the water (or broth), bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are quite soft. Meanwhile fry the slices of chorizo in a small pan until they are crisp and the fat has been rendered.

Mash the potatoes in the pot with a fork or potato masher until partially broken down. You want the potatoes to thicken the soup but also leave plenty of lumps. Add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes until tender. Add the chorizo, adjust for salt and serve the soup drizzled with good olive oil and another grind of pepper.

Happy Cooking and Eating!