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Farm-fresh fare: Dinner series focuses on locally grown food

The Columbian
Published: June 8, 2010, 12:00am
2 Photos
Anna Petruolo, left, and Lisa Robbins of Fruit Valley are owners of the personal chef service A Dinner Together.
Anna Petruolo, left, and Lisa Robbins of Fruit Valley are owners of the personal chef service A Dinner Together. They'll be putting on a dinner series at local farms this summer. Photo Gallery

o What: Farm Dinners series, presented by A Dinner Together.

o When: July 10 and 24 and Aug. 14.

o Where: The July dinners are at Northwest Organic Farm, 17713 N.W. 61st Ave., Ridgefield. The August dinner is at Dee Creek Farm, 2402 Little Kalama River Road, Woodland.

o Cost: $60 per person.

o Information: http://www.adinnertogether.com.

Chef Anna Petruolo believes food tastes best when it’s fresh and local — so much so that she and partner Lisa Robbins are turning the front yard of their Fruit Valley property into a neighborhood garden.

And that’s not the only way the couple are helping others experience the joys of eating hyperlocal. Petruolo and Robbins, owners of the personal chef service A Dinner Together, are putting on a dinner series showcasing what various Clark County farms have to offer.

They’ll host three Farm Dinners this summer, two at Northwest Organic Farm in Ridgefield and one at Dee Creek Farm in Woodland. The dinners last about three to three and a half hours and typically accommodate about 35 people seated family-style.

o What: Farm Dinners series, presented by A Dinner Together.

o When: July 10 and 24 and Aug. 14.

o Where: The July dinners are at Northwest Organic Farm, 17713 N.W. 61st Ave., Ridgefield. The August dinner is at Dee Creek Farm, 2402 Little Kalama River Road, Woodland.

o Cost: $60 per person.

o Information: http://www.adinnertogether.com.

The evenings begin with appetizers, followed by a farm tour led by the owner, then a dinner with soup or salad, an entree and dessert. There’s also time for a question-and-answer session with the farmer.

The dinners feature ingredients found on the hosting farm and gathered that day. Petruolo, a licensed massage therapist who’s been a personal chef for the past four years, doesn’t usually announce the menu in advance because she wants to see what’s most fresh at the time.

“You can’t beat it for fresh food,” said Robbins, 43, who works at a Vancouver eye clinic and helps Petruolo with planning and executing the dinners. “It doesn’t get any fresher than that.”

The menus will play up the hosting farms’ strengths, such as Northwest Organic’s heirloom tomatoes and garlic, and Dee Creek’s poultry and cheese.

This is the first time Petruolo and Robbins have opened up the Farm Dinners to the public. Last summer, the couple hosted a dinner for friends at Storytree Farm and catered a luncheon for master gardeners at Northwest Organic Farm. Examples from those meals include pasta with crispy kale, feta and herbs, and fresh strawberry shortcake. Guests can expect similar types of farm-to-table dishes at this summer’s events.

The couple hope their dinner series helps educate people about the range and quality of food available from Clark County’s farms.

“So much food is imported that doesn’t need to be,” said Petruolo, 37. “Food is best when it’s in season and it’s fresh, just picked.”

Anna Petruolo’s Pasta with Crispy Kale, Feta and Herbs

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound pasta (bow tie, campanelle or spiral)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4 -inch-thick rings

2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crispy Kale Chips (recipe follows)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the marjoram or oregano, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss with enough reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Toss with the feta cheese. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with Crispy Kale Chips. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Crispy Kale Chips

1 bunch organic kale

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher or sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse kale and pat dry with paper towel or put in salad spinner. Cut off stems and tear leaves off the rib. Put kale leaves in large bowl with oil. Gently toss.

Place parchment paper on two baking sheets and divide kale between them. Bake for 15-17 minutes until crispy, turning one time during cooking. Remove from oven and salt immediately.

Lime Cucumber Salsa

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

4 green onions, sliced

2 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoons lime peel, grated

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Works well as a dip for chips or as a topping for mild white fish such as halibut or cod.

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