The state of Idaho has nearly 25,000 farms and ranches spread over 11.8 million acres of land, with agricultural production accounting for more than 18% of Idaho’s total economic output. Agriculture in Idaho began in earnest in the mid-1800s when Mormon settlers began migrating into southeast Idaho from Utah, establishing one of Idaho’s earliest farm settlements at Franklin, in Preston County, in 1860. Thirty years later, farming surpassed mining as Idaho’s leading economic activity—a position it continues to hold.
Farming and ranching are as integral to Idaho as, well, potatoes and French fries. It is in our blood and on our license plates, and Idaho stands as the third largest agricultural state in the West, with a good portion of the lands dedicated to farming fanning out from the areas surrounding the Wood River Valley, following the course of the Snake River as it cuts across the southern part of the state.
Due to our location near the heart of Idaho’s largest agricultural area, residents of Blaine County are uniquely positioned to enjoy fresh locally and regionally grown food every day—an objective that the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience and Local Food Alliance have put at the forefront of their initiatives to strengthen community-based food systems and support local farmers. With 190 farms in Blaine County alone, there are lots of choices for fresh, farm-raised goods and produce.
All these facts were not lost on Wood River Valley native Laine Whittier, who shares her passion for cooking and community in a unique collection of recipes sourcing ingredients from local and regional farms and producers. Last summer, as a 23-year-old student attending the University of Colorado, Boulder, Whittier created a local food cookbook with over 80 original recipes drawing on the abundance of local food available in the area. Recipes for sides and soups, both meat and vegetarian mains, desserts and drinks, utilize local products from farms and ranches including— B&G Produce and Shooting Star Farm in Hailey, Itty Bitty Farms in Carey, Ballard Cheese in Gooding, Wild Spaces Farm in Glenns Ferry, Big Wood Bread and Sun Valley Mustard in Ketchum, Waterwheel Gardens in Emmett, Desert Mountain Grass-Fed Beef in Hammett, as well as Raw Life Farms, Hillside Grain, Kraay’s Market & Garden, and Buck Wild Beef, all located in Bellevue.
Visit Atkinsons’ Markets, NourishMe or your local Farmers’ Markets to gather regional ingredients for the recipes that follow. Happy cooking!
SPICY PARMESAN TOMATO BASIL BISQUE + CROUTONS
YIELD:
4-6 bowls of soup
INGREDIENTS:
6-8 tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, removed from peel, but whole
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
⅛ cup gruyere cheese, grated
4-6 basil leaves, torn
CREATING:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine tomatoes, olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt & pepper in a glass baking dish. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and bubbly. Scrape contents into a blender. Cool, and then blend until creamy soup consistency is reached. Place the
puree into a pot, and add warm heavy cream, half the parmesan, and gruyere, bringing to a low simmer. Adjust seasoning. Top with parmesan and basil to serve.
LEMON PARMESAN CROUTONS
INGREDIENTS:
½ loaf sourdough, cubed
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped chives
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
CREATING:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor. Add chopped sourdough to a medium mixing bowl, and drizzle liquid mixture over the bread, stirring to coat. Spread out bread over a sheet pan, and cook for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown but still a little bit soft. Once cooled for 10 minutes, return to bowl and coat with chives and parmesan. Use on any salad, or on top of soup.
ROASTED SQUASH & PEAR SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
1 local squash, cubed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pears, sliced
1 bag local lettuce mix (or local kale. If using kale, massage for 2 minutes with 2 teaspoons olive oil before adding toppings)
¼ cup candied pecans
Sprinkle of shaved parmesan
Salt & pepper, to taste
For the Dressing:
2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
CREATING:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend. Chill dressing while you create the salad. Toss the cubed squash with olive oil, brown sugar, salt & pepper. Spread over a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, mixing halfway through. Add lettuce, sliced pear, parmesan, nuts, and squash to the salad and toss. Finish with a drizzle of dressing.
FALL BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW
YIELD::
6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound beef chuck roast (stew meat)
1 zucchini, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 stocks celery, chopped
½ pound mushrooms, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
15 (or about one bag) small cooking potatoes, halved and then quartered
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons flour, for coating meat
Salt & pepper, to taste
⅛ cup tomato paste
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
CREATING:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an oven-safe pan (preferably a dutch oven), add butter and chopped stew meat coated in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes and brown the meat. Add tomato paste and vinegar to the pan and stir. Add all vegetables, then add beef broth. Bring to a boil over the stove. Cover the boiling pot with a lid and transfer to the oven for approximately 2 hours (at 350 degrees), until the meat is tender.
CORN CHOWDER
Yield:
4-6 cups soup
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 green onions, chopped and separated by white and green parts
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 cups chicken broth
8 ears of corn, kernels removed from
the cob
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups milk
CREATING:
Using the butter, sautee bell pepper, carrots, and the whites of the green onion over medium heat until broken down, 12 minutes. Drop the bay leaf into the pot, followed by the broth, remaining green onions, cubed potatoes, and 2 cups of corn kernels. Let the mixture simmer at a low boil for 17 minutes. While this mixture is cooking, combine the milk and remaining corn kernels in a blender and puree. When the soup is finished simmering, add the corn and milk puree, along with salt and pepper, to taste. Make sure the soup is thoroughly warmed. Serve with cracked pepper.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Yield:
4-6 cups soup
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
3 fresh sage leaves
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
5 yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ pound mushrooms, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ cup white cooking wine
10 cups beef stock or broth
1½ tablespoons dry sherry
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 french baguette, sliced
Olive oil, to brush the bread
12 slices provolone cheese
2½ cups shredded gruyere cheese
CREATING:
In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter with the thyme and sage. Once bubbling, add sliced onions and mushrooms to the pan. Cook on high for 5 minutes until broken down. Add the garlic. Reduce heat and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are caramelized. To deglaze the pan, add white cooking wine and sherry and scrape the sides to achieve the most flavor. Once boiling and cooked off (about 5 minutes), add beef broth, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. While the soup simmers for 20-25 minutes, lightly brush slices of bread with olive oil. Preheat the oven to broil, and crisp bread for 2-3 minutes. Fill oven-safe ramekins with the soup, place bread and equal rations of cheese on top, and place back into the broiler until cheese is bubbly, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.
LIGHT SIMMERED POTATO, BEAN & CHICKEN CHILI 
INGREDIENTS:
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (rinsed and patted dry)
2 potatoes, diced
½ small onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon avocado oil
8 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups corn
4 oz can diced green chiles
½ teaspoon chili powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup chives, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Sour cream & lime wedges, for serving
1 avocado, sliced for serving
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded for serving
CREATING:
Heat an extra-large (preferably wide) pot with olive oil. Add garlic and onion, and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the spices, chicken broth, potatoes, beans, corn, and chiles, muddling with a wooden spoon to add thickness to the chili. Add whole chicken breasts. Boil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, move the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with 2 forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, season with salt & pepper, and cook for a few minutes longer. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, avocado slices, cheddar cheese, and a lime wedge.