Salute to Umatilla County; this homespun meal celebrates the abundance of eastern Oregon - recipes

Sunset, April, 1988

Salute to Umatilla County

To celebrate their region's abundance, members of a cooking club in Mermiston in northeastern Oregon put together this homespun meal featuring local foods.

Lamb, beef, barley, green beans, and peas--all grown in Hermiston's Umatilla County--go into the hearty stew. Yeast rolls made with bulgur play up the importance of the local wheat crop. The county also produces asparagus and strawberries.

Salute to Umatilla County

Umatilla Stew with Spring Vegetables

Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Bulgur Wheat Rolls Strawberry Jam

Pinot Noir or Merlot

You can prepare all the elements for this meal a day ahead.

Umatilla Stew with Spring Vegetables

1 pound boned lamb shoulder

1 pound boned beef chuck

2 tablespoons salad oil

3 medium-size carrots, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium-size turnip, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained

5 cups regular-strength beef broth

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound green beans (ends trimmed), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound fresh peas, shelled, or 1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas

Salt

Trim and discard fat from lamb and beef; cut meat into 1-inch pieces. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, brown meat in oil; lift out. Reduce heat to medium-high, add carrots, onion, and turnip; stir often until onion is limp, about 10 minutes.

Return meat to pan with barley, broth, water, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 1 1/2 hours. (If made ahead, let cool, cover, and chill up to 2 days; lift fat off and discard. Reheat to simmering.) Skim and discard fat. Stir in beans and peas; cover and simmer until beans are tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Salt to taste. Serves 6.-- Kathi Hendrix, Hermiston, Ore.

Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed

1/4 cup each white wine vinegar and olive oil or salad oil

1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dry tarragon

Salt

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, cook asparagus, uncovered, in 1/2-inch boiling water until tender-crisp to bite, about 7 minutes. Drain; plunge into ice water. When cool, drain. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day. Place asparagus in a dish. Add vinegar, oil, tarragon, and salt to taste; turn to coat evenly. Serves 6.

Bulgur Wheat Rolls

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 cup water

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk (110|)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 large egg

About 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Place bulgur and water in a small bowl. Let stand until water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. In a large bowl, soften yeast in milk. Add sugar, salt, butter, egg, and bulgur mixture. Stir in enough flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to make a stiff dough.

Knead dough on a lightly floured board until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes; add flour as required to prevent sticking. Turn dough over in a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double, about 50 minutes.

Punch dough down and cut into 12 pieces. Shape each into a round and space evenly in a well-greased 9- by 13-inch pan. Drape with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 40 minutes. Bake in a 400| oven until well browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan to a rack. Serve warm or cool. If made ahead, store airtight until next day. Makes 12.

Photo: Meat-and-vegetable stew goes well with bulgur-flecked rolls and cold asparagus salad