Chefs like The Plimoth’s Josh Abro participate in Harvest Week

Josh Abro hasn’t been able to find locally grown tomatillos for a year or two, and the moon-white cauliflower strain he likes was only available once during the past summer. But he did get his hands on some elephant-heart and bubblegum plums that were fun, and a slew of peppers from a Colorado farm that grows varieties that no one else in the state has.

“Every year, someone is growing something interesting,” said Abro, executive chef at The Plimoth, an 11-year-old restaurant at 2335 E. 28th Ave. in Denver. “The farmers try to push the envelope as much as we do. Sometimes what’s available is what they are choosing to do or what their land grows. We are all flying by the seat of our pants, I think.”

The Plimoth focuses on old-school cooking techniques that incorporate as much local meat and produce as possible, which makes it a perfect participant in Harvest Week, an annual four-night alfresco dinner series that runs Monday, Sept. 30, through Thursday, Oct. 3.

During the course of the week, 24 chefs from restaurants like Dio Mio, Rootdown, Mercantile, Tavernetta, Mizuna, Restaurant Olivia and Noisette will cook for ticketholders in order to celebrate farmers, ranchers and artisanal food systems and to raise money both for EatDenver, a nonprofit that supports independent restaurants, and The GrowHaus, an organization dedicated to food justice, food access and education.

Abro signed up for night two, which will focus on vegetarian fare. He’ll prepare two appetizers. The first, which is dedicated to the dwindling warmer months, is a grilled summer squash rolled with whipped ricotta and accented by olive tapenade and dates. The second fall-themed dish is a play on a Waldorf salad that uses apples from Paonia in a couple of different ways.

“The longer I’ve been in this, the more excited I get about the produce we bring in,” Abro said. “We love our steaks and fun fish, but the stuff that drives us is what’s growing in our backyard.” Twice a week, the restaurant’s chefs shop at farmers markets – in this case, the Boulder County Farmers Markets and the City Park Farmers Market – to learn what’s available.