Anchorage Daily News

The longest day of the year is coming up this weekend. Maybe you have plans to be at the Russian River hooking into a sockeye salmon. If not, make a visit to the local fish counter to find something for the grill.

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And while you're out, stop by one of several local farmers' markets to stock up on an increasing number of fresh veggies. You'll also find some seafood at the markets too.

Dannon Southall at 10th & M Seafoods says the fishing has been good lately: "We are into the summer now and that means a HUGE selection of fresh Alaskan seafood."

The store has headed and gutted halibut at $5.95 per pound and the fishmongers will cut it for free. Also available is fresh king salmon; headed and gutted fish are $9.95 per pound and the fillets are $12.95 per pound. Sockeye salmon fillets are $9.95 per pound; headed and gutted fish are $7.95 per pound. Fresh side stripe shrimp, cod, rock fish fillets and tuna will also be available this week.

You can find seafood -- oysters from Northern Lights Oysters -- at the Anchorage Farmers Market, 15th Avenue and Cordova Street. The market is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arctic Choice will have salmon, side stripe shrimp, sablefish, halibut, cod and other items from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A number of vendors sell Alaska seafood at the Anchorage Market and Festival, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Third Avenue and C Street.

If you're thinking vegetables, you're in luck; you'll find them at every market you visit. Highlights include:

• The Rempel Family Farm will have certified organic arugula, lots of sweet spinach, radishes, lots of salad greens, small bok choi, butter lettuce, rhubarb and some baby Snow Apple turnips at the South Anchorage Market (Corner of Old Seward Highway and O'Malley Road). Check for a rhubarb recipe at the end of the story.

• A.D. Farm will also have rhubarb at the Anchorage Farmers Market. Other items Alex Davis will bring to town include fresh eggs, homemade soaps and freshly made jam. You can also place an order for butcher pigs set for October delivery.

Also at the Anchorage Farmers Market will be Arctic Organics with fresh lettuce, pac choi, tat soi, greens mix, radishes, mizuna, arugula, fresh basil, marjoram and chives.

Rhubarb-apple crisp

Use as much of the recipe of the crisp topping, (below) to your taste

1½ pounds apples, peeled and cored

2 pounds rhubarb, diced into 1-inch pieces

1 cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a small pinch of ground cloves (don't go overboard)

-- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the topping and set it aside. Dice the apples, then put them in a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Pour the fruit into a 2-quart gratin dish.

-- Bake, uncovered (without the topping), for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

-- An hour before you're ready to eat the crisp, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit. Return to the oven and bake for 25-30 more minutes, or until the juices from the fruit are bubbling and the topping is brown. Serve hot or warm.

Crisp topping

This recipe makes enough for 1 heavily-topped crisp, or 2 lightly-topped crisps. Make this recipe, and if you like a light topping, use half and freeze the rest until you want to make another crisp. Or use the whole amount of topping on one crisp.

Another note: the Loriva walnut oil is really fantastic; it's roasty and toasty-tasting and very rich. Don't bother using refined walnut oil, because it doesn't have much flavor and the recipe won't be nearly as tasty. Use butter, instead. If you don't want to use walnuts, replace the nuts with an additional ½ cup of rolled oats.

6 tablespoons Loriva walnut oil or melted butter

½ cup brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour if you have it)

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

-- Combine all ingredients so you have a crumbly, moist mixture.

-- Recipe from the South Anchorage Farmers Market Newsletter.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please write sedwards@adn.com.

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