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Athens Locally Grown
http://athens.locallygrown.net

Recipes

Leek and Mushroom Sauce with Thyme over Pasta

Mushrooms and leeks work very well together. Although this is superb with wild mushrooms like chanterelles and morels, any more common kind, such as shiitake, crimini or portabella, will do. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables

Serves 2 to 4

1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 pound fresh linguine or other thin pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Brush or briefly wash the mushrooms and cut them into thick slices, including the stems.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, salt, and pepper; sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cover; cook until the leeks are tender, about 5 more minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and wine; gently simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Add the pasta and thyme to the mushroom mixture; toss well. Top with grated Parmesan.

Market News

It’s already getting late, so I’ll be brief. There are about 200 lbs of tomatoes listed this week, many varieties of summer squash and zucchini, a good number of potatoes, the first of the heirloom garlic heads, several types of beans, some peppers, and that’s not to even mention all of the spring greens, salad mixes, carrots, and other veggies that are still abundant. The growing season has been very, very good so far, and the variety reflects it. If you’ve been ordering only things you’re familiar and comfortable with, you’ve got a great opportunity to try a bag or two of something new. If you’re not sure what to do with it once you’ve got it in your hand, don’t be shy about asking us or the grower. We all like to experiment, and will be happy to share our tips.

About 18 of us had a great time at Greendale Farm on Saturday. We moved several portable pens of meat chickens to fresh pasture (they move them twice daily), their laying hens to fresh pasture (along with their large house, built on skids and pulled with a tractor), and moved the pigs to fresh pasture. We broke for a great lunch provided by Daily Grocery and Russ & Christel Green, then had a bit of a walk around the place and talked about the logistics and demands of starting up a brand new farm like theirs. We still have four more “Farmer for a Day” events scheduled throughout the summer and fall, and we’d love to see you there!

As always, thank you all for your continued support of our local growers and local food. We’ll see you on Thursday from 4:30 to 8pm at the old market on Broad Street!

Coming Events

We currently don’t have anyone scheduled for our “Meet the Grower” table this week.

If you’ll be in town for AthFest, be sure to swing by the special outdoor kitchen on Sunday afternoon, June 28th, where Craig Page (director of P.L.A.C.E.) and I will be competing head-to-head Iron Chef style cooking locally grown food purchased directly from growers at Athens Locally Grown and the Athens Farmers Market. I’ll have more details in the coming weeks, but it’s already shaping up to be a lot of fun.

The Athens Farmers Market has re-opened for the season, and is every Saturday morning at Bishop Park. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Our third Farmer for a Day event is on Saturday, July 11th at Dancing Sprout Farm in Athens. You can make reservations for this event by adding them to your order. Look in the “Event Reservations” category.

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!