Oh la la, Queen’s Crescent finds a French selection
Clare Latimer had a pleasant surprise when she heard ‘bonjour madame’ at her favourite market
QUEEN’S Crescent has always been my favourite market, particularly in the 80s when I lived round there. It went through a very bad patch a few years ago but now I am pleased to say that it is really kicking into gear again.
I saw that a French market was coming for a weekend to add to the street bustle so I nipped down before catering a big wedding.
The first thing that hit me was all the smiles and laughs of the stall holders and customers buzzing around with their bags and trolleys giving it a real friendly charm that is lost in so many parts of London. Secondly, Jack, the fruit and veg stallholder is still there after 48 years, six days a week.
When he was a nipper he used to bring the barrows out before school and then worked on the stall after school until time to put the barrows to bed. The only difference in him now is that he has time to have a chat due to his children now helping out, although with a smile he told me: “Here’s one now, but she has over slept.”
The French section was good and it felt very strange to have “bonjour madame” thrown at you, in the heart of Camden, while squeezing a string of garlic. It is a great idea and brings new people to show how great the market is with a fresh bread stall, fresh meat, fish, fruit and veg, including an array of Indian fresh foods. It also sells, bedding, shoes, clothes, handbags and even batteries and zips. To end the shop you can treat yourselves to a bunch of flowers or cheap garden plants, so basically it is high street shopping al fresco and cheap too!
Here are two recipes that you can make from the produce down there.
Stuffed peppers
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
Two large red peppers;
200g cherry tomatoes, halved;
125g feta cheese;
two anchovies, chopped (optional);
one clove garlic, peeled and chopped;
eight basil leaves, roughly chopped;
two tbsp olive oil;
two tsp balsamic vinegar;
three or four tbsp fresh breadcrumbs.
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C 400°F Gas mark six. Halve the peppers lengthways and remove any seeds or pith.
Put the tomatoes, feta, anchovies, garlic, basil, oil and vinegar into a bowl and mix gently to combine.
Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Place the mixture in equal portions in each of the pepper halves, and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Place in a baking tin and roast for 25 minutes, or until the peppers have softened and the tops are golden.
French style crêpes
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the batter:
125g plain flour;
Pinch salt;
two eggs;
300ml milk;
few sprigs parsley;
Dash Tobasco;
Olive oil for frying;
For the filling:
200ml tub crème fraiche;
225g smoked salmon;
Little fresh dill;
one lemon, cut into wedges.
Method
To make the batter, put all the batter ingredients into a blender and whiz on high for one minute and make sure flour is well mixed in.
Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Soak a little kitchen towel in olive oil and then wipe the base of a good non-stick preheated frying pan.
Put one tablespoon of batter into the pan spreading it out by tilting the pan. Cook on high heat, turning until golden on both sides.
Flip out, repeat until all the mixture is used and pile up covering with damp cloth as you go to prevent them drying out.
Put a pancake on a serving plate, pour in a little crème fraiche, top with smoked salmon. Roll up and repeat for as many as you need.
Sprinkle with dill and serve with the lemon. You can freeze any left over pancakes.
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