The cool wet spring might have slowed the ripening of Oregon blueberries this year, but the appeal of the tasty fruit is picking up steam locally and internationally.

The arrival of warm weather is heating up the harvest of what could be a record-setting crop this year, allowing the industry to keep up with growing demand. Fresh berries are still a hit in Japan, but have great potential in the fast-growing economy of India and possibly South Korea.

“Blueberries remain the popular superfood in Asia,” said Amanda Welker, international trade manager with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “The health benefits are notorious and the flavor profile fits the Asian palate well. While blueberries have been popular in eastern Asia for quite some time, Indian consumers are just learning about the fruit and its health benefits.”

India is a very small niche market right now, Welker said in a news release, but has room for exponential growth as that county’s market matures.

“The benefit for Oregon is the timing of our season. We can offer a fresh fruit in the middle of India’s hot and muggy summers when there is a lack of local fresh fruits in the market place,” she said.

Fresh cultivated blueberry exports from the U.S. in 2009 reached 14,391 metric tons with a value of $64 million. Specific data for Oregon blueberries is not available, but export markets remain a key point of sale.

Oregon’s blueberry production is predominately in the Willamette Valley, with Marion and Washington counties both having plantings in excess of a thousand acres, said Bruce Pokarney, ODA spokesman.

“In fact, more than 4,300 of the 5,700 acres in blueberry production are in the Willamette Valley,” Pokarney said. “There is smaller production along the coast and Morrow County reports 400 acres in blueberries.”

Umatilla County also has at least two farms growing blueberries with the closest to Walla Walla being Lampson Farms on Day Road near Milton-Freewater. The second is Golden Valley East in Stanfield, Ore.

Per capita consumption of blueberries has increased in recent years not only in North America, but in Europe and Asia largely because of the health benefits blueberries offer for both young and old.

In the 1990s, a Tufts University study showed blueberries to have higher antioxidant activity than all other fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals, those unstable compound molecules that can attack human cells and damage DNA. Additional studies and reports in the last decade continue to reinforce the berry’s health value.

“Health benefits are the overriding reason for our market success,” says St. Paul grower Doug Krahmer, member of the Oregon Blueberry Commission and State Board of Agriculture. “But health benefits alone won’t sell fruit. Taste, convenience, and quality must be high for us to continue selling our fruit at a profitable price.”

Prices have strengthened this year, compared to 2009. The demand is high, but so should be the supply.

“Barring unforeseen circumstances, we should easily break the 50 million pound mark for production, which would be a new record for Oregon blueberries,” says Bryan Ostlund, administrator of the Oregon Blueberry Commission. “Fortunately, I think we have the markets to support that production.”

Find a farm

Oregon blueberry farm locator: www.oregonblueberry.com/index.html

Lampson Farms, Milton-Freewater: www.lampsonblueberries.com

Washington blueberry farm locator: www.superblues.net

Recipes
Blueberry Waldorf Salad

• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries, divided
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (about 4 ounces) baby spinach
• 1 tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1-1/2-inch matchsticks (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup pecan or walnut halves, toasted

To prepare dressing: In a blender container, combine1/2 cup of the blueberries, oil, marmalade, lemon juice, mustard and salt; blend until a smooth, thick dressing forms. In a bowl, toss spinach with apple slices, celery, pecans and remaining 1/2 cup blueberries. Arrange equally on four serving plates. Just before serving, blend dressing again until smooth; drizzle over the salads. Serve immediately.

4 servings

Blueberry Cheesecake for Calorie Counters

• 3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
• 2 containers (6 ounces each) low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 4 ounces fat-reduced cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• Blueberry Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350¬?F. Spray bottom and side of a 9-inch pie plate with vegetable cooking spray; sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, and tilt to coat evenly. Place a coffee filter or two layers of paper towels in a strainer; stir 1 container of the yogurt and spoon it into the filter; set aside to drain, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the remaining container of yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese and cornstarch until smooth. Add the eggs and pulse until combined. Carefully pour into the crumb-coated pie plate; smooth top. Bake until set in the center, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the Blueberry Sauce. When pie is set, spread the drained yogurt over the top; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Chill until cold. Serve with Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce:

• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water

In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir blueberries with sugar (or granulated non-nutritive sweetner), lemon juice and water until berries are soft, about 5 minutes; chill.

8 portions

Per Portion: Including 1-1/2 tablespoons blueberry sauce: 152 calories; 19 g carbohydrate; 4.5 g total fat (2.6 g saturated fat); 1 g fiber

You can create this Thai noodle dish at home in less than 10 minutes.  Most ingredients can be found in the ethnic food aisles at Walla Walla’s  larger grocery stores.

Pad Thai Sauce

• 1 cup tamarind juice
• 1 cup palm sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Additional Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons garlic oil
• ½ pound prawns, thinly sliced chicken,
• or cubed tofu
• ¼ pound rice noodles
• 1 to 2 beaten eggs

Preparation
In a medium-sized bowl, combine Pad Thai sauce ingredients  and mix well. Set aside.

Add rice noodles to boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they acquire the desired texture. Rinse drained noodles and set aside.

In a large wok or sauté pan, heat garlic oil over medium to high heat and add meat, seafood or tofu. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until meat is mostly cooked. Add egg and stir quickly, spreading cooked egg throughout the hot oil and meat. Add prepared rice noodles to meat, and stir-fry for 2 to  3 minutes. Pour in Pad Thai sauce and continue stirring 3 to 4 minutes, until everything is hot and well-mixed.

Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and diced green onions.

Serves 2

BEANS

• 1 pound dried white beans such as cannellini or Great Northern
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 1 carrot, peeled and halved crosswise
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

STEW

• 2½ pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 2-inch pieces (We used lamb from Thundering Hooves.)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups dry white wine
• 1 cup fresh or canned plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
• 1 cup chicken broth

TOPPING/CRUST

• 4 large slices whole wheat sandwich bread torn into rough pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

For her fund-raising "gala," Newton also made a vegetarian version of her Oven-braised Lam and White Bean Stew recipe.

METHOD
Rinse beans and put in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat. Cover and let rest 40 minutes.

Drain the beans, discarding the cooking liquid. Add the 4 cups of water, chicken broth, halved onion, halved carrot, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until firm-tender — about 45 minutes. Drain and discard onion, carrot and thyme.

Pat the lamb dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the lamb in batches and brown on all sides — 5-7 minutes. Transfer the lamb with a slotted spoon to a plate or bowl.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chopped onion and cook until it begins to brown — about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and garlic and cook until softened — about 3 minutes.

Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Add the tomatoes and their juice, chicken broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the lamb and its juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered, for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add the beans to the lamb — if dry, add wine or broth. (You can prepare up to this point and keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before final cooking.) Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the over. Bake 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse bread and oil in food processor. Transfer to bowl and add parsley, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle ½ cup bread-crumb mixture evenly over casserole and bake, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle remaining mixture over top of casserole and bake until topping is golden-brown — about 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, let rest 15 mintues. Ladle into bowls. The flavors intensify if made 1-2 days ahead of time. Bring to room temperature and then heat in 325-degree oven until hot.

Enjoy!

Brisket and Brine

• 1 beef brisket (about 5 lbs)
• 12 cups water
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Morton’s Kosher Salt
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon pink salt (a curing salt)
• 1½ tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons whole juniper berries
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Dry Rub

• 2 tablespoons medium ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Method:

1. Trim brisket of external fat.
2. Bring water and all spices to a boil and then remove from heat. Let water and spices come to room temperature, and then chill in fridge until 40 degrees or lower.
3. Place beef brisket, brine and liquid smoke in a non-reactive container. Make sure brisket is submerged in brine by weighing down with aplate. Place in back corner of fridge and let sit for 20 days.
4. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees (275 if non-convection). Remove brisket from brine, rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. Place brisket on a wire rack set on a sheet pan. Evenly spread dry rub over the top of brisket, sprinkle with liquid smoke and canola oil, and rub into brisket.
5. Roast in oven for 3½ hours. Remove (try not to eat it all now), chill and slice thinly.

Enjoy three weeks worth of anticipation.

Sauerkraut

• 5 lbs cabbage sliced to 1/8 inch thickness
• 3 tablespoons Morton’s Kosher Salt

Method:

Knead cabbage and salt together for a bit until cabbage starts to release water. Put in a clean, non-reactive crock or glass container. Weigh cabbage with a plate or a baggie filled with water. Cover crock with cheesecloth. As long as the temperature is between 50 degrees and 75 degrees, and the cabbage is covered with the brining liquid, your kraut will be done somewhere between six days and 30 days. I like my kraut around day eight from my kitchen. Refrigerate and enjoy. (After making your own you may never eat jarred sauerkraut again.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups olive oil
• 2 cups peeled zucchini cut lengthwise and
• into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups carrots chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups peeled red potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large Walla Walla Sweet Onion coarsely chopped
• 1 clove Italian garlic coarsely chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil chopped
• 2 cans Sclafani whole tomatoes strained and coarsely cut, juice set aside
• 2 large eggplants sliced and cut into eight triangles
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1⁄2 cup parmigiano reggiano
• 1⁄2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. chile flakes
• 1⁄2 tsp. sage
• 1⁄2 tsp thyme

Meatballs

• 1 lb. ground beef or Italian bulk sausage
• 3 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup parmegiano reggiano cheese
• 1⁄2 tsp. chile
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 tsp pepper
• 1⁄2 tsp onion powder
• 1 clove Italian garlic, chopped fine
• Mix thoroughly, roll in to 1⁄2 ounce balls and place on oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Soup preparation

Heat two cups olive oil on medium to high heat in a large boiling pot, fry eggplant for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove eggplant from oil with a slotted spoon and place in a paper towel-lined strainer and set aside.

Add onions and garlic to hot oil, fry until translucent. Add salt, pepper, chile, sage , thyme, basil and parsley and stir for one minute. Add potatoes, stirring for five minutes. Add carrots, stir another five minutes, then add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add zucchini, tomatoes and tomato juice. Add two cups of beef stock and bring back to boil. Add meatballs and eggplant then add a sprinkling of parmigiano cheese.

• 1 lb. fresh mussels
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup fish fumet (fish stock. If that’s not available, double
• the white wine)
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed then chopped.
• Splash of pernod
• Medley of “soft” fresh herbs. We use tarragon, parsley, dill, chive, cilantro and basil. (Hard herbs being rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.)

Method:
Put mussels in pot with wine and stock, cover and heat on high. As soon as you see steam coming out from the lid they are done; it’ll just be a couple of minutes. As you open the pot you will notice they are all open and awaiting their seasoning. Add as much butter as you are comfortable with. I use a couple of tablespoons, and a good pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Put the lid back on and swirl them around for a moment as the butter melts. C’est tout!

Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parmigiano, half of the fl our and the tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix until the ingredients are well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Place the remaining fl our in a shallow bowl. Using fl  hands, pinch about a tablespoon worth of mixture and form into a little football shape. Dredge each through the fl our in the bowl and onto a baking sheet. Continue this until you’ve made as many pieces as you can. Bring plain water to a simmer (not boil). Take out the gnudi and drop five or so into the pot for about 2 minutes, or until they rise to the top of the liquid. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean, fl at, baking sheet. Do this for all of the gnudi, being gentle and taking care not to break them as they can be delicate.

Sweet Pea Puree
2 cups fresh peas
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground paprika
1/2 cup cooking water

Method
In a food processor or blender combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Place Seet pea puree in a large pan and bring to a simmer, add gnudi and toss to coat the gnudi. Divide on four plates and top each with soft, sun-dried tomatoes and shaved parmigiano.

This recipe is courtesy of Chef Soto Gene of Someone’s In the Kitchen

1/2 lb each: Ground beef , ground pork, ground lamb or veal (we use lamb)
2 cans whole peeled tomatoes (we prefer the San Marzano)
1 onion, finely diced
3 carrots, finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 to 11/2 cup dry white wine, preferably un-oaked
1 cup chopped Pancetta or Bacon
2 tbsp herbs de provence without lavender, freshly ground
(we use a mortar and pestle).
1 to 2 packages of dried long pasta such as linguini
(one package for every four adults)

Salt and pepper to taste
(Note: Salt should be added sparingly until just prior to serving as liquid will reduce and intensify the flavors.)
Fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk or cream

Method:
In a heavy, deep sauce pan (5 to 7 quart) over high heat, brown all meats except pancetta/bacon. To keep meat from sticking we add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil before adding meat. Make sure that your pan is HOT before adding oil or meat or browning will be an issue. Reduce heat if smoking occurs. Once all meat is evenly browned, remove from pan with slotted or perforated spoon, leaving fat. Remove half to three-quarters of the fat. add bacon/pancetta and brown, reducing heat if smoking occurs. Remove bacon/pancetta once browned. add carrots, celery, onion. DO NOT STIR. The key here is to caramelize your root vegetables so the sweetness comes out and enhances the depth of flavor.

Shake pan every five minutes to see how browning is coming along. Once caramelized add garlic and tomato paste, stir and allow to caramelized. DO NOT BURN GaRlIC. Once tomato paste has caramelize (2 to 3 minutes) add wine to deglaze, being sure to scrape bottom of pan to remove browned bits, aka good stuff. add meat back to pan (not bacon, it is for you to munch on while cooking or add to a salad). Stir. add tomatoes and any juice from cans. Stir. lower heat to low simmer. Stir. add seasoning as necessary, salt, pepper, herbs. DO NOT aDD NUTMEG. Stir. adjust seasoning as necessary, remembering that this needs to simmer for at least onehalf hour and as it sits the taste will intensify, so add salt cautiously. Stir. Just prior to finish add 1/8 tsp (I don’t measure so this is a best guess, add more if you want) fresh nutmeg. add milk. Stir. Boil pasta. When pasta is still slightly undercooked (i.e. crunchy on the inside) remove from water. add pasta, along with one ladle full of pasta water to a large sauté pan. add 2 to 3 ladles of sauce. Over medium heat combine pasta, sauce and pasta water. When pasta is al dente (still slightly firm, but not crunchy on the inside) plate. For a portion you only need 2 to 4 ounces of pasta per person. add one large tablespoon of sauce to each portion. Serve. Enjoy!

The recipe is courtesy of Damon Burke of Salumiere Cesario

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese
1-2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
1 tbsp picked thyme

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and start a large pot of salted water boiling. Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and using a fork, poke four sets of holes in them. Roast for 35-45 minutes or until soft all the way through. While this is roasting, combine egg yolks and cheese in a large mixing bowl.

While the potatoes are still hot, use a potato masher or a food mill to puree them into the cheese/egg mixture. Mix well until cheese is melted and place in the fridge. Once the mixture is cool, place on a floured work surface and begin kneading the flour into it 1/2 cup at a time. Add only enough flour to make the mixture slightly firm. To test the dough as you work place a small piece in the boiling water and watch for it to float. If it breaks apart, add more flour. If it floats and is very firm and tastes like flour, you’ve added too much. Ideally use only enough flour to bind the mixture so it holds together in the water.

Once you have enough flour in the dough roll it out into 3/4-inch diameter logs and cut it into 1-inch long pieces, lightly flouring them to keep from sticking. Boil them in small batches until they float for 30 seconds, placing them immediately in a ice water bath.

Start a large sauté pan on the stove on high heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter in the pan until dark brown, sauté the gnocchi in the butter until crispy on one side, add the picked thyme and season with salt and pepper. Drain off the excess butter and serve hot.

Glazed Baby Vegetables

1 bunch baby carrots 1 bunch baby red beets
1 bunch baby yellow beets 1 bunch baby turnips
1 bunch kale 2 tbsp butter unsalted
2 tbsp champagne vinegar 3 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Peel the baby turnips and carrots and trim the greens off 1 inch from the vegetable. Place in separate pots of salted cold water and bring up to a boil, slowly poaching until tender. Once the vegetables are tender move them to a bowl of salted ice water. Peel the baby beets by hand using a towel (the peels should come right off if they are cooked through). Pull the stems off of the kale and cut into large strips. Place a large sauté pan on high heat and melt butter until dark brown. Add the baby vegetables and sauté lightly until hot. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook until the sugar melts into a light glaze. Add the kale last and cook until wilted but bright.
Serve immediately.

Tomato Saffron Butter

3 cups tomato juice (blended and strained roma tomatoes
work the best)
3 cups white wine
2 shallots
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 small pinch of saffron
1/2 pound of butter
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

In a stainless steel saucepot combine the shallots, bay, thyme, wine and tomato juice. Reduce this until only a thin layer in the bottom of the pot remains (approx. 1/4-inch thick). Strain all the liquid into a clean stainless steel pot, and add the saffron. On medium heat begin to whisk in the cold butter 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce is a velvety thick texture. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Present the dish with the sauce on the bottom of the bowl, the gnocchi and vegetables on top and fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano to finish.

Recipe by chef Jake Crenshaw of T. Maccarone

Makes 4 salads

White Truffle Vinaigrette
1 egg yolk 2 large shallots
1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp picked fresh thyme
1/2 cup white balsamic 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white truffl e oil salt and pepper to taste
In a blender combine the mustard, egg yolk, shallots, thyme and white balsamic. Blend thoroughly, then slowly begin to add the oils in a thin stream, this should create a thick creamy dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pear Salad
2 crimson pears cut into 1/8” wide sticks
4 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shaved from the block
with a peeler
½ bunch of frisée with the greens trimmed off
¼ pound mixed greens washed
3 Tbsp white truffle vinaigrette
Toss all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and carefully stack on a salad plate, enjoy immediately.

Recipe by chef Jake Crenshaw of T. Maccarone

Demiglace
3 pounds assorted veal bones

1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 bouquet garni, (parsley, thyme,
bay leaf, peppercorns bundled
tightly in cheesecloth)
2 garlic cloves, fi nely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups mushrooms (button,
portabella, shitake) cut in half

1 shoulder steak, trimmed
1 tsp butter

Method
Preheat oven to 350.
Spread bones, carrots, onion, celery on baking sheet. Roast, tossing several times, until bones start to take on color.
Add tomato paste and roast 5 minutes more.

Transfer to stockpot, add 2 quarts water and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until liquid measures 2 cups (about 2 hours).
Remove and discard bones. add red wine and reduce by half. Drizzle steak with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill to your desired temperature.
In a pan, sauté mushrooms, add demiglace, turn heat off. Stir in butter.
Slice steak on a bias, and toss with sauce. Bon apetit!

Recipe by chef Caleb Moss of the Backstage Bistro