Everybody's Cooking for the Weekend
Plus, four opportunities to work for the amazing Pilot Light non-profit
Thoroughly Local Salad
This salad that I made for lunch on Saturday was pretty and delicious, and 100 percent local. I used lettuce, scallions and French breakfast radishes from Jacobson Family Farms (Antioch, Illinois) and horseradish leaves from Three Sisters Garden (Kankakee, Illinois).
Local Food Forum, walking the walk since 2021.
A as in Asparagus. E as in Easy.
On Saturday, Local Food Forum broke the news of the first asparagus sighting of 2023. Though ramps kicked off the local growing season the previous week, the arrival of Michigan asparagus is celebrated by local food fans as a sure sign that spring has, in fact, arrived.
OK, so it was cold, windy and there were rain and snow showers Saturday at Green City Market. But still spring. You can look it up.
I’ve loved asparagus since I was a kid, and as I became a home cook, I recognized that it is one of the easiest delicious things to cook.
Above, roasted asparagus from Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, Michigan) shared Saturday’s dinner plate with roast chicken (the chicken obtained from 99 Counties, the Iowa-based meat delivery service, and incredibly tasty) and roast rainbow carrots from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois).
How simple was the asparagus? I lightly applied some olive oil and salt and cooked it at 375 for 20 minutes, until it was just done and slightly brown. Prefer browner? Cook it for 25 minutes. Want crispy (kind of like asparagus fries)? 30 minutes.
Then to accompany leftover chicken for Sunday’s dinner, a quick sauté of chopped asparagus plus green garlic from Three Sisters Garden. I heated some olive oil in the pan, added the veggies and stir-fried for about 10 minutes, just until the harder pieces softened.
Asparagus is so versatile, so I’m sure I’ll be sharing photos of soup, salad, frittata and other ways to use Michigan’s spring bounty.
Fun fact: Did you know that Michigan is the leading asparagus-producing state? It is followed by the state of Washington and then California, the long-time asparagus king first surpassed by Michigan in 2016, according to the Statistica website.
What the Heck is Green Garlic?
Lots of you are familiar with the early spring phenomenon known as green garlic, but for those who aren’t, here is a description from The Spruce Eats, a bookmark-worthy website.
Green garlic adds a delicate garlicky flavor to spring and early summer dishes. It's a hallmark of spring and usually available at farmers' markets starting in March in warmer climates and into July in cooler ones. Green garlic is the young version of the plants that will eventually produce the heads of garlic found at the store. This flavorful veggie can be used anytime regular garlic is used. It's an easy plant to grow at home and will thrive across the U.S. in gardens where garlic or scallions grow. It can be enjoyed raw in salads, dressings, or sauces, as well as pickled, roasted, grilled, braised, or added to other dishes in place of garlic.
Green garlic is simply immature garlic. It looks like a slightly overgrown scallion or green onion and has a bulb that is usually white with a slight pink tint. It is pulled by growers when thinning crops and is increasingly grown as a crop in its own right. Green garlic usually comes from soft-necked varieties grown in temperate or warmer climates, while garlic scapes come from hard-necked varieties grown in cooler areas. Its peak season is early spring. Green garlic may be more expensive than regular garlic, but it's not overly expensive. To prepare it, simply trim off the very bottom part (the bulb with roots) and then use the tender white and light green parts as you wish.
I got those beautiful (and huge!) green garlic stalks in the photo Saturday in a delivery from Three Sisters Garden, but they should be making their local market debuts very soon.
Four Job Openings at Pilot Light Non-Profit
I strongly believe that instilling Good Food values in our youngest eaters is the surest way of ensuring a better food system for the future. That’s why I am grateful for my nearly decade-long association with Pilot Light, the Chicago non-profit created by leading local chefs that helps schools integrate education about food into their standard curriculums.
So I’m pleased to share the news that Pilot Light has FOUR job openings for key roles as the organization continues to expand its work across the country.
Click the links above to learn about the jobs and determine whether you (or someone you know) should apply.
And a reminder that Pilot Light is one of the beneficiaries (Green City Market is the other) of Wednesday’s Chicago Chefs Cook tasting event to celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary restaurateur Ina Pinkney (“the Breakfast Queen of Chicago”). The fundraiser will go from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Geraghty (2520 S. Hoyne Ave.) event space.
Check out the above graphic with the extraordinary lineup of restaurants and chefs that will be serving at the event, then click the button below for tickets.