Farmers’ market roulette, 26 February 2011

Maxine wanted a day to challenge her cooking skills, and to introduce her to new recipes and new skills. She was also concerned that “farmers markets are expensive”, so we stuck to high value produce – stuff that’s cheap to buy but (with care) tastes even better than some of the expensive ingredients.

Market visited – Hexham.

Weather – lousy!

At the market, Maxine bought

6 lamb hearts (local, rare-breed, lamb)

3 fillets smoked mackerel (Northumbrian)

200g soft goats cheese (local)

1 punnet raspberries

A carrier bag of assorted veg (potatoes, carrots, parsnips)

Total cost: £12

Maxine also bought: 2 hare legs, 6 pork cheeks (for the freezer)

From the supermarket, we reluctantly added

Milk

Cream

Baby salad leaves (English)

Red chicory (English)

Wholemeal bread flour (Scottish)

Total cost: £8

From the storecupboard, we used

Stale wholemeal bread (for crumbs)

Rosemary, Thyme

Salt and pepper

6 eggs (Maxines own chickens)

Dried apricots

Oil

Dried yeast

Sugar

Honey

Lemon juice

Frozen beef stock (see recipe on Diet Satan)

From the hedgerow, we foraged

Wild garlic chives (the emerging leaves of wild garlic)

And Maxine cooked

Smoked mackerel pate with wholemeal rolls

Stuffed heart, with roasted winter vegetables and creamy mashed potato

Raspberry crème brûlées with almond tuiles

(all recipes are on the Diet Satan recipe site)