Grow Pittsburgh Chef Spotlight
One of the best parts of our restaurant partnerships is working directly with so many incredibly talented chefs. Their commitment to using fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients from places like Grow Pittsburgh is both admirable and inspiring. We are, therefore, introducing a new feature to our quarterly newsletters in which we highlight one of these amazing individuals and ask them a few questions about sustainable agriculture, their work, and of course their food. At the end of the interview we also ask them to share a recipe of theirs that uses Grow Pittsburgh produce.
For our inaugural profile we spoke with the chef and owner of Regent Square's Legume Bistro, Trevett Hooper-- someone we find ourselves filling orders for almost weekly.
Q:Where does your commitment to supporting local agriculture and utilizing local produce and meat come from?
A: We are committed to buying the best tasting, freshest, healthiest food we can afford while keeping our menu prices at a price point that isn't exclusive. It just happens that when you're talking about things like vegetables, eggs, pork and lamb, it usually means buying food from small scale farmers in Western PA. But not always.
We are very committed, loyal customers to the farmers that we have worked with over our three years of business. We shop at the indoor East Liberty Farmer's market 52 weeks a year. But we don't do this from some grand notion of "supporting local agriculture." We see it as supporting people we know on a personal level who support us in return with beautiful food. When my son was born, we received handmade gifts from several of the farmers at the market. That's a sign of a real relationship.
Q: What local ingredient do you most enjoy working with?
A: I love working with stone fruits in the summer. I'm from a part of Maine where the only fruit trees around are apple trees. To live in a part of the country that is close to really good peaches, plums and apricots is a real treat for me.
I also love lamb from Western PA, which I think is the best in the country.
Q: Where would you like to see Legume's involvement in the local sustainable agriculture movement go next? 
A: If there is one thing a restaurant of our size can do to "support local agriculture" it is to quietly show people--without too much fanfare (which I have been guilty of many a times)--that food grown in living soil and animals raised in humane conditions almost always taste better than the industrial alternatives. Then, hopefully we can inspire people to make better choices about their food purchases at home and maybe even support a political organization like PASA.
But to prove why local, quality food is really better, chefs have to really be doing it instead of just marketing about it. We don't print where the food is from on the menu. I want people to eat the food, love it and then ask "why did that taste so good?" That is the time to talk about where it is from. It is more powerful to be moved by something on an experiential level first than to be told "this is better because it is local."
Legume is a 34 seat restaurant. The money we put into the local food economy through our local purchasing is a drop in the bucket. However, proving on the plate that fresh, quality-driven ingredients taste the best is something Legume can do to "support local agriculture." I'm not saying your going to have your mind blown every time you eat at Legume, but you will probably notice an inherent quality of the food and feel pretty good physically after eating a meal here. Better taste and health is the point of cooking with local food.
Q: Do you have your own vegetable garden at home?
A: Yes. I've been gardening in some form since I was 10. Unfortunately, I still don't know what I'm doing.
Q: What has been your favorite thing that you've grown?
A: Any kind of lettuce or salad green.
Q: Could you share a recipe with us you've created using Grow Pittsburgh produce?
A: Here's a recipe using Grow Pittsburgh spring onions and leeks:
2 oz butter
1.5# leeks
2 bunch spring onions including green part
1# 4oz asparagus
2 quarts plus 1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup white rice
sea salt
2/3 cup cream
2/3 cup buttermilk
juice 1 lemon
1. Wash the vegetables.
2. Separate white bottoms from the green tops of the spring onions. Chop the white and green parts, keeping them separate.
3. Separate the white and light green parts of the leeks from the dark green parts of the leeks. (Use the dark green part of the leeks in the vegetable stock if you are making it.) Slowly cook the light parts of the leeks with the light parts of the spring onions in the butter along with a few teaspoons of salt. When soft (about 6 minutes) add 2 quarts of vegetable stock and the rice. Bring to a boil and add the asparagus.
4. (Optional Step). While the soup is cooking, blanch the chopped spring onion tops in boiling salted water for two minutes. Pour through strainer and run the cooked spring onion tops under cold water. Puree in blender with 1 cup vegetable stock and set aside.
5. Check the soup after about 15 minutes or so. When the rice is completely soft, the soup is done cooking. Puree in batches add cream and chill. Season assertively with salt.
6. When completely cool add the buttermilk and lemon juice. Check seasoning and add more salt if necessary. (The seasoning will taste different when it is cold.) You may also need to adjust the consitency with water or extra vegetable stock.
7. To serve, pour soup into chilled bowls. Garnish with a swirl of the optional spring onion top puree and croutons.