Spring is nearly here and we intend to continue our favorite Phoenix Farmers Markets for 7 more weekends, through May 2, 2021. We welcome orders placed for pick up at the market or appointments for a personal shopping experience in our private test kitchen. Contactless curbside pick up also available. Our calendar of markets and events is always kept current and our product list is updated frequently to reflect availability.
Brenna & Kenny
Day to day, we find that our family’s primary protein is grass-fed ground beef. A few times per year though, we do treat ourselves to an excellent steak. Our beef is dry aged 21 days and we recommend an additional few days in the fridge of wet aging prior to cooking your steak, it’ll be tastier and more tender. Here’s a great recipe to try if you’re interested in pan searing, rather than grilling your steak.
Steak with Leeks and Anchovy Butter
Sea salt and black pepper
Two 1 pound steaks or one 2 pound steak
1/4 cup oil-packed salted anchovies
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 small shallots, minced
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
3 lbs leeks, trimmed, rinsed, and split lengthwise
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed in their peels
1 small bunch thyme
Combine 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Season steak on all sides and let sit 1 hour at room temperature.
In a saucepan, combine anchovies, vinegar, and shallots. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until vinegar has completely reduced and shallots are soft. In a medium bowl, combine shallot mixture, 1 cup softened butter, and parsley. Stir to combine and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350. Place leeks, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with 1 tsp salt and add wine, 2 tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp olive oil to pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Raise oven temperature to 375.
Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil until it shimmers. Turn heat down a tick, then carefully add steak to pan. Let steak sear undisturbed for 4 minutes if cooking two small steaks, 7 minutes for one large steak. Using tongs, lift corner of steak to see if a golden-brown crust has formed. If steak lifts easily from pan and has good color, flip it. Sear second side 4 to 7 minutes.
Add garlic, thyme, and 4 tbsp butter to pan. As butter melts, use a large spoon to ladle butter over steak, basting repeatedly for about 30 seconds. Transfer pan to oven. If cooking two small steaks, cook for 4 minutes. If cooking one large steak, cook for 8. Remove steak from oven. Flip it in pan and baste it a few times. Using a meat thermometer, check steak’s temperature. You want it to be about 130. If it’s not quite there, baste again before returning it to the oven for a couple of minutes more. Transfer steak to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Let rest at least 10 minutes (15 to 20 minutes is better).
Slice steak and arrange on a platter. Smear half the anchovy butter on sliced steak. Cut leeks in half and scatter on platter. Serve remaining anchovy butter on the side. Serves 6.
ENJOY!
Brenna & Kenny
While on my path to hunt and gather food for my family, I stumbled onto a small date palm grove in San Tan Valley, Arizona. Dates are considered a superfood with a medium glycemic index for diabetics and blood sugar issues. A health food that tastes sweet is a great way to assist in breaking our sugar addiction.
I picked 300 pounds of medjool dates and froze them for long term storage. We are offering a free half pound bag of dates with any purchase of FishHugger goods. 15 pound boxes of dates are available for $60.
Dates will stay fresh and juicy in the fridge or freezer for a year. They are also shelf stable in your pantry or in a bowl on the counter and will dry slowly into a chewy treat.
A daily dose is typically 3 to 7 dates, depending on regularity and body weight. We have 200 pounds left in stock for this season.
My favorite way to eat them is to remove the pit and stuff a pecan and a dark chocolate drop inside. Look up the properties of medjool dates and you’ll know the benefits and value.
Please be bold and come see me for essential food at the markets in Phoenix or our private shop for personal service and food therapy advice.
Cheers,
Kenny
We’re making an essential trip to New Mexico and now taking orders for delivery in the Albuquerque area on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Everything is current on our website, including our product list and pricing. Please review it before ordering as some of our menu items have recently changed. Orders will be accepted through Friday, March 5 and can be placed by email or phone. Further inquiry welcome.
Thank you!
Brenna & Kenny
I want to share some good news! The per capita consumption of healthy butter has been going up since the margarine racket has been exposed. Corn syrup sweetened drink consumption has been falling slowly over the last 2 decades to about 40 gallons per person per year. Considering some of us drink none, some people are big gulping 80 gallons or so and wondering why they feel bad.
This week’s happiness is homemade honey ice cream. The land of milk and honey frozen is the way to describe the taste and healing properties of good food shared with good people.
My recipe makes 1 gallon
1 quart of honey
6 high quality eggs whole
1/2 gallon best heavy cream you can find
1 quart whole milk raw & grassfed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp distilled spirits
Whip until foamy and freeze with an ice cream freezer.
This is my favorite meal replacement with no guilt. We have refined this recipe more than 100 times over 3 years. Seasonal fruit on top is worth the garnish. I hope some of you are inspired to make a batch and start a small business with our honey. The premium ice cream market is just one idea to utilize honey beyond simple retail.
We are seeing case sales of honey and frozen goods rising for consumption and prepping for potential short term food shortages due to logistic and transportation issues. We are taking appointments for anyone needing to stock up. We also offer some delivery options.
Call or text Kenny at 602-576-0320
Best Practices Collection
1 small freezer $250
50 pounds ground beef $500
15 pounds salmon $270
36 pounds honey (12 quarts) $180
6 liters olive oil $150
$1350 total
Pull the trigger on this opportunity for a taste of real food security. We always know what’s for dinner and how many we have left in the freezer. Sleep easy knowing that American farmers are producing more than we can eat. Distribution from farm to consumer is the short term problem we are all facing. I used to keep 2 months of food on hand and now it seems prudent to store 6 months or more. One pound per person per week is a popular model to follow.
Happy February,
Kenny
We cannot attend the scheduled market event in New Mexico during December. When we receive enough orders to warrant the risk and mileage of essential interstate travel, I will deliver food to you with a smile.
My life choices have put me in a position to continue harvesting and sharing the knowledge and bounty available.
Our cattle herd is in fantastic condition
Wild Salmon are jumping in the North Pacific
Bee hives are buzzing crops in Arizona and New Mexico
Vegetables are sprouting in my garden
Intermittent fasting keeps me focused on what I really want
The best health advice is sound sleep
The cheapest cleanse is hydration
Spontaneous healing is also called Miracle, Magic, and Placebo
Study the past to predict the future
We are born, we live, we die, no exceptions
On a lighter note, more people are preparing their own food and medicine at home. Real and perceived catastrophies force us all to prioritize what is important. This trend will continue, which dovetails with our mission of self-sufficiency.
Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding. Please order anytime by calling me directly at 602-576-0320.
Kenny
Looks like we’re spending a bit longer in Arizona this season. Come on out and see us at both Roadrunner Park and Ahwatukee Farmers Markets this weekend. While supplies last, our great specials from last week are still in effect, sign up for our email newsletter to get details!
We’ll also have: Sablefish/Black Cod Filet, Halibut Filet, Halibut Cheeks, New Mexico Pasture-Finished Beef (a variety of cuts), Fresh California Olive Oil, Regional Specialty Raw Honey, Kenny’s Original Spice Rub, Kenny’s New Mexico Spice Rub and Fresh Local Medjool Dates!
Although our December schedule has yet to be determined, we will be harvesting beef in New Mexico and taking several weeks off over the holidays. Please check our website often as we will update it as soon as details become available. Thanks for considering us when feeding your families, we appreciate you all!
Cheers,
Brenna & Kenny
In addition to 2 species of Wild Alaska Salmon, we have a small batch of Black Cod Filet and Halibut Cheeks in stock! We’ll have a nice selection available at both our favorite Phoenix Farmers Markets this weekend. Advance orders are welcome. We are now scheduling pick up appointments at our Phoenix Tasting Room (near Thomas Rd & 44th St).
Black Cod, also known as Sablefish, is a deep water, oily, delicious, buttery whitefish. It actually has more omega-3 oil than all salmon species except for sockeye. Many compare its rich flavor to sea bass. This is our favorite meal for special occasions such as our anniversary & birthdays. We highly recommend this fish due to its sustainable harvest methods, superior nutrition, and incredible flavor.
Halibut Cheeks are the actual facial muscle of the halibut and considered a delicacy by many. I like to cook them like sea scallops. On the stovetop over medium high heat, I sauté the cheeks in olive oil & butter just a few minutes per side. We typically serve halibut cheeks over a large spring green salad, dressed with lemon juice, capers, olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Cheers,
Kenny & Brenna
We’re excited to begin our fall farmers market season here in sunny Arizona. Come see us this weekend, we’ll have a great selection of premium wild salmon, grass-finished beef and local raw honey available for you.
Our price list is current and our calendar of markets is updated through early January 2021. Please take some time to peruse our website, let us know what you find most useful. What’s missing or where can we add more helpful information?
If you’d like to place an order for market pick up, schedule an appointment or consultation, please contact us.
Stay Nourished,
Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher ~ The FishHuggers
Our family thrives on homemade sausage, it’s a favorite for any meal. We’ve tried various pre-made sausage mixes and brats over the years and have been disappointed that so many contain sugar, too much salt or spice, or a myriad of questionable ingredients. Since some of us don’t like casings at all, we rely on our easy homemade country sausage recipe.
2 Tablespoons sage
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons honey (less or none if you prefer)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like it hot)
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 pinch ground cloves
2 pounds ground pork
Add ground meat to large mixing bowl and throughly mix in all dry spices and honey. If I’m planning ahead, I prefer to prepare the sausage mix a day in advance and let the spices and flavors meld in the fridge (covered) overnight, just a few hours is ok too. Making patties is fun, I usually aim for around 3oz patties to yield 5 patties per pound. If you’re extra hungry or in a hurry, skip the patties and just add the loose sausage mix into the skillet and cook until well browned or to your preference. We’ve also cooked it like a meatloaf in a cast iron pan in the oven.
We typically cook eggs and/or greens in the remaining pork fat. If potatoes are available, I shred them in the food processor the night before and soak in vinegar water overnight to fry for hash browns with my sausage and eggs the next morning. Be sure potatoes are throughly dry before frying in remaining pork fat! We enjoy this sausage with eggs cooked any style (including omelettes and frittatas), on top of salad, with mixed greens, wrapped in a tortilla, or mixed with rice.
We love the sage, marjoram, clove trio, I think it really makes the sausage. We’ve experimented a lot with the red pepper flakes. We’ve used red chile powder, cayenne, and just about every red pepper grown and dried in the Rio Grande Valley. Remember, you don’t have to limit this recipe to ground pork, you can also use beef or even a combination of your favorite ground meats. Have fun and enjoy, there probably won’t be any leftovers!
Stay Nourished,
Brenna