Farmer's Market Feast: Partridges and Wild Rocket Salad

Sunday September 9

On a sunny Sunday morning, the four of us wheeled Elizabeth's rolly-basket up Upper street to the Islington farmer's market. It is located in the yard of a local school, and features wonderful organic and locally grown produce, meats, baked goods, juices, and snacks, very professionally presented. Each of us headed off in a different direction to round up some contribution to the night's dinner, and we ended up with four partridges, the streaky bacon to bard them with, a heap of wild rocket, aranca tomatoes, a head of butter lettuce (not to mention leeks, fennel, raspberries, strawberries, Spartan apples, courgettes, beets with greens, home-churned unsalted butter, olive bread, and pound cake).


Said partridges got a pat of butter and some sprigs of thyme put into their little insides, were barded with rashers of streaky bacon from happy pigs, and were cooked according to Jane Grigson's (and the seller's) directions: gas marks 7 for 10 minutes, then 5 for an additional 20 minutes. The seller had warned us that one bird took 20 minutes but more took more. The birds came out perfectly: moist, juicy, and as tender as game birds could be expected to be, a bit more gamy and livery around their insides.

They were accompanied by a salad of lettuce, rocket, sliced courgettes, and tomatoes, with basil and balsamic vinaigrette.

And finally, another elegant dessert courtesy of Maria and Tom: Godiva chocolates, orange/almond cake, and Maria's own hand-whipped cream, with fresh-from-the-greenmarket raspberries and strawberries.