Summer fades, crops still here

Carrie Sikorski / for the Pierce County FARM Board

Ithink of it as the Doppler effect of summer. You feel the approach of the season for a long time and it seems like it will never arrive. Then suddenly it’s here and you’re trying to do everything summer all at once because you know that in our neck of the woods, it won’t last long. And one morning in mid-August, you wake up and the air is cool, even though the sun has risen. During the day your mind wanders to thoughts of firewood and school clothes shopping and in the evening you pull on a sweatshirt while you’re turning dinner over on the grill.

The petals of summer are starting to drop, but you can still linger over the flavor of summer in the cool of the evening with another delicious Puyallup Valley crop.

Plentiful locally, affordable and highly nutritious, cabbage is growing all around us in the valley. You’ll find varieties such as green cabbage, Napa and bok choy in farmers’ markets, at farm stands and even in the supermarkets that purchase from our local conventional farms at this time of year.

Cabbage is a wonderful way to wrap up the flavor of summer. You can shred and dice fresh green cabbage as a crunchy filling in a fish taco, Baja style. The smaller, more tender heads available from the farmers’ markets and farm stands are perfect for this use.

You can also use the leaves as a wrap around a salmon or white fish filling. This latter method keeps the fish moist and tender while allowing the flavor of the fish to infuse the cabbage. The sweet flavor of fresh cabbage is a perfect compliment to the salty taste of seafood. I’ve read that Northwest American Indians roasted salmon wrapped in layers of skunk cabbage in the embers of beach fires.

An easy way to prepare cabbage leaves for a fish wrap, or any other stuffed cabbage recipe, is to start with a large head, turn it over and cut out the hard core in a cone shape using a sharp knife. Place the cabbage with the cut side up in a small pot and pour boiling water into the center depression where the core was removed. Cover to soften in the steam for a few minutes, and then gently pull outward on the head to loosen the leaves. Pour another pot of hot water into the depression in the cabbage and this time you’ll notice that the water will also slip in between the leaves. After the cabbage head takes a second steam bath it should be ready to separate into individual leaves which can be stuffed and steamed in the oven or over the grill, seam side down.

If you’re heading to a summer potluck and need something more portable, another seasonal recipe is cabbage lasagna made with fresh local cabbage and tomatoes. Use softened cabbage leaves in lieu of pasta when layering the casserole. Slice lots of fresh tomatoes and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Layer tomatoes slices, cabbage leaves, fresh basil with the traditional lasagna cheeses for a nutritious, one dish meal, with or without meat.

Enjoy the fresh flavor and nutrition of our local produce and the last weeks of summer. Slow down, eat well and savor the season.

Carrie Sikorski is the Pierce County FARM Board farmbudsman. She can be reached at 253-798-3276 or by e-mail at csikors@co.pierce.wa.us.