News from the SVGM - September 16th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
September 16th, 2011

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

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News From The Market
So much rain! Although last week's flooding caused no small amount of trouble, we'll be back at Ard's this Friday for the Growers' Market! Excessive rain and floods took a toll on some of the crops and animals at our vendors' farms, and with more rain the day before market, our growers aren't able to offer much insight into what you can expect to find this week. It'll be a surprise come Friday, but seeing as this is peak season for market selection, there are bound to be some great things!

Without much advance notice to guide us, we're shooting from the hip with this week's recipes. Think warm, dry thoughts, and keep toasty indoors with Pork with Apples and Cream. Or steer more to the hot, fragrant, and restorative with a spicy (if you like) Thai Beef and Cabbage Soup. It'll take the edge off of a damp and dark day.

Looking for a great day out with the family? Bella's Gardens will be throwing their own AppleFest this Saturday, September 17th, from 10am to 5pm at the orchard. In addition to apple picking, of course, you can expect hayrides, food, music, kids' activities, and an apple dessert contest. Stop by the market stand this week, or drop by the Bella's Gardens website. You can find their orchard half a mile west of Kratzerville on Route 204.

Pass the newsletter along! If you've received a copy from a friend, and would like to get one each week during the market season, send an email to: svgmarket@gmail.com

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
September 16th, 2011
2pm - 6pm
Ard's Farm Market
4803 Old Turnpike Rd, Lewisburg
(Between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, on PA 45)
Visit our website at http://growersmarket.blogspot.com/
Check us out on Facebook

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Seasonal Recipe
Pork with Apples and Cream
Adapted from Jane Grigson's Fruit Book by Jane Grigson (University of Nebraska Press, 2007)
Serves 6 to 8

This is a classic dish from Normandy, on the northern French coast, where apples and pork are plentiful. Pheasant is another traditional meat often used here, though a farm-fresh chicken is a fine alternative. This version, which makes use of slices of pork for speed and ease of cooking, is readily adaptable. You can certainly use a whole bone-in loin, or other cut of pork, by roasting the meat after browning, then making the sauce from the roasting juices. Be sure to remove any excess fat before reducing the sauce, to keep it from becoming greasy.

You can use regular butter, rather than clarified butter for this recipe, but take great care not to let it burn. Clarified butter, which has been gently melted and strained to remove the milk solids that can brown and burn, requires less careful attention, but still has great flavor. Alternately, use olive oil.

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins, or 6-8 thick slices of pork loin
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1/3 cup calvados, applejack, or other apple brandy
  
• 1-½ tbsp. flour
  
• 2 cups dry (hard) cider, or white wine
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• 1/3 cup sour cream
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
  
• 3 large apples
  
• 1-½ tbsp. sugar
  
• Lemon juice
  
• Clarified butter
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the pork tenderloins (if using) thickly on the diagonal. Season with salt and pepper, and if you have time, allow to rest for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. In a large pan with a lid, over medium heat, soften the onion in the clarified butter. Push the cooked onions to the side and brown the pork slices on both sides. Don't crowd the pieces; use two pans if necessary.
   
   
2. Add the apple brandy to the pan, and cook for a few moments to evaporate a good bit of the alcohol. Sprinkle the flour all over, and after a moment's cooking, deglaze with the cider and stock. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the pork is tender. Tenderloin will take only a few minutes; pork loin 10 to 15, depending on thickness. Turn the pieces occasionally to ensure even cooking. Remove the pork when cooked, and keep warm.
   
   
3. Reduce the cooking liquid by half, or until the flavor is suitably concentrated. Exactly how much will depend on how much it has already reduced during the cooking. Stir in the cream, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. When ready, pour over the pork slices.
   
   
4. While the pork cooks, peel, core, and slice the apples thinly. Fry the apple slices in butter, until lightly brown at the edges and tender, but not mushy. Sprinkle the sugar over the top, and turn the apples to allow the sugar to caramelize all over. Garnish the pork with the apples, and serve immediately.

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On The Website
Cabbage is a versatile vegetable, even if not always the marquee star. It's an excellent ingredient in soups all around the world, from the hearty winter stews of northern Europe to a curry-like Thai Beef and Cabbage Soup. This one brings different flavors, from half a world away, to season up some of the basic ingredients of the winter larder. Mild or spicy, it's a richly flavored and fragrant dish to chase away the damp and cold of a rainy day.