Blueberries and Lobster

Summer is the time for potlucks. And really, there’s only so much pasta salad and potato salad I can stand before I run screaming back to the farm for some fresh green things.

The graduation party for my massage school was a potluck, and I snuck a big container of my favorite potluck dish in between the homemade salsa and some sort of baked pasta conglomeration. It was nearly all gone when we snuck back inside for seconds.

This is a real fridge raid recipe. I usually like to include roasted beets; beets and feta make an incredible combination. But the farm beets aren’t ready yet, and we’re trying to eat primarily off the farm this summer. Time to get creative.

The only things I always include in the quinoa salad are the garlic, red onion, feta cheese (it helps cut the sharpness of the onion), and the black beans (they add protein to make this a complete meal). Everything else is inspired by rattling through my refrigerator.

The recipe below makes what I would consider a double batch; put half in a container to bring to a potluck, and keep the other half at home for lunches during the week.

Quinoa is a whole grain, usually found in the natural food section of your grocery store. It has a light, nutty flavor, and it’s very good for you. Eat up.

Quinoa Salad

2 c. dry quinoa
1 red onion
16 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 cans black beans
4-5 cloves garlic
2 medium heads pac choi (or bok choy, however your farmer decides to spell it)
3 medium zucchini
Extra-virgin olive oil

Simmer the quinoa, covered, over low heat in 3 1/2 cups of water. After 20 minutes, remove the lid, remove from heat, and fluff to let the steam escape. (I use my rice cooker.)

Meanwhile, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and add to a very large bowl. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the onion and garlic, enough to coat well, and stir.

Drain and rinse black beans; add to bowl. Add feta to bowl as well.

Slice the pac choi finely, including the stems, and put in a steamer basket set over high heat. Steam until tender, then add to bowl.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, then into lengthwise quarters. Slice into 1/2″ wedges. Steam until tender, then add to bowl.

When quinoa is ready, add to bowl. Stir well, until everything is mixed. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

We recently finished The Omnivore’s Dilemma in this house, and the part that deals with corn production got me a little depressed. Michael Pollan makes some great points about food becoming a commodity, and what that means, and how our treatment of corn has brought commodity-style thinking to our other food: this egg is no different than that egg. These grapes are the same as any other grapes.

But I had no idea that the USDA’s farm bill provisions actively discouraged local producers from growing anything but commodities. It appears that like the Mafia, once you’re in the farm subsidy system, you’re in it for good. A recent article in the New York Times, written by a farmer who tried to grow vegetables on land previously destined for a commodity crop, wound up penalized far more than he’d ever imagined.

…[A] farmer who grows the forbidden fruits and vegetables on corn acreage not only has to give up his subsidy for the year on that acreage, he is also penalized the market value of the illicit crop, and runs the risk that those acres will be permanently ineligible for any subsidies in the future. (The penalties apply only to fruits and vegetables — if the farmer decides to grow another commodity crop, or even nothing at all, there’s no problem.)

The author of the article initially decided to grow veggies on that land in response to increasing public demand for locally-grown vegetables at the farmer’s market. What is wrong with the United States Department of Agriculture that they’re so heavily penalizing farmers for growing vegetables? And more importantly, why is the USDA ignoring a growing public call for local produce?

(This is yet another reason, by the way, to join your local CSA for the upcoming season.)

Well, hello there. It’s been a while. I unexpectedly wound up taking some of January and most of February off from writing on this blog. But that’s really okay as far as I’m concerned; February is not exactly the best month to wax poetic about local produce.

Tidbit #1: Speaking of waxing poetic about local produce, I really want a blueberry rake in preparation for this summer. Anyone have one they want to sell, or give away?

Tidbit #2: I turned thirty! And so we had a lovely potluck dinner. My contribution: meatloaf muffins (yum!) and savory-sweet things in whole wheat phyllo dough. Recipes forthcoming, but in the meantime, here’s a lovely picture of the pretty phyllo dough things.

Tidbit #3: Speaking of phyllo dough, there’s a waitress at a local Greek restaurant who has the most wonderfully nasal accent. Every time I try to remember whether it’s pronounced “FIE-lo” or “FEE-lo,” I think of Angela and remember to say “FEE-lo.”

Tidbit #4: Details magazine has apparently just named Becky’s Diner (”Nothin’ Finah!”) as one of the best breakfast spots in America. I’ve got nothing against Becky’s — the food is good, and cheap, and it’s a good place to take out-of-towners — but there are much better breakfast places in Portland. For inspiration, check out my friend Dan’s regular column, The Breakfast Serial, over at The Bollard.

Tidbit #5: Farmer Justin has opened for business. Support local agriculture! Join a CSA! Better, join his CSA. You’ll be in great company, and you might even see me up at the farm.

On days like today, I feel a little bit like Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire. Say it with me, kids, full of languorous summer heat and a slow Southern drawl:

Ah’ve always depaynded upon the kaindness… of strayngers.

My little VW Golf is a great city car, in the summer. I can haul most of what I need to haul, and it’s great on gasoline. Recently, it’s had the pleasure to carry two massage tables at once, complete with bags full of sheets and blankets, back and forth to Waldoboro with my carpool buddy riding in the passenger seat. But boy, is it just not that great in the snow.

The 13 inches that fell yesterday were powdery and light, almost like fake snow. Skiiers should be happy. So should my friend who’s visiting Maine from Colorado and had been bemoaning the lack of good skiing. When I went down to the snow ban lots near the beach this morning, most cars were already out, and one guy about my age was swiping snow off of his little Honda in big sweeping motions of his arm. He pulled out of his spot without even the slightest bit of shovelling.

I got in my little Golf and did not move. The front wheel had caught some ice, and was spinning like mad.

This complete stranger came over and helped out with a dig, a couple of pushes, and I was free.

And you know what’s great? This happens all the time. I’ve had the pleasure to help out my neighbors too, people I’ve never met and may never see again.

I love this town.

We went to a potluck and clothing swap hosted by our downstairs neighbors. What lovely people, what a wonderful time! The highlight for me was finding a good home for some of my old “dress-up” clothes, stuff that I used to wear out clubbing. We don’t really go clubbing anymore.

I’d whipped up some whole-wheat baguettes to bring, and thought a garlicky spread would be great to go on top. This is a Blueberries and Lobster original. It’s a little like hummus, but with a decidedly Italian flavor. It’s delicious, frugal, and uses ingredients I tend to keep on hand.

Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip

1 c. dry navy beans
1 whole bulb garlic
2 T. dried, crushed rosemary
Kosher salt
1-2 T. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Put the beans in a medium-large pot, and add enough water to cover by 1-2″. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow beans to simmer 45-60 minutes, until tender but not mushy.

Meanwhile, roast the garlic. (I roasted it while I was preheating the oven.) Chop off the papery top of the bulb to expose the cloves. Wrap a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil around the garlic most of the way. Drizzle a little regular olive oil on top. Twist the aluminum foil tightly around the top of the garlic, and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Drain the beans, reserving about 1/4 c. of the liquid. Put that back into the pot with the beans, along with a big pinch of kosher salt, the pepper, the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Mix well.

Begin pureeing with a stick blender. Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while blending, to form an emulsion.

Serve at room temperature.