October 5: Vashon Farmers Market Fresh Sheet

Another gorgeous and sunny Saturday is forecast.

The market is one giant island cornucopia of great produce, and arts and crafts!

The best produce of the season is waiting for you.

What’s Fresh at Your Vashon Farmers Market tomorrow!

 Issue No.  114

October 5, 2012  

In This Issue – Click headline to jump to topic

What’s at the Market this Week!

Guest essay coming from Tom Conway,

VIGA board member and author of the TallCloverFarm.com blog 

Potato-LeekSoup: Autumn by the Spoonful

I have crop envy. My pals at Island Meadow Farm grow leeks the size of lodge poles . Joe and Celina from Sun Island Farm offer up tender baseball-size turnips with the sheen of a polished pearl. On the east side, Greenman Farm does just about everything right, while Hogsback Farm can produce an heirloom tomato that makes me weep. When it comes to shallots, figs, and apples, I look no further than Pacific Crest to stock my larder. If that’s not enough, Plum Forest Farm grows too many great things to name. Vashon is blessed with some gifted farmers, and thanks to their growing talents (and occasionally mine), the soup is always on! And this time of year, that goes especially for my favorite, potato leek soup, a creamy blend of earthy flavors well suited for sweater-wearing weather and a hearty warm-up. The recipe, adapted from Alton Brown, is simple, satisfying, creamy, and delicious.

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1.5 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped small
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

1. Chop the leeks into small pieces.
2. In a large stock pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Add the leeks and salt and sweat for 5 minutes.
4. Sweating is to cool very slowly without browning, basically turning the leeks into a soft textured slurry
5. Decrease the heat to low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
9. Mix heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper and then slowly pour and stir into leek potato mixture
10. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
11. Sprinkle with chives
12. May be served cold or warm.

Here’s what on offer this week at YOUR ever-bountiful Vashon Farmers Market:

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