Election Day is over.
Now go vote for Alaska produce. You can find "red" beets and "blue" (well, purple anyway) potatoes. And there are lots of colors in between.
Wednesday's Center Market at The Mall at Sears has plenty of Alaska-grown produce and locally raised animal products.
Mark Rempel of Rempel Family Farm is a regular at the market he will have many of his autumn produce available. Options include red, Chioggia and golden beets; carrots; Snow Apple turnips, daikon radish, parsnips, green cabbage, stripetti squash, sugar pumpkins and 12 kinds of potatoes.
Duane Clark said the market should offer visitors plenty to select from. In addition to his items from Country Health Foods -- including cuts of grass-fed beef, local free-range chicken and duck, and local raw honey and honeycomb -- other vendors he is highlighting this week include Alaska Sprouts with a wide selection of locally grown sprouts and shoots and Northern Lights Mushrooms with several varieties to choose from.
Alex Davis' A.D. Farm should also have his regular selection of Valley raised produce -- including beets and carrots -- along with pork products.
Rob Wells reports that several Matanuska Creamery products will be available, including cheese curds, cheddar cheese, ice cream, butter and cream. Everything is "from Alaskan cows for our customers' enjoyment," Wells said.
The market is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Visit the market and pick up a pumpkin along with some Alaska beef and get creative with the following recipe.
Pumpkin-laced curried beef patties
1 cup pumpkin puree (see recipe below)
1 onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 red chile pepper, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons oil
In a food processor, work bowl fitted with a metal blade, pulse pumpkin puree, onion, bell pepper, garlic, chile pepper, curry powder, salt and pepper to task until chopped. Add beef and pulse just until blended, about 20 times. Remove from bowl and shape into 6 patties.
Spread bread crumbs on a large plate and dredge patties in them, ensuring both side are well covered. Discard any excess crumbs.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook, turning once, until browned and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes per side.
Serve hot.
Pumpkin puree
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cut pumpkin in half and remove stem. Scoop out seeds and membranes. Discard. Butter inside of pumpkin. Sprinkle with salt. Place skin side up on baking sheet. Bake until fork tender, 11/2 to 2 hours.
Let pumpkin cool for at least 30 minutes. Scoop out soft flesh and place in a food processor work bowl fitted with metal blade. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Let cool completely. Divide mixture into 2-cup amounts, place in plastic bags and freeze for up to 9 months.
Source: "650 Best Food Processor Recipes" by George Geary and Judith Finlayson (Robert Rose, $24.95)
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please contact him at sedwards@adn.com.
By STEVE EDWARDS
Daily News correspondent