Meadow Haven Rillettes

The Green City Market opened for the first time since the Holidaze this weekend with a snout-to-tail themed market.  To properly honor the market and its theme, I set out to do a pork liver pate to pick up the slack for the less adventurous market-goers.  Unfortunately for me and you, there was no liver to be found.  Not being able to revise plans very well on early Saturday mornings, I spent a lot of time gazing across the market while munching on an apple galette from Floriole (no market venture is complete without one).

Perhaps a terrine of thymus would have been good, but in my panic I decided to stick with what I know, the pig.  This decision was made infinitely easier by the great folks from Meadow Haven Organic Farm out of Sheffield.  Buckets of lard, pig parts, farm fresh eggs, chickens and ducks lay prized in their cache.  Pork necks selling for $2/lb?  Why yes, I know what to do with these often overlooked parts: spend the rest of my Saturday making rillettes.

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The Green City Market Harvest Celebration

This year, I have the honor of being a part of the host committee for the annual Green City Market Harvest Celebration--and I want you to be there.  All of you.  The single most important event of the year, the harvest celebration is filled with delicious chef tastings, market inspired cocktails, and local wine and beer.  Attendees can also bid on live and silent auctions, featuring:

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Game On

At my last visit to Green City Market, I decided to buy an elk roast and 'soup bones' to satisfy a chronic craving for game meat.  When I came home, I inspected the elk bones package and found that I had been given two one-pound elk shanks ([veal] shanks are the same cut used for osso bucco).  I checked the label to see if I had been given the wrong item, but I had not.  Making a mere soup, as I originally intended, from these beautiful cuts would be a crime; for these bones were filled with marrow, and had rivers of fat running through the meat--an uncommon characteristic of elk.  These shanks must be braised, and the marrow sucked from the bones.

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No Tortillas

This weekend was the 2nd Annual HOA BBQ for my complex.  After last year's success, I had no choice but to go to the animal everyone else strayed from, and to make it awesome.  I decided to braise pork shoulder in salsa verde, which isn't something I'd done previously, but think will work.  Then after braising, I'd pull the shoulder for taco meat, and top with pickled red onions, and cotija cheese.

I already experimented with braising chicken thighs in salsa verde, and it turned out tasty, which is why I think using a superior animal should turn out satisfactory for my neighbors.  The pork fat will richen the salsa/braising liquid, and any leftover will make a good dip for chips.  Since I'm counting on fat to make the dish, I start by picking up a Berkshire's shoulder from Becker Lane Organic, who happens to attend every Green City Market.

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That Rotating Device

My flights got moved around this week due to Memorial Day weekend, which means Green City Market day now falls on my 'in need of a huge meal because I haven't eaten in 24 hours' day.  Thankfully, in addition to wonderful samples, there is prepared food available.  The crepe stand has delicious offerings.  Options include plain, mixed berry jam, cinnamon and sugar, caramely maple syrup from the rolling hills of Indiana with pecans, and a savory herb and cheese.  Still hungry.

I pass by the demo tent featuring food from Bin 36, and some chicks from Top Chef-- hunger before gardening tools, right?  The wind blows the scent of charcoal in my direction.  I make a sharp left and journey 'till I find a tent with smoke rising in the back.  Burgers look ok, elk burgers better.  Next line reads elk bratwurst, followed by lamb bratwurst.  Can be covered in sauteed mushrooms and/or green onions.  Done.

I go easy on the grainy mustard so the flavor of the sausage comes through.  The sausage is far from fatty, and genuinely tastes of the elk and lamb.  If I had never had lamb before, I could accurately determine its flavor profile from this sausage.  Very clean flavor, but still hungry.

With sausage on the mind I exit the market on the east side, where the Mint Creek Farms tent is, home of wonderful lamb products.  That's a lie.  I grab a rhubarb galette, then make my way out.  Lamb bratwurst and chorizo procured, which is a good thing.

Going home I have no idea what I'm going to do with the goods.  A mile deep into lakeshore I recall a wonderful article about the marriage of paprika and mint.  It may sound odd at first, but it's really a brilliant combination (read the article for quality descriptors and history).  The new mission is to create an improved gyro using lamb sausage and integrating mint and paprika.

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