22 - 28 May 2023 update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
VEGETABLES
Creamy mashed potatoes are truly satisfying. For the best variety, go for brushed potatoes, which are economical and ideal for mashing. They have a light soil coating on the skin and are typically bigger and more mature. Brushed potatoes are starchy, low in sugar, and perfect for creating a creamy texture. They are sold loose at $3-$4/kg or in 5-kilo prepacked bags for $5-$8/kg. Try the delicious Irish-style mashed potatoes with kale and green onions called Colcannon.
Are you a fan of chokos? This old-fashioned veggie has the unique ability to absorb flavours. In season now, enjoy chokos steamed and served with butter and pepper, or add them sliced or diced to a curry for texture. Try this delicious choko, cabbage, and chicken laksa stir-fry. You can find chokos priced at $3-$5 per kilo.
Vibrant-coloured beetroot comes into its own in the cooler months, and prices have dropped to $3-$4 a bunch. Select bunches with small to medium-sized bulbs with crisp, green leaves. Roast or boil whole beets.
Vibrant-coloured carrots are in abundance in winter. Just one carrot (120g) provides enough beta carotene for two days' recommended intake of vitamin A. Fabulous roasted and perfect for use in homemade soups, like this inexpensive carrot and red lentil soup. A one-kilo bag of fresh carrots is only $2.50-$3.
Roast, pan-fry or braise mild aniseed-flavoured fennel, to serve with chicken, lamb or seafood. Choose plump fennel bulbs with fresh-looking feathery fronds attached. Fennel is a choice-buy at $1.50-$2.50 a bulb.
Economical and healthy leafy kale is a popular choice. Pan-fry with garlic, currants and pinenuts. Kale is a rich source of vitamins, including C, E, K, folate and beta carotene (converted to vitamin A in the body). 100g of kale has well over two days' supply of vitamin C. Kale is a bargain at $1-$3 a bunch.
Elevate your recipes with the natural goodness and exquisite taste of mushrooms, from hearty casseroles to aromatic curries and comforting soups to rich sauces and stews. Whether it's buttons, cups or flats, mushrooms infuse your meals with flavour and nourishment. White mushrooms are $9-$12 a kilo.
From hearty stews and comforting roasts to sizzling stir-fries and warming soups, capsicums elevate your winter cooking, adding sweetness and colour. Roast them to perfection and stuff them with a delicious filling, or slice them into strips and sauté them with onions and spices for a mouth-watering stir-fry. Add them to casseroles, curries, and pasta sauces for a delightful twist, or enjoy them raw in salads for a refreshing crunch. Red capsicum is $4-$8 a kilo; lookout for 1kg bags from your local greengrocer.
FRUIT
Aussie mandarin season is in full swing, with juicy sweet fruit available at fabulous prices at your local greengrocer. Enjoy the refreshing citrus goodness of mandarins as a quick and healthy snack, incorporate them into salads, or use their zest and juice to enhance your favourite recipes. Mandarins are $2-$6 a kilo at your local greengrocer.
With an abundance of delicious apples at your nearby greengrocer, it's wise to incorporate them into your cooking. While Granny Smith and Golden Delicious remain popular choices, Fuji and Pink Lady apples hold their shape perfectly when cooked thanks to their higher sugar content, and this makes them ideal for baked apples. Try the mouth-watering granola and maple syrup baked apples, it’s delicious hot or cold. Apples prices are $2 to $8 per kilo, depending on their size and variety.
Indulge in the honey-like sweetness and satisfying crunch of sweet persimmons as you enhance your autumn salad. Combine vibrant rocket leaves, thinly sliced persimmons, juicy pomegranate arils, and toasted hazelnuts, then toss them together in a delicious dressing made with lime juice and olive oil. Sweet persimmons are priced at $4-$10 per kilo, varying according to size.
Naturally, flavoursome pears are plentiful throughout autumn and winter. You can enjoy Packham and Beurre Bosc for $3-$4 a kilo, and the squat-shaped Corella pears are $3-$7 a kilo. Piqa Boo pears have also started.
Get ready to indulge in the creamy goodness of Hass avocados as their season has officially begun! These luscious fruits are at their peak, offering the perfect texture and rich flavour that avocado lovers adore. Whether you enjoy them smashed on toast, mashed in guacamole, or as a creamy addition to salads and sandwiches, Hass avocados will satisfy your cravings. Hass avocados are $1-$3 each, depending on size.
Tangy lemons are plentiful and reasonably priced at $2-$6/kg. Soothe sore throats with warm lemon juice and honey, or use lemon juice and rind in desserts. Add a squeeze of lemon to your homemade soups to boost the flavour. Try the Greek lemon & chicken soup - it's a favourite.
Grab some late-season Aussie-grown grapes! With various varieties available, you can enjoy the crisp texture and luscious flavours of Australian grapes. Whether you prefer red, green, or black grapes, they make for a perfect snack. Grape prices range from $2-$20 a kilo, depending on the variety. Roasting grapes intensifies the flavour; add them to salads, and serve with pork or on a cheese board.
Antioxidant-rich pomegranates contain ruby-coloured jewel-like seeds (arils) that burst with juice and flavour. Pomegranates' tangy flavour complements lamb, duck and chicken dishes. Liven up couscous, eggplant and a hummus dip with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds. Depending on size and quality, pomegranates are $2-$7 a kilo.
FLOWERS
A few autumn favourites to look for this week include stock, celosia, tulip, Queen Anne lace, calla lilies, chrysanthemums, sea holly, celosia, snapdragons, freesia, erica, sunflower, heliconia, alstroemeria, hyacinths, lavender, gum nuts, birds of paradise, spray rose, kale, water lilies and oriental lilies.
Prices quoted in this report are only relevant for the week of the report. All prices are estimates only as prices vary depending on variety, size and quality of produce and the trading area. For further information, please contact Sue Dodd, Marketing Consultant on 0438725453.
Published On 2023-05-22 13:35:00
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