As Chef Danny Ahern sautéed meatballs made of pork sausage, his wife — author and blogger Shauna James Ahern — told the hungry crowd around our demo tent last Thursday that Danny hadn’t decided what he was going to cook until they arrived at the market. As they wandered around, looking at what was fresh, he made a plan. This time of year, Shauna said, you really don’t have to cook much. As long as you get the best possible ingredients (just look around our market for those), you don’t have to do much to them. Danny’s quick sauté of pork, mushrooms and vegetables was a lovely example of that idea; a few beautiful ingredients, sautéed together, made a mouthwatering treat for marketgoers.
Chef Danny Ahern. Photo by Brandy Herget.
A few of the best possible ingredients. Photos by Kimberly McKittrick.
Ingredients:
(You’ll notice that no quantities are given. This is cooking by feel. Have fun!)
Pork sausage, formed into meatballs
Olive oil
Chanterelle mushrooms, torn into pieces
Onions, thinly sliced
Garlic, minced
Sweet bell peppers, seeded and sliced
Sweet corn, cut from cob
Fresh herbs (sage and thyme?), minced
Demi-glace
Sauté the sausage meatballs for a few minutes, until browned on all sides and almost cooked through; set aside. In the same pan, sauté the mushrooms in a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add onion, garlic, and peppers, and sauté a little longer. When vegetables are almost cooked, toss in the corn, and cook just long enough to warm it through. Stir in some minced herbs, and a spoon or two of demi-glace, then return the sausage balls to the pan to reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Height-of-summer deliciousness. Photo by Jon Rowley.
Sources: pork sausage from Crown S Ranch; corn, onions, peppers from Alvarez; chanterelle mushrooms from Foraged and Found; demi-glace from Sea Breeze.
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