Using the lovely Live Gourmet watercress I picked up the other day at Fremont's PCC and the plump figs I got at Pike Market on Friday, the salad for was to be not only simple but delicious. A little Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated over, salt, pepper, a sprinkling of walnuts and it’s ready to eat after drizzling it with a little LuLu Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette with a teaspoon of honey (Japanese Pear) added to it.
This was served as an accompaniment to a quick Chicken, Potato and Porcini Persillade I concocted yesterday out of necessity (hunger) , duty (needed to use up ingredients already in my refrigerator and freezer) and anticipation (Porcini!!!). The dish started with a little persillade (a mixture of chopped garlic and parsley), the fattest Porcini mushroom I found at Pike Place on Friday afternoon ($5 for this baby!) , Walla Walla onions and a trio of baby potatoes (red, purple and white) left over from the ones I used for the Kale, Swiss Chard and Chicken Soup I made Thursday night with the produce I picked up while shopping at Bellevue Farmers Market.
The Porcini (sliced), onion (chopped small) and a pound of skinless, boneless chicken (cubed) and the potatoes (cut small) were sautéed with a little Marsala (sweet) and olive oil for about 5 minutes. In went the persillade and a few grinds of my favorite The Cape Herb & Spice Company Piment Fort (also sold labeled as Chili Bite) which is a combination of red chilies, black pepper, sweet peppers, ginger and ginseng. In went the persillade (A chopped garlic and parsley mixture). After stirring all ingredients together I cooked covered for about 20 minutes or until the cut up potatoes were soft. Voila!
A chilled Covey Run Morio Muscat to complement the heat of the pepper mix, the flavorful Porcini and the garlic. Not bad at all for a lazy and hot Seattle Saturday.
Persillade
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
Maldon salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
Chop the parsley and garlic. Stir them in a bowl with olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
A note about shopping for Porcini Mushrooms at Seattle's Pike Place Market: Shop around! Porcinis are in season, beautiful, fat and just delicious. However, you'll pay a small ransom if you do not walk around the market and compare prices. Porcinis are being sold from $19.99 (Catanzaro & Sons, my personal favorite) to $29.99 a pound (at frankly overpriced Sosio's Produce) . Caveat Emptor.
From Pike Place Market Insider News (May 2004):
Please also welcome Catanzaro & Sons to the Market. Philip Catanzaro plans to open his highstall for business on May 1 in the former Jordan Village highstall location. We are extremely pleased Philip is joining the Market community; he has been in the produce business for over 25 years, and his family has been in the business for over 60. In addition to selling fresh fruits and produce, Philip plans to carry fresh herbs, organic produce and exotic mushrooms. Please stop by 1501 Pike Place #2 (it’s the first highstall north of the clock) to meet Philip and welcome him to the Market.
