Anna Hedworth, aka blogger The Grazer and owner of The Cook House in Ouseburn, Newcastle, shares her love of fresh produce from the market
The growth of great local markets has made such a difference to today’s kitchen and Jesmond Food Market in Newcastle received such a wonderful welcome when we launched it in April, it’s now a permanent fixture on the third Saturday of every month.
We have a lovely setting on Armstrong Bridge in Jesmond Dene where, in among the tree tops, you can shop, have lunch, and enjoy the produce of producers like Hexhamshire Organics with their beautiful organic fruit and vegetable cart, Riley’s fish Shack, who came along in the summer barbecuing fresh lobster and selling some beautiful fresh fish, and Amble Harbour Development with fresh fish and shellfish from the North Sea. Our bakers include Artisan Baking Community, who have been baking out of Wylam Library for the past couple of years, plus Sugar Down Bakery, Zen Bakers and Olivia’s Bakery.
A Cut Above Meat Co. sells beef from its own British Limousins, and we’ve had Charlotte’s Butchery, Northumberland Sausage Company and Geordie Bangers here.
I manage the market alongside Food Newcastle, Jesmond Residents Association and Felicity Mendleson with help from Newcastle City Council and each month we have streetfood with the likes of Papa Ganoush, Pizette, Fat Hippo, Longhorns, Wheatberry and La Petite Crêperie.
Here are some of my favourite recipes to make with the fab produce you can find in your local market.
Read more from The Grazer at the-grazer.blogspot.com.
Roast Pumpkin and Garlic Soup
Method
This recipe works with little pumpkins and all types of squash. Preheat oven to 220C/Gas 8, de-seed and slice a squash into wedges. Place in a baking tray, season with salt, add a generous glug of olive oil and cook for 15 mins, then throw in 6 cloves of garlic still in their skins, some sprigs of thyme and turn the squash, then roast for another 15 mins.
Meanwhile, dice a stick of celery, a carrot and an onion into small cubes, heat a large splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and add the vegetables. Add a large pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat for about 15 mins until soft and sticky. Add 1 litre boiling water and leave to simmer.
When the squash is golden brown and soft all the way through, remove the skin and cut the flesh into large chunks and add them to the stock with the soft roast garlic, removed from its skins. Season if needs be. Allow everything to simmer for another 10 mins then blend until smooth with a stick blender or food processor. To serve top with a few pumpkin seeds lightly toasted in a dry pan and grated Gruyère cheese.
Pot Roast Brisket
Method
Chop 2 leeks, 2 carrots and 2 onions and put them in the bottom of a big casserole dish. Add 2 whole heads of garlic, 10 peppercorns and a bundle of herbs tied up – parsley, thyme, bay. Lay a brisket joint over everything and pour over 1 litre of chicken stock and 2 glasses of red wine. You want the brisket to be still poking out of the top, not submerged entirely. Cover with tinfoil and put it in the oven for 3 hours on a medium heat – about 180C/Gas 4. Serve with a little scoop of mash, lots of horseradish, some of the juices and vegetables spooned over the top, a pile of buttery cabbage and a glass of red wine.
Apple & Cardamom Tart
Method
Use bought pastry, or if you prefer make your own by rubbing in 225g plain flour with 120g soft butter until it’s like fine breadcrumbs, then add a beaten egg, a pinch of salt and about 1tbsp water, and bring it all together into a ball, then leave to rest while you deal with the filling.
Finely crush the seeds of 3 cardamom pods and mix with 100g caster sugar. Peel 2 large cooking apples, keeping the peel, and slice into thin segments. Then roll out the pastry and line a tart tin about 30cm wide. Arrange the apples in neat concentric circles and sprinkle over the cardamom sugar evenly. Then bake it in the oven at 160C/Gas 3 for 30 mins.
Make a glaze by melting 2-3 tbsp caster sugar in a small pan with all the leftover apple peel and a piece of lemon rind until you get a sugary syrup. Use a brush to paint it over the top of the tart when it is cooled.
