THANK YOUR FARMERS HARVEST FEAST CONTEST

 The Haineses of Haller Lake Thanksgiving 2009

 Our goal with this contest was to build the traditional dishes our family and friends request and expect every year while making our meal sourced from as many local producers as possible.  The farm and market locations are listed after ingredients in the recipes below.  We had fun shopping at all three Farmers Market locations on Saturday and Sunday.  We frequent the U-District and West Seattle Markets, and were excited to shop at the Broadway Market for the first time.  Thanks for sponsoring this contest.

Flowers:  Fall Bouquet (Riverview Farms / Broadway)

APPETIZERS and Refreshments

Dry Reisling (Lopez Island Winery / Broadway)

Soda (Dry Soda / Eat Local in Queen Anne)

• Various hard and soft cheeses (Port Madison Farm Chevre & Mt. Townsend Creamery Seastack, Cirrus & Trailhead cheese / Both West Seattle)
• Crackers and bread (Panzanella / Broadway)
• Smoked Salmon (Loki Fish Co. / West Seattle)

Starters

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Bacon

Serves 10 first course servings

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 2 ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, halved, cut into ½ inch pieces - about 6 cups (Family Orchards / U. District)
• 2 cups chopped leeks - white and pale green parts only; about 2 large (NW grown / Central Market)
• ½ cup chopped peeled carrot (Nash Organics / U.District)
• ½ cup chopped celery (Willie Greens / West Seattle)
• 2 small Granny Smith or other tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch dice (Lyall Farm / West Seattle)
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoons dried sage leaves (Stoney Plains / U.District)
• 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves  (Stoney Plains / U.District)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Central Market)
• 5 cups homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth (Homemade)
• 1 ½ cups apple cider, divided (Rockridge Orchard / West Seattle)
• 2/3 cup sour cream (Quark / Central Market)
• ½ cup heavy cream (Golden Glen Creamery / Eat Local - Queen Anne)
• Chopped fresh chives (Stoney Plains / West Seattle)

Directions

Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and cool.  Crumble into bits and save until soup is finished.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.  Add squash, leeks, carrot, and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.  Mix in apples, thyme, and sage.  Add broth and 1 cup cider; bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth.  Return soup to pot

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Boil remaining ½ cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes.  Cool.  Place sour cream in a small bowl.  Whisk in reduced cider.  (Soup and cider cream can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Cool soup slightly.  Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.  Cover cider cream and chill.  Bring soup to simmer before continuing.)

Mix heavy cream into soup.  Ladle soup into bows.  Drizzle with cider cream.  Top with chives and bacon

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

6 to 8 servings; Prep time 15 minutes; Cook time 1 hr 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 extra-large white mushrooms  (Central Market)
• 5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided (Central Market)
• 2 ½ tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry (WA state Liquor store)
• ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings (Samish Bay Farms / West Seattle)
• 6 scallions (Stoney Plains / West Seattle)
• 2 garlic cloves minced  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 2/3 cup panko crumbs (Central Market)
• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese (Central Market)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (Central Market)
• 2 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves  (Cha Doua’s Garden / West Seattle)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (Central Market)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely.  Set aside.  Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and Marsala.  Set aside

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the Sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon.  Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s completely browned.  Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes.  Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. 

Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy.  Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture.  Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer.  Bake for 50 minutes until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

DINNER

Refreshements

Pinot Noir (Syncline Winery / WA Winery Columbia River Gorge)

Soda (Dry Soda / Eat Local in Queen Anne)

Side Dishes

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 - 1 ½ pound butternut squash. Peeled and ¾ inch diced (Family Orchards / U.District)
• Good olive oil (Central Market)
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (Central Market)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (Central Market)
• 3 tablespoons dried cranberries  (Foraged & Found Edibles / West Seattle)
• ¾ cup apple cider or apple juice  (Rockridge Orchards / West Seattle)
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar  (Rockridge Orchards / West Seattle)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (Central Market)
• 4 ounces salad mix, washed and spun dry  (Stoney Plains / West Seattle)
• ½ cup walnut halves, toasted (Central Market)
• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Central Market)

Directions

For Walnuts:  Toast walnuts in a dry sauté pan over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing frequently, until lightly browned.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Place the squash on a sheet pan.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss.  Roast the squash for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.  Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup.  Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan.  Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately

Popovers

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for greasing pans (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, sifted  (Bluebird Grain Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (Central Market)
• 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature  (Stiebers Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 ½ cups whole milk at room temperature  (Golden Glen Creamery / Eat Local in Queen Anne)

Directions

NOTE:  Make sure the pan is hot before you pour the batter, fill each section not more than half full, and no peeking while they are in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Generously grease aluminum popover pans or custard cups with softened butter.  You’ll need enough pans to make 12 popovers.  Place the pans in the oven for 2 minutes to preheat.  Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth.  The batter will be thin.  Fill the popover pans less than half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes.  Do not peak.

Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled (Nash Organics / U. District)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 2 tablespoons honey  (Sweet As Can Bee / West Seattle)
• Kosher salt (Central Market)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (Central Market)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (Central Market)
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoon freshly Ground black pepper (Central Market)

Directions

Cut the carrots diagonally in 1-inch thick slices.  You should have about 5 cups of carrots.  Place ½ cup water, the butter, honey, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the ginger in a large sauté pan and bring to a boil.  Add the carrots, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the water has evaporated. 

Add the orange zest and orange juice to the pan, tossing with the carrots.  Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes, until the carrots are al dente, and the sauce glazes the carrots.  Add the pepper and another teaspoon of salt, to taste.

Cranberry-Maple Sauce

Makes about 4 2/3 cups (Double Recipe)

Ingredients

• 2  12 ounce packages of fresh cranberries  (Foraged & Found Edibles / West Seattle)
• 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup (Central Market)
• 1 cup  (packed) golden brown sugar (Central Market)
• ½ cup water

Directions

NOTE:  Can be made 5 days ahead.

Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan.  Bring to boil, stirring often.  Reduce heat to medium: simmer until cranberries pop, stirring often, about 12 minutes.  Transfer to bowl.  Cool Completely.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Make10 – 12 servings

Ingredients

• 5 medium sweet potatoes  (Lyall Farms / West Seattle)
• 4 bananas (Central Market)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 at room temperature 1 cold (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 1/4 cup honey  (Sweet As Can Bee / West Seattle)
• Kosher salt (Central Market)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour  (Bluebird Grain Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar (Central Market)
• 1 ½ cups pecans, chopped (Central Market)

 Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, put them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.  Toss the bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft.  Remove the pan from the oven but don’t turn the oven off.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl.  Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1 stick (room temperature) of the butter, and honey.  Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything’s well combined and the mixture is fluffy.  Spoon into an oven-proof serving bowl and smooth the top.

In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining stick of butter (cold), the brown sugar, flour, and pecans until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potatoes and return to the oven.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes washed and not peeled, and cut into quarters  (Olsen Farms / U. District)
• 1 cup whole milk  (Golden Glen Cermary / Eat Local in Queen Anne) 
• 1 cup buttermilk  (Sea Breeze Farms / West Seattle)
• 2 garlic cloves minced  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 1 stick of butter (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream  (Quark / Central Market)
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste (Central Market)

Directions

NOTE:  Can be made several hors ahead and reheated before serving.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add potatoes.  Boil until the potatoes are soft when poked with a fork.  Meanwhile heat, but do not boil, milk and buttermilk.  Drain potatoes, return to pot over low heat and add milk, and buttermilk.  Mash or whip adding, garlic, butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper until smooth.  Serve warm.

Steamed Broccoli

Ingredients

• Broccoli (PCC – NW Farm / Greenlake location)

Directions

Steam broccoli, and serve immediately.

Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples

Makes 14 to 16 cups

Ingredients

• 1 pound sliced firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into1/2-inch cubes, or 10 cups lightly packed bread cubes  (Tall Grass Bakery / West Seattle)
• 4 to 8 tablespoons  (1/2 to 1 stick) unsalted butter (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 2 cups chopped onions  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 1 cup finely chopped celery  (Willie Greens / West Seattle)
• ¼ to ½ cup minced fresh parsley  (Cha Doua’s Garden / West Seattle)
• 1 teaspoon dried  sage, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh  (Stoney Plains / U.District)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh  (Central Market)
• 3/4  teaspoon salt (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (Central Market)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg (Central Market)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (Central Market)
• 1/3 to 1 cup chicken stock  (Homemade)
• 1 to 2 large eggs, well beaten  (Stiebers Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage  (Sea Breeze Farm / U. District)
• 4 cups diced peeled green apples, such as granny smith  (Family Orchards / U. District)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.  Toast bread until golden brown.

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a slotted spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Remove the sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and return the skillet to the stove.  Add the apples and cook, stirring, until tender.

Once bread cubes are toasted turn it into a large bowl.  Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides.  Add and cook onions and celery, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves.  Stir mixture into bread cubes, add the sausage and apples, and toss until well combined.  Depending on how much butter you started with and how firm you want the stuffing, stir in, a little at a time, the chicken stock and eggs until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together.  Adjust the seasonings.  Turn into a large, shallow buttered baking dish.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until the top has formed a crust and the stuffing is heated through, 25 to 40 minutes. 

Main Course

 Turkey

 Brine

For 20-22 pound turkey

Ingredients

• 2-4 cups kosher salt (Central Market)
• 2-4 gallons water
• 1 cup sugar (Central Market)
• ½ cup maple syrup (Central Market)
• ¼ cup brandy (On Hand)
• 24 bay leaves  (Rockridge Orchards / U. District)
• 12 garlic cloves  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 2 small  bunches parsley  (Cha Doua’s Garden / West Seattle)
• 1 small bunch sage  (Stoney Plains / U. District)
• 1 small bunch thyme (Central Market)
• 6 medium sprigs rosemary  (Stoney Plains / U. District)

Directions

Combine kosher salt, sugar, 1 gallon of water in a large pot.  Place pot over high heat and stir occasionally until the salt and sugar dissolve.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  Stir in the other gallon of water, and add other ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator. 

Remove Turkey from bag, wash, and pat dry with paper towels.  Place turkey in brining bag, add brine mixture to bag.  Seal bag tightly removing all excess air.  Place in container in the refrigerator.

Three-Herb Butter

Makes about 1 ¼ cups

Ingredients

• ½ pound (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature (Tillamook/Central Market)
• ½ cup finely chopped shallots (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• ½ cup dry white wine  (Lopez Island Winery / Broadway)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Cha Doua’s Garden / West Seattle)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh thyme leaves (Central Market)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh sage leaves (Stoney Plains / U. District)

Directions

NOTE: The butter can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated or up to 2 weeks and frozen. 

If frozen take the butter out of the freezer a day ahead and and stor in the refrigerator.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter over medium heat until it begins to foam.  Add the shallots and cook until soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.  Add the wine and boil until it’s completely evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes.  Stir in the parsley, thyme, and sage and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes more.  Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate.  When well chilled, put the remaining butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the herb mixture and beat on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. 

 On a large piece of plastic wrap, shape the herb butter into a log.  Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate.

Roasted Turkey

20-22 pound turkey (Diestel Farms/Whole Foods)

Organic, free range, fresh

Ingredients

• 1 recipe three-herb butter, slightly softened  (See above)

• 2 onions peeled and quartered  (Alvarez Farms / Broadway)
• 2-3 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks  (Nash Organics / U. District)
• 2-3 celery stocks cut into 1-inch chunks  (Willie Greens / West Seattle)
• 6 to 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter (Tillamook/Central Market)
• Thyme (Central Market)
• Sage  (Stoney Plains / U. District)
• Rosemary  (Stoney Plains / U. District)
• Parsley  (Cha Doua’s Garden / West Seattle)
• Bay leaves  (Rockridge Orchards / U. District)
• 1 lemon quartered (Central Market)
• Salt and pepper to taste (Central Market)

 Directions

Position a rack to the lowest level of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

 Remove turkey for brine and pat dry.  Loosen skin with fingers or back of a spoon.  Slice the herb butter into ¼-inch-thick rounds and distribute them evenly between the skin and breast meat, completely covering the breast.  Maneuver a few pieces between the skin and legs, too.  If there are any left place them in the cavity of the turkey.  Massage the butter under the skin to distribute it evenly.

Sprinkle salt and pepper in the cavity.  Distribute 1-inch slices of unsalted butter throughout the cavity.  Add all other ingredients inside the cavity and neck.  Rub remaining butter on the outside of the skin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Truss the turkey legs and wings.

Place remaining vegetables in roasting pan.  Place the turkey breast side down on roasting rack and put turkey in the oven.  Baste turkey about every 30 minutes to keep moist.  After about two hours of roasting turn turkey breast side up and continue roasting and basting.  Turn heat up to 400 degrees F during last half-hour to achieve a crispy brown crust.  If skin is browning too quickly do not increase heat and cover with foil. Remove turkey when it registers 170 to 175 on instant read thermometer.  Let turkey sit, covered for 15-20 minutes. 

Desserts

 Pumpkin Pie  (Grandma’s recipe)

Crust – two large crusts

 Ingredients

• 4 cups all purpose flour  (Bluebird Grain Farms – Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 ¾ cups shortening (Central Market)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (Central Market)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (Central Market)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (On Hand)
• 1 egg  (Stiebrs Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• ½ cup water

Directions

Chill all ingredients.  Water should almost be iced. 

Work on a cool surface in a cool kitchen.  Mix dry ingredients into flour.  Quickly work the fat and flour together with a pastry blender or your finger tips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and remains light and dry.  Add vinegar and egg.  Stir in ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough holds together.  Gather together into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for 30-minutes to an hour, can also be frozen.  Be sure to remove from freezer and defrost in refrigerator before rolling out. 

Pie Filling

Use real pumpkin from sugar pie pumpkins. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked pumpkin  (River Farm / U. District)
• 1 cup sugar (Central Market)
• 1 cup whole milk  (Golden Glen Creamery / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 2 eggs  (Stiebrs Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 2 tablespoon flour  (Bluebird Grain Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoon ginger (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg (Central Market)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

If pumpkin is frozen defrost and simmer on low heat in a heavy sauce pan.  Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well blended.  Add milk and eggs and stir until blended. Add pumpkin and stir.  Add mixture to pie crust.  Bake for 50 minutes to an hour or tester comes out clean.

Pecan-Bourbon Pie

Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover with foil; store at room temperature.

Crust – Makes 2 pie crusts or halved for 1

 Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour  (Bluebird Grain Farms / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• ½ cup cake flour  (Bluebird Grain Farms / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (Central Market)
• ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (Central Market)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 – inch cubes (Tillamook/Central Market)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (Central Market)
• 6 tablespoons (or more) ice water

 Directions

Blend both flours, sugar, and salt in processor.  Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add lemon juice, then 6 tablespoons ice water; process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.  Divide dough in half.  Gather each half into ball and flatten into disk.  Wrap separately in plastic.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.  After rolling out refrigerate while preparing filling.

 Filling – 2 pies or halved for 1

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs  (Stiebrs Farm / Eat Local in Queen Anne)
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar (Central Market)
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar (Central Market)
• 1 1/3 cups light corn syrup (Central Market)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted (Tillamook/Central Market)
• ¼ cup bourbon (On Hand)
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (Central Market)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel (Central Market)
• 4 cups (about 16 ounces) pecan halves, toasted, very coarsely chopped (Central Market)

Directions

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Whisk eggs in large bowl.  Whisk in both sugars, then next 5 ingredients.  Stir in pecans.  Divide filling between prepared crusts. 

Bake pies until filling is puffed and just set in center (filling may begin to crack), about 55 minutes.  Cool pies completely on rack.