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Source: Delia online

This is a really delicious pie, good for a dinner party – and if you can get hold of a wild rabbit (or farm raised by West Elm Farm, Pembroke, MA available at market and for farm pick up) for it so much the better.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course and Delia Smith’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course

Method

Wash the rabbit joints first of all, and place them (apart from the ribs, which don't carry much meat) in a large saucepan. Tuck in the onion and apple among the meat. Now remove the rind from the bacon, chop the meat up into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes and add that to the saucepan along with the bayleaf, a little salt and some freshly milled pepper. Pour in the cider and the stock, bring to simmering point, skim off any bits of scum, then put a lid on and leave to simmer gently for about an hour or until tender.

When it's cooked, remove the rabbit pieces together with the bacon, apple and onion (with a draining spoon) and transfer them to the pie dish, sprinkling in the chopped prunes as well. Now mix the flour and butter to a smooth paste, then add this mixture to the stock in the saucepan, adding it in tiny (peanut-size) pieces, stir them round over a medium heat to melt and thicken the sauce. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and when the sauce reaches simmering point pour it over the rabbit.

Now make up the suet crust pastry. Mix the flour, salt, pepper and suet together, then add enough cold water to form a fairly soft, elastic dough that leaves the bowl cleanly. Roll the dough out to a shape 1 inch (2.5 cm) wider than the top of the pie dish, and cut a 1 inch (2.5 cm) strip all round. Dampen the edge of the dish and press this strip around the rim of the dish. Now dampen the rim of the pastry, and place the pastry lid in position on top, pressing well all round to seal the edges, which can be decorated with fluting if you like. Make a small hole for steam to escape, then bake for 30 minutes or until browned.

1. Heat a sauté pan large enough to hold both the fish and the broth over medium high heat and film the bottom with olive oil.
2. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and sear on both sides for 2 – 3 minutes, or just until it begins to color.
3. Remove fish from pan and add all ingredients except the chives and the butter. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered until vegetables are soft and liquid has reduced slightly.
4. Reduce heat so that liquid is simmering, add halibut and cover with foil or pan lid. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, checking after 3 -4 minutes.
5. The fish is done when the middle is still slightly translucent. If it cooks until the middle is opaque, it will be dry and lose its tenderness.
6. Separate the four sections of fish from the bone, plating two pieces per person. Swirl butter into broth and spoon broth over fish, sprinkling generously with the chopped chives. We served this halibut with rice and a sauté of asparagus and leeks, but feel free to choose your own favorite starch and greens.

The acidity of the sauce would be balanced by a buttery chardonnay, but a very dry Spanish white (Burgans Albarino –Rias Baixas 2003) which we purchased at the New Hampshire state liquor store in Hooksett was a perfect match. Perhaps it was the saffron!

About the author:

An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of the New Hampshire Farmer’s Market Association (www.nhfma.org) and helps run the Sanbornton Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, he grows certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH

ADVISORYGROUP@plymouthfarmersmarket.org

Pickled Cabbage

1 Head Winter Cabbage, Cut

2 Quarts Water

¼ cup Salt

1 Carrot, Diced or Julienned

The following ingredients smashed in a mortar, or ground or chopped fine.

4 cloves Garlic

4 Peppercorns

2 Bay Leaves

1 cup Cranberries (fresh)

1 teaspoon fresh Hot Pepper

1.      Prepare, chop or smash all veggies to start. Put them in a large bowl, you will need enough room to fit water over all.

2.      Bring Water & Salt to roiling boil. Pour over vegetables.

3.      Cover loosely & allow to cool.

4.      Strain water back into pot & bring saltwater to boil again.

5.      Pour over vegetables, cover & cool.

6.      Strain liquid again, boil & let cool by itself.

7.      Put veggies in glass container(s).

8.      Pour cooled salty liquid in containers to cover veggies.

9.      Cover tightly & store in a dark area, out of direct sunlight.

To Use: Rinse & soak in cold water for ½ hour or more. This will rinse some of the salt out. Serve as garnish with meat, fish or antipasto.

Potato Soup

4 cups peeled, diced Potatoes (about 2 pounds)

½ teaspoon Salt

1 Sweet Potato, Roasted, Peeled & smashed (about 1 cup)

4 Tbl unsalted Butter

3 Leeks, Split in half, Slice & Use white parts only.

!/4 cup Parsley, Chop

3 cloves Garlic, small Dice

1 small Carrot (about ½ to 1/3 cup) Diced

2 cups Chicken Broth

2 cups Heavy Cream

½ cup Cranberries (fresh) smashed in mortar or rough chop.

Salt & Pepper

1.      In a pot, cover potatoes & salt in cold water.

2.      Bring them to a boil, then shut off heat & set aside.

3.      In a pot sauté on low heat 2 Tbl of the butter with leeks & garlic and half of the Parsley. Cook to soften.

4.      Add Carrot & Chicken Broth to Leek mix & bring to boil. Once boiling, turn down to simmer.

5.      Add Sweet Potato & the Heavy Cream.

6.      Strain potatoes from step #1 & add to soup.

7.      Remove from heat. Add Cranberries, remaining Parsley and final 2 Tbl Butter.

8.      Salt & fresh ground Pepper to taste.

Caramelized Parsnips with Asian Pear

3 Parsnips (about ½ to ¾ pound) Wash but leave peel on.

2 Asian Pears

Butter

1.      Slice parsnips evenly, about ¼ inch thickness.

2.      In a pan over medium low heat, sauté parsnips with 2 Tbl Butter.

3.      Stir regularly & cook to evenly brown (about half to one hour depending on thickness)

4.      Peel & slice pears.

5.      When Parsnips are still al dente (firm not crunchy) add pears & ½ Tbl Butter.

6.      Cook another 10 minutes on medium heat until pears softer.

Serve over Acorn Squash

Baked Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1.      Cut into Quarters and remove seeds from squash.

2.      Heat oven to 400 degrees.

3.      Place Squash in a baking dish, skin side down.

4.      Sprinkle with 2 ounces of Olive Oil, ¼ tea Salt and ½ tea fresh ground pepper.

5.      Add ½ inch of water to baking dish and bake until tender. (About 1 to 1 ½ hours)

6.      Top with Caramelized Parsnip Pear.

Beets

2 pounds of Beets (about)

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1.      Wash Beets & cover in a pot with Water.

2.      Boil til knife slides in easily. (About ½ to 1 hour depending on size.)

3.      Drain & cool in cold running water.

4.      Cut ff both beet ends & slide off skins.

5.      Slice or dice Beets.

6.      Add ¼ tea Salt and ½ tea fresh ground pepper.

7.      Add 2 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar and mix together well.

8.      Add 2 Tbl extra virgin Olive Oil.

Use: Hot or Cold as a side dish or salad garnish. Suggestion, fresh Greens, Beets, roasted Walnuts, and Blue or Goat Cheese.

Rustica Sauce

2 cups Onion, diced

4 oz Bacon, sliced crossways

2 Tbl Butter

2 cups Carrot, diced

1 head Cabbage, chopped

¼ cup Parsley, chopped

2 cups Chicken Broth

Black Pepper

1.      In pot sauté Onion, Butter & Bacon over medium heat, until browned.

2.      Add Carrot & Parsley, stir & cook 5 minutes.

3.      Add Cabbage, mix to coat and wilt 10 minutes.

4.      Add Chicken Broth, increase heat to high.

5.      Once liquid is bubbling reduce to simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6.      Taste & season with ½ teas Salt & ½ tea fresh ground pepper.

To use: Toss with a hearty whole grain or whole wheat pasta & sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan Cheese. Or, add more Broth and serve as a Soup.

Have Fun, Enjoy!

READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PLYMOUTH FARMERS' MARKET

BACKROUND: Recently, the Town of Plymouth published an Invitation to Bid for a farmers market, an RFP, see below. The bids were due January 26. Why? Two parties have insisted to the town they want to run a farmers market on the same days, on the same locations and at the same times as the established Plymouth Farmers' Markets.

Currently, the special event permit process the market is allowed under does not address what the town should do when competing interests want to use the same public space at the same time for the same purpose. So, the town attempted to resolve the "scheduling conflict" by issuing an invitation to all interested parties to bid for these locations and days with the highest dollar offer to win the award, for one year, with an option for the town to extend the award  for one additional year.

Not knowing much about farmers markets, other than that they want one and appreciate the one we have had, the town missed the mark on creating a workable farmers market policy with this invitation to bid. The Assistant Town Manager could not come up with a more creative solution to this problem and did not reach out to the market, to the community, to the neighborhood or to the state wide experts on farmers markets to help craft a more worthy solution for our community..

What's the problem? In our view, the bid document, see below,  is faulty and does not insure an agriculturally based farmers market in Plymouth and has several technical flaws. It limited the season, limited what food-makers could participate, and based the award on money instead of experience, broader values brought to the community, or, any local farm and food criteria. It does though, narrowly focus on the template the established market has created over 8 years and in our opinion, it is unfair to auction that work off to the highest bidder. The market has invested all of its earnings over these years, raised thru vendor fees, state grants, and gifts, into the market operation and to strategically market these two public spaces  region-wide as  dependable  places to access local farm foods. The established rhythm and routine of the public is the direct result of this investment and because our market has been so widely and well received, people will always arrive in summer looking for the farmers they depend on. The market advisory group and the market founder, Barbara Anglin, feel that if others wanted to run a market, they already had  the same right to do so and did not need a specially tailored process to opportunistically usurp the established rhythm and routine of the member farmers and the public. We feel that because we have faithfully followed every expectation of the Town over these years, and because of the goodwill we have earned for the Market in Plymouth , the the well regarded Plymouth Farmers Market should have been allowed to gather on our historic day and place, leaving 6 other days of the week for others to establish a new market. Why destruct a working model that many appreciate and are devoted to? .

We asked the town to withdraw the RFP and to allow us to continue with the 2012 market season and work with us and appropriate stakeholders to plan for the future in terms of a lease or RFP that does not control and restrict the market to the extent the RFP does.The town never responded to our opposition to the RFP process or to the request to withdraw it. They did however, hold a public hearing where after 2.5 hours of testimony and the presentation of 600 signatures from a petition to withdraw the flawed RFP, they took no action and allowed the bids to be opened two days later.

The market advisory group was contacted by the Chairman of the Board of Selectman the day after the hearing, the day before the bid due date, to encourage the market to submit some form of a bid because he indicated he and other selectman intended to reject all bids, allow the season, and plan for the future with new policies and a better RFP for the following season. In good faith, the market submitted a token, symbolic bid out of respect for all of the time town hall was forced to attend to this matter. At the following selectman's meeting, instead the Assistant Town Manager announced her acceptance of a competing bid for $5,000 for both locations, to operate a farmers market in 2012. The selectman? The Chairman of the Select Board? They said nothing...though one did ask if the awarded group had any experience running a farmers market. The Assistant Town Manager responded, experience was irrelevant, as it was not part of the award criteria." SOLD, to the highest bidder!

The future? We have a new home at Plimoth Plantation to bring the community together with the farmers and food-makers who grow and cook for Plymouth. We needed a visible, accessible, safe, open space to move to. Our most talented farmers and cooks are staying together to greet you in a NEW location, the SAME market with integrity, high standards and the best of the best. Some from our market family will remain at the locations we have created a following for. So, it will be a season of multiple markets in Plymouth, beyond a new unproven market, beyond the established Plymouth Farmers Market at Plimoth Plantation...there likely will be other farmers market to choose from as well in other areas of Plymouth. Stay Tuned!

You can see the RFP HERE

You can read the Stephens Field concession CONTRACT HERE

You can READ HERE a bit in the news about the matter.

You can sign a PETITION HERE asking the town to withdraw the RFP and work toward a broader land use policy that a farmers' market held on public space in Plymouth can fit within.

Thank you for your support and interest. Please forward questions/comments to AdvisoryGroup@plymouthfarmersmarket.org

According to the Patriot Ledger, the number of EBT/SNAP beneficiaries (formerly known as food stamps) has doubled on the south shore in the last year with 15% of us needing this important food assistance to feed the family. The Plymouth Farmers' Market was awarded a grant in 2011 to redeeming EBT/SNAP benefits at the market. What does this mean? It means that if you (or someone you know) receives this benefit, you can now use benefits for fresh, farm (eligible) food.

The first $1,000 of snap dollars spent at the Plymouth Farmers' Market will be matched dollar-for- dollar as incentive to patronize the farmers and bakers at the Market when you can. We want everyone in the region to be able to feed themselves with the best locally grown foods available from our area farmers. Spending these dollars with our local farmers and bakers strengthens our local food economy, too. If we can ALL feed ourselves with food that has only traveled from nearby towns, instead of from far off, we have helped our own.

Questions about SNAP or Food Assistance? Click here. Please help spread the word! 

What can I buy AT THE farmers market with SNAP food assistance?

From Mass Resources
To check on a particular food item, call the Mass SNAP food stamp office at 1-866-950-3663

"You can buy any food item except food that is hot when you buy it, or food that is sold to be eaten in the store like restaurant food. Eligible food items include:

any food products or ingredients used to prepare meals at home
cold prepared sandwiches, salads, and other deli items
ethnic and health foods
snack foods, candy, soda, and ice
seeds or plants that you will grow to produce food for your household

You can buy locally grown food at farmers' markets if the markets have EBT equipment. WE DO!

You CANNOT buy non-food items like liquor, cigarettes, vitamins/medicines, pet foods, soap, cosmetics, laundry products, paper goods, or other household products. If you are elderly or disabled, you can use your SNAP food stamps to pay for approved home-delivered meals such as Meals on Wheels, or for meals at senior housing, Dining Centers, or other group meals. People in drug/alcohol treatment programs, homeless shelters, shelters for battered women, and certain other group living situations can use SNAP food stamps to pay for their meals."