May 10th Newsletter
Bardstown Road Farmers’ Market Newsletter
Sarah’s Corner
From our friend Sarah Fritschner
We learned from the Washington Post last week a new morsel about “confined animal feeding operations.” At least it was new to me and many of my CAFO-observant friends.
Tyson, thick into advertising their antibiotic-free chicken, is being sued by two other CAFO-reliant chicken operations to stop their “antibiotic-free” advertising. A judge agreed.
Why? First, Tyson does, in fact, feed its chicken ionophores. These are antibiotics but they aren’t used to treat humans. Hence, the thinking is that they don’t affect our resistance to antibiotics used to treat our own bacterial illnesses.
Then there was this: “Then during trial in federal court in Baltimore, Tyson officials acknowledged they also inject eggs several days before they hatch with antibiotics that are approved for use in humans. Dave Hogberg, Tyson's senior vice president for consumer products, said it is a common industry practice.”
So much for antibiotic free. More to the point, so much for understanding what it is consumers object to. Companies get it or they don’t. What Tyson chose to do is perhaps good for Tyson stockholders, though I could argue that point to, but it is nothing more than a sneaky attempt to circumvent a rule that is in place to either safeguard consumers or help them make an informed choice.
We fell for the advertising campaign. “In a February conference call, Tyson chief executive Richard Bond told analysts the company has had double-digit increases in sales of fresh chicken raised without antibiotics, totaling an additional 70 million pounds of chicken a year,” the Washington Post reported. I know I bought some. And I did it because of the label.
If any Highlands market shopper needs a reason to shop the market – beyond building community, supporting local business and find good-tasting produce – hammering away at the economic fortress of CAFO production is certainly a good one. Spending your money on meat at the farmers market sends a strong message to Tyson and the others.
This week, the Fiedlers are featuring minute steaks on sale. Stone Cross Farm features a sale on spare ribs. Dreamcatcher has lamb and sausage. Kentucky Bison has, well, bison. Vote with your fork.
Kale and currants
Mediterranean recipes like this one use dried fruit to add a tiny bit of sweetness to the dish, which balances the salty cheese and bitter greens. The bits of fruit should be nearly invisible, as opposed to big, plump obtrusive raisins. Currants are a perfect size; raisins certainly work, but chop them first.
If you haven’t discovered Alwatan Bakery yet, you’re missing the best source of feta cheese and fresh pita bread in the city – maybe a 3-state area. Alwatan is at 3711 Klondike Lane, near where Klondike runs into Hikes Lane.
2 tablespoons dried currants (or chopped raisins)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped pine nuts or pecans
2 bunches kale, about 1 ½ pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped about 1 ½ teaspoons
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (or to taste)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine currants (or raisins) with ¼ cup warm water and set aside. Put the nuts on a small pan and toast them until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Remove any tough stems from the kale and discard them. Wash the kale leaves, gather a few together and cut them in wide ribbons. Repeat with remaining leaves.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep, heavy pan such as a Dutch oven, set over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so, stirring. Add greens, stirring as you do. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper and add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes.
Remove the cover from the pan and add currants with their soaking water. Cook, stirring, until most of the water has evaporated, perhaps 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, but be careful with the salt because you’re adding feta cheese before serving.
Place the greens on a serving platter and sprinkle with nuts and feta cheese. Serves 6 as a side dish.
Beef (or bison) and asparagus
Cutting thin strips of meat is easier if you have frozen it for 60 to 90 minutes.
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon (packed) chopped garlic
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 pound flank steak, cut diagonally across grain into thin strips
1 pound asparagus, cut on the slant in 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked white rice
Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add meat; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in heavy large wok or skillet over high heat. Drain meat well, reserving marinade. Add cornstarch to reserved marinade and mix until smooth; set aside. Add meat to wok and stir-fry until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add reserved marinade mixture and boil until sauce thickens and coats meat and asparagus, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice.