LOCAL WEDNESDAYS*: "WE MUST GRAZE WHERE WE ARE TIED."

    
This Local Wednesdays post is about choices. I borrowed a book from Arica called Breath, Eyes, Memory written by Edwidge Danticat about a young Haitian girl named Sophie who moves to New York and after some struggle returns to her native country. When she expresses to her aunt that she wishes she never lefte Haiti, her aunt says, "We must graze where we are tied." Some things are beyond our control. But we must make do with what we have.

I often struggle with being a native New Yorker, because I have small town syndrome in the biggest city in the world. Most people I know are not from here. These adventurers makes me feel like maybe I too should go live somewhere else, experience a different city and a new way of life, but sometimes I feel like I don't have a choice, as if I am tied to this city, because of my job and my loved ones.
     So while I am here, I might as well take advantage of what this awesome city has to offer. With the great Spring weather we've been having, I really feel like I have been enjoying this town. Riding my bike all over the city and going to great outdoor events, like the recent Franklin Street Immersion and the upcoming Greenpoint Food Market, at least I am venturing out of Queens a bit.
    And one choice we all have no matter where we are tied is to eat locally. Sure we are all busy, we have to order lunch in and eat dinner out and we don't always have time to cook. But, even if one meal per week we make is local, we are making a big difference.
    With each meal I present on my Local Wednesdays, I am trying to show that the same expensive meal you can eat out, you can probably make at home with local ingredients and while you're at it save money, help your local community and the environment. Those are good choices.

    This week I made Seared Scallops on Mustard Greens with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
    First wrap your asparagus with bacon and roast until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus is soft in a 450 degree oven. Meanwhile, sautee the mustard greens in olive oil with some sliced onions and some hot red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.
    The last step is to season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear them on both sides in butter or olive oil in a very hot heavy pan, preferably cast iron, just enough to brown on each side, but don't cook too long or they become rubbery. Serve the scallops over the mustard greens and the asparagus on the side.