Tom Kitchin: Farmers markets are a fantastic way to learn about different ingredients straight from the experts

After years spent scouring the country for the best local suppliers and ingredients in their peak of seasonality, I have access to some of the most outstanding produce available. And I believe this principal is just as worthwhile when cooking at home.

Buying from a farmers’ market is a delight. It’s a fantastic way to learn about different ingredients, straight from the experts who grow, farm, produce and deliver some of the best local foods to be found. The beauty of a farmers’ market is that you can pick up most of what you need for a weekly shop, then and turn these hand-picked ingredients into delicious, easy dishes.

Markets make the most of what can be found in the local area, so you won’t find strawberries in winter or rhubarb in summer, but who would want to? What you will find is a lot of first-class produce at its very peak of seasonality.

They are also great places to soak up the atmosphere and get some expert advice. Chatting with people, you can garner inspiration for cooking at home and come up with new ideas. One of the things that really inspires me to create new, exciting dishes at the restaurant is speaking with my suppliers and finding out what they have that’s bang in season. If you start speaking with the producers who host stalls there, you will find they all have a fountain of knowledge. Not only can they tell you exactly where the food comes from and the journey of their produce, but they can also offer advice on the best ways to prepare, cook and enjoy their wonderful fare.

The atmosphere at farmers’ markets always gives me a tremendous buzz. The whole family can join in and it can be a good-value way to shop. Supermarkets provide consumers with so many different offers that it’s easy to think you’re getting a good deal, but buying direct from producers can not only mean you find a great bargain, you will also have the chance to share in their expertise and knowledge.

My tip would be to visit regularly and get to know the producers. Chat to them about the budget you have – in my experience, they are good at helping customers choose something to suit their taste and pocket. For example, a local meat producer can recommend different cuts to try that might be just as tasty as some of the more expensive ones.

Ox tongue is one of those cheaper, forgotten cuts that can be overlooked. Though the thought of eating ox tongue for some might seem a little daunting, it’s actually very tasty. It has been used in cooking for generations, and was much more popular in past decades. When I first put it on the restaurant menu, I found it was older diners who were more willing to try it. Nowadays, as different cuts have once again become popular, I find that diners of all ages are more adventurous. Usually, after trying it once, they realise how fantastic it tastes when cooked properly. It may not be the prettiest cut of meat, but it’s amazingly tender with a great flavour and texture.

The size of ox tongue can put some people off too, but you can make the most of the whole cut by adding it to lots of different dinners. So not only is it very cheap to buy, it also goes a long way. It’s really tasty in a simple sandwich for a weekend lunch. You need to have it with an accompaniment that will cut through the richness of the meat so I recommend you add something like gherkin to balance it out.

With the remaining ox tongue, there’s much more you can do. It freezes really well and can be diced and added to soups and salads. If you’re making soup, sauté off the ox tongue cubes and enjoy them as a nice alternative to croutons. Again, asking at the farmers’ market for advice is a great way to start.

For me, an important element of running the restaurant is getting to know my suppliers and building strong relationships with them. They are the foundation of my cooking. At home, you can improve your own expertise by working with the best produce you can find. And by getting to know your local farmers’ market vendors, you can ask them for things you would like to try in the future, and often they will do their best to source it for you. That’s the real beauty of the markets – they give you an amazing opportunity to speak with the producers direct to find out exactly where the produce you’re buying comes from and how to use it, and really learn from them week after week.

Pot au Feu

Serves four

The beauty of this dish is that you can make it with any combination of ingredients you have from the markets, and there are many variations. It’s really very simple and ideal for the frugal cook.

1 ham hock, unsmoked

1 garlic sausage

500g beef flank, trimmed of fat

150g pancetta

250g onglet of beef

1 clove garlic

6 black peppercorns

1 bouquet garni

salt

2 carrots, cut into quarters

2 leeks

½ turnip, cut into wedges

2 potatoes, cut into quarters

1 savoy cabbage, cut into four with roots still attached

4 pieces bone marrow

1 tsp mustard

Place all your meat in a large pan (ham hock, sausage, beef flank, pancetta and onglet of beef). Cover it with cold water and bring to the boil.

All the impurities from the meat will rise to the top – skim off the top layer and discard. This will leave the broth pleasingly clear.

Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and add the garlic, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Salt to taste.

Cook for three and a half hours and leave to simmer – do not allow to boil. It is important to simmer very gently, with bubbles only just breaking the surface of the broth, to ensure the meat stays tender and the broth is clear.

Cook slowly, using your judgment of when each of the varieties of meat will be cooked. For example, the sausage will be cooked after about an hour and a half, so this is the time to take it out and set it aside until the rest of the meat is cooked.

Once you’re sure something is almost cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Simmer until the meat is nearly all cooked (half an hour before it has finished cooking).

Add the carrots, leeks, turnip, potatoes, all the other vegetables and the bone marrow. Cook for another 20 to 25 minutes, checking that the vegetables are soft but still hold their shape.

Once all the meat and vegetables are cooked, remove them from the stock

To serve

You can place the pot in the middle of the table and let your guests help themselves. Or else share out the meat and vegetables into individual bowls, making sure that everyone gets a piece of everything. Then ladle the cooking stock over the contents of each bowl and serve with mustard to garnish.