Fern Alley Market Farm Trophy H Pesto

Last week I bought my regular supply of spicy greens from John the salad guy at the local farmers market on Granville Island. This past week MrD and I not only munched our way through a half bag of the crisp green mouth happiness but I used the leaves instead of basil to make pesto. The spiciness of the peppery mustard greens, arugula and several other designer yum notes proved a perfect base for a walnut, rather than pine nut, pesto. I used the traditional notes of garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese for the taste and texture but to give it that Trophy H kick I added fresh ginger.
Next market day I brought John some of the pesto for him and his mom who was back working on the farm. This gentle quiet farmer or his delightful mom drives 80 K from their farm, Fern Alley Market Farms, in Upper Squamish Valley to bring Vancouverites amazing exotic greens in the top of their prime. It was a thrill to give back with some home made pesto.
Here’s how to make your own.
2 cups spicy salad greens
1 clove of peeled garlic
½ cup toasted unsalted walnuts
1 slice of peeled fresh ginger
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Add all the ingredients into a blender and work into a smooth paste
Cover in a bit more olive oil to keep the paste from losing its colour and store in the fridge in a container with a tight lid if you are not going to use it right away.
Trophy H tip # 473. Don’t just use pesto for pasta. It works perfectly as a spread on sandwiches, a base for salad dressing or soup with some zing.

Crab apple and roasted corn salsa.

The tartness of seasonal crab apples goes very well with the sweetness of roasted corn. Don’t peel the apples so the salsa has more colours. Roughly cut the cored apples into the same size as the roasted corn kernels. Add some crisp red onion, a handful of chopped carrots and lots of fresh coriander to make this simple but sensational salsa. Dress the salsa with salt and pepper, olive oil and some spicy vinegar, then give the whole thing a quick stir and it’s good to go. Keep this in the fridge and you can use it for a week. I used some to add to my duck sausage pasta sauce and MrD is still licking his chops and nodding thanks.

No Fuss Fussily.

Fall finds MrD and me back home in Vancouver enjoying my kitchen after three weeks away eating out of hotel kitchens. I have missed the local ingredients from my beloved Granville Island market. This Trophy H pasta is not only easy to whip up in a pinch but it would be good enough to feed to your Italian granny if you had one.
Fry some sliced chorizo sausage and red onions with a handfull of green peas until the sausage is browned and cooked through all the way. Throw in a handful of chopped fresh asparagus for some colour and added crunch. Stir everything for another minute just to cook the asparagus but not kill it. Take the pan off the heat and stir in a serving of chopped smoked salmon. Add all this to some fussily or penne and coat with a generous serving of basil and cream sauce and some salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with soft goat cheese crumbles and a few sprigs of fresh oregano. Your guests will lick their bowl and then wash it. Who could ask for anything more?

Trophy H Peach Salsa

Make this easy winner a day ahead of time. The flavours improve by hanging out and this seasonal side will be one thing out the way before your guests arrive.
Here’s how.
Chop two pealed peaches into small cubes. Save the peach pits aside for some crafting project. In a bowl add the fruit with 1 teaspoon each of chopped ginger and garlic. Finely dice one Thai bird’s eye chili without the seeds, a few sprigs of chopped mint and thin slices of mild red onion to add some bite and texture. Squeeze the juice of ½ a lime and add that with the lime zest over the salsa. Splash everything with a good slosh of decent olive oil and a pinch of crunchy red Hawaiian salt or a few shakes of plain white salt. Stir in everything gently so as not to bruise the peaches and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
I prefer to eat this salsa at room temperature but MrD, my silent reader, claims my spicy Trophy H peaches work just as well served up either hot or cold.

Philippines Paradise Papaya Pickles. Achara.

Here, my silent reader is your peaceful path to papaya pickle paradise.
This morning I made green papaya and carrot pickles, my Trophy H version of a Filipino favourite called achara and traditionally served as a side with many of their fried savoury dishes. The sourness of palm vinegar with the dark sweetness of palm sugar sets off a surprising mouthful of crunches with the carrots and green papaya. If you can’t find green papaya just use carrots or maybe try hicama.
To make your own quart jar of pickles grate or finely chop half a seeded green mango with about the same amount of carrots. Traditionally Filipinos would only use 5% carrot as a bit of colour in the mix but today I want a new batch with more carrots. OK I am clearing out the vegetable drawer before we fly out tomorrow and I wanted to use up all the carrots. Together in a sauce pan heat 2 cups of palm vinegar with 1 cup of palm sugar and a teaspoon of pickling spices until the sugar completely dissolves. Plain white vinegar and plain white sugar works just as well, my silent reader. Sterilize a clean mason jar in boiling water and filled the empty bottle to the top with the carrots and mango mixed with a handful of raisins. Top off the jar with the hot vinegar and seal with a tight lid. Stand the bottle upside down to cool and then store in the refrigerator. These are worth waiting for. Leave for at least a week but a month is better. I have to hide my achara behind things in the fridge or MrD will whine for me to open them now. MrD has family visiting from Manila in October and I look forward to sharing some of these flavours from home.
Pickles are easy to make. Don’t tell your guests. They will think you are some super hero.
Make your self a batch of these show stopping papaya paradise pickles and open them up to serve alongside your award winning Thanksgiving turkey. The guests will be the ones giving thanks and it will all be to you and of course your pal the Trophy H.