2 - 7 April update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.


FRUITS:

Fruit

Late-season yellow and red-fleshed plums offer value for money. Stewed plums are deliciously stirred through yoghurt, or try our pan-stewed plums with vanilla served topped with yoghurt. Plums are $3- $10 a kilo, depending on variety.

It’s time to fill your fruit bowl with pomegranates. Pomegranates are filled with hundreds of gelatinous seeds called arils that are loaded with vibrant ruby-red juice. In sweet dishes, you can use pomegranate arils as a topping for yogurt or ice cream or incorporate them into desserts like cakes or tarts. For savoury dishes, try adding pomegranate to salads for a burst of flavour and texture, or use them as a garnish for roasted meats or rice dishes. Pomegranates are selling for $2-$7 each, depending on size.

New-season, easy-to-peel mandarins from Gayndah and Childers in Queensland are available at your local greengrocer. Depending on size and eating quality, expect to pay $5- $8 a kilo. Fruit can vary in sweetness at this time of year.

Nourishing avocados are a tasty addition to autumn meals. Add diced avocado to salads and burgers, or try mashing avocado with a bit of sweet chilli sauce and serve in a burrito with barbecued chicken. This recipe for avocado & tomato salsa fish tortillas is perfect for lunch or dinner. Shepard avocados are $1-$3 each, depending on size.

Sweet persimmons are a delicious and unique fruit with a sweet, delicate flavour that pairs well with tangy citrus flavours like limes and lemons. Persimmons can add a sweet and juicy element to any salad. Try tossing sliced sweet persimmons with mixed greens, goat cheese, and a tangy lime or lemon vinaigrette. Sweet persimmon, also known as fuyu fruit, is $8-$16 a kilo or $2.50-$4 each.

It has been a bumper season for Aussie grapes, and there are still plenty of varieties to choose from in shades of green, pink, and black-skinned. Add grapes to muffins, roast and toss through a salad, or add to pizza toppings with feta cheese. Pick up a bunch for $3-$25 a kilo and get creative with grapes.

Looking for something new to try this week? Then ask your greengrocer for Papples. This juicy new star is a pear dressed as an apple. Developed in New Zealand and now grown in Victoria, this round fruit is a cross between the Asian and European pear varieties. Crisp and juicy like a nashi pear, the Papple is deliciously sweet and low in acid. It fully ripens on the tree but has a long shelf life and keeps well. It’s best stored in the fridge.

VEGETABLES

Vegetables

Kale is a leafy green vegetable packed full of nutrients. Just one cup contains about 100% of your daily requirements of vitamins A, C, and K. Try this simple, super tasty Kale, leg ham, and haloumi frittata. It’s delicious served hot or cold. Kale is $2-$3 a bunch.

Stock up on South Australian-grown brown onions for only $2-$3 a kilo. Stored in a dark, well-ventilated place, they will keep for weeks. Brown onions are more pungent than white onions. Buying a 1.5 kg net bag for $4 is a good option.

Autumn is a great time to enjoy Jap pumpkin. Sold whole or in wedges Jap pumpkin has vibrant orange flesh colour and is full flavoured. Warm up to roasted Jap pumpkin with feta. Cut 700g peeled Jap pumpkin into thick wedges and toss with ¼ cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place pumpkin in a single layer on a baking tray and roast at 200°C for 20 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with 100g crumbled feta cheese and 2 tbs toasted pine nuts and serve. Jap pumpkins are selling for $1-$3 per kilo depending on if it's whole or cut.

Select Victorian-grown broccolini with compact buds and firm stems. Broccolini is fabulous at $3-$3.50 a bunch; alternatively, switch to broccoli for $6-$8 a kilo.

Mild-flavoured and less fibrous, new-season ginger from Buderim in Queensland is now available for $5-$10 a kilo, while mature ginger is $19-$20 a kilo. Ginger has many health benefits, including helping to aid digestion.

Fresh chestnuts are a taste sensation. While most nuts contain 50% fat, chestnuts, however, contain 2.7%. To bake chestnuts, firstly, you need to cut a cross in the outer shell, then place them in a tray and cook at 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the shell splits. Chestnuts are $5-$12 a kilo, depending on size and variety. Having cooked and shelled chestnuts in the freezer makes them convenient for adding to a range of dishes.

Bok Choy is a good quality and a bargain at $2-$2.50 a bunch. Tip of the Day: Stir-fry the chopped stems for about 1 minute before adding the leaves. Cook rapidly to retain colour and flavour. Try this delicious chilli chestnut, Asian greens & tofu stir-fry.

The rich volcanic loams of northern Tasmania, combined with a mild, temperate climate, are ideal for developing flavoursome carrots. A 1kg kilo bag of carrots costs around $2-$2.50, while the larger loose displayed carrots are $3 a kilo.

FLOWERS

Flowers What's in season at your local florist in April: dahlias, Leucadendron, roses, gloriosa, protea, stock, cotton, lisianthus, amaranthus, banksia, celosia, sunflowers, tulips, fragrant David Austin roses, gloriosa, gladioli, bird of paradise, heliconia, snapdragons, oriental lilies, daisy chrysanthemum, asters and Easter daisies.

Please note that the prices quoted in this report only apply for the current week and are subject to variation based on product variety, size, quality, and the trading area. For more information, please feel free to contact Sue Dodd, Marketing Consultant, at 0438725453


Published On 2024-04-02 15:08:00

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