Warm Up with a Meal Made from Locally Grown Produce
Revel in the bounty of Central Oregon’s farms and ranches
By Lorraine Murray, Development Director
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Autumn–Winter
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Delicious aromas, cozy meals, supporting your local farmers
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Farmers’ Markets, Cooking
A delicious Central Oregon bolognese is only a few local ingredients away.
Here in Central Oregon, the first frosts have knocked zucchini and corn out of their top spot at the markets, the wind is picking up, and the cold, crisp nights call for more robust meals to fill ourselves up.
This time of year, I feel extra grateful that our region has high-quality farms and ranches where I can get fresh, seasonal food year-round. As the leaves fall, in comes the bounty of autumn produce: squashes of all colors and shapes, pungent garlic and onions, hearty potatoes, and carrots that overwinter in the fridge reminding us of the brighter days of summer.
One of my favorite meals to make when the chill takes hold is a hearty Bolognese sauce over pasta. The ingredients can be sourced almost entirely locally, and the batches can be doubled or tripled to make extra for the freezer. It’s wonderful paired with any type of pasta, but my favorite is pappardelle.
Recipe
Bolognese Sauce
1 lb Italian sausage or plant-based meat substitute
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced or pressed through a garlic press
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup white or red wine (Optional. White will make a brighter sauce, while red will be more robust. Broth or water can replace the wine.)
3-4 cups chopped roma tomatoes with their juice, or one 28-oz can of diced tomatoes, or a quart jar of home-canned tomatoes (my preference)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of salt + extra to taste
½ tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1 lb pasta, your choice of shape
Grated Parmesan cheese
In a large (at least 4 quart) dutch oven or soup pot, brown the sausage or other protein of your choice over med-high heat. Remove onto a plate covered with a paper towel to drain excess grease and stop further cooking.
Reduce heat to medium and add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan, along with a little oil if needed to prevent sticking. Stir occasionally and cook until everything has softened, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic about halfway through. If anything starts to brown too quickly, add a splash of the wine (if using) or you can use broth or water to quickly slow the cooking down.
Once the vegetables are soft, add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine simmer off, then add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring every few seconds to prevent burning. Add the diced tomatoes and bay leaf, reducing the heat to low, keeping it at just a simmer. Add the sausage back into the pot, give it all a good stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover (to prevent splashes) and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. If you have the time, add a little extra broth or water and let it simmer on very low for a couple of hours; the flavors will grow more robust and layered with time. However, it is delicious even after 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Cook your pasta according to package directions and serve in bowls with a few good scoops of the bolognese sauce. Top with parmesan and serve side-by-side with salad and good conversation.
Have extra herbs on hand? Chopped basil, a couple tablespoons of oregano or marjoram (my favorite!), or a good sprinkle of fresh parsley can be magic.
Another variation is to add a hefty splash of cream at the end to curb some of the acidity and add roundness to the sauce. (Traditional Bolognese is often simmered with milk.)
Where to source these local ingredients
Fact: locally-grown carrots taste better. They just do.
My number one recommendation, if you can make it, is the annual Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry event, hosting more than 35 vendors. This is where you can stock up on all your over-winter veggies, meats, and other local products. This year, it takes place on Saturday, November 8, from 11 am to 3 pm at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Attendance is free. Bring a wagon!
Boundless Farmstead, Sungrounded Farm, and Deschutes Canyon Garlic will all be there, offering their incredible produce.
DD Ranch, Casad Family Farm, and Well Rooted Farms are all local purveyors of quality meat.
Central Oregon Locavore has a plethora of locally-grown, locally-raised produce and meats, including from the aforementioned farmers and ranchers.
Shopping at events like Fill Your Pantry and Central Oregon’s Farmer’s Markets, buying into meat and vegetable shares, and taking advantage of other sources of direct-to-consumer opportunities provides vital support to our farmers and ranchers.
Keeping farmland, farmland
Mt. Jefferson above Deschutes County farmland. Photo: LandWatch Photo Partner Matt Oliphant
To thrive, local agriculturists must face a host of challenges, including the loss of farmland through conversion to other uses, which is a serious issue across Oregon. Within the last five years, Oregon has lost 660,000 acres of farmland despite land use laws designed to prevent development unrelated to agriculture from occurring on land zoned for farming.
Central Oregon LandWatch is leading efforts to ensure that this alarming trend doesn’t continue in Deschutes County. As a community, we can ensure that locally grown produce continues to be a part of our food culture.
