24 - 30 July 2017

VEGETABLES

Creamy mashed potatoes are a family favourite – and delicious served with a winter casserole. Look for specials on 5 kilo bags of washed, brushed and Desiree potatoes for $4-$5.

Warm up winter nights with Jap or Jarrahdale pumpkins flavoured soups, roast chucks sprinkled with chilli and ginger or add grated pumpkin to curries and risottos for added sweetness. This fleshy and colourful veg is $1.50-$2.50 a kilo for uncut pumpkins. Know your pumpkins.

Compact snow-white cauliflowers are a top buy at $3.50-$4 a head. Discover cauliflower rice and the health benefits of cauliflowers.

Super nutritious and versatile quality broccoli from Victoria and Queensland is a bargain at $3-$4 a kilo. Whip a batch of these delicious oven baked Broccoli & cheese fritters.

Red and green capsicums prices are back a little this week to $2.50-$5 a kilo. Red capsicums are the sweetest eating. Add capsicum to pizza toppings, salads, stir fries, char-grill or stuff with a meat and vegetable filling and bake until tender.

Top quality globe artichokes are now in season and selling for $2-$2.50 each. Boil trimmed globe artichokes until tender then slice and combine with diced tomatoes, baby bocconcini, parsley, pepper and olive oil to serve with crusty bread. Master the art of cooking artichokes, with this simple recipe, Globe artichokes with prosciutto.

The tender leaf and stem of English spinach is delicious eaten raw or cooked. Use in salads or add to pasta and noodle dishes just prior serving so as not to overcook. Try steaming leaves and using as a pizza topping along with sun dried tomato paste and fresh eggs. English spinach is only $2-$3 a bunch. Warm up and stay healthy with this Curried spinach, potato & cannellini bean soup.

Large sized zucchini are a good buy at $3-$5 a kilo. Mild flavoured zucchini are ideal for adding to pasta sauces or frittata or added them grated to rissoles or a moist carrot, zucchini, apples and walnut cake.

Mild sweeter tasting leeks are ideal for flavouring casseroles, soups and egg based dishes such as quiche and frittata. Leeks are 50¢ - $2 each depending on size.

The natural goodness of cabbage shines in winter. Sautéed, steamed or tossed in a hot wok, these easy-to-prepare vegetables require minimum cooking. Expect to pay $3-$4 a head. Try Cabbage & leeks with bacon & pine nuts.

FRUIT

Blood oranges are ultra-juicy and have a sweet raspberry coloured juice. Select plump fruit with ruby-red tinged skin. Rich skin colour indicates the fruit has full ‘blood’ coloured flesh. Fruit should feel heavy for its size and have firm skin. Blood oranges are selling for $4-$6 a kilo, depending on size and quality. This scrumptious blood orange, semolina and almond cake is a favourite.

Queensland strawberries have great colour and flavour. Spoon stewed or microwaved strawberries onto porridge for breakfast or dip in chocolate for a special treat. Strawberries are $2-$4 a punnet.

Versatile lemons are $3-$5 a kilo. Lemon juice, drizzles over a tomato-based casserole or soups just before serving enlivens the flavours. Add a strip of lemon rind and lemon juice to sugar syrups for poaching apples, pears and quinces or combine finely grated lemon rind with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and crushed garlic in a gremolata to sprinkle over crumbed lamb cutlets or osso bucco.

Leave firm unripe Hass avocados to ripen at room temperature. They’re ready to eat when they yield to gentle pressure at the stem end. 5 top ways to add avocado to your diet this week. Hass avocados are $2-$4 each.

Looking for a low kilojoules snack, then you can’t go passed Aussie apples. There is a great selection of apples in store; varieties include Royal Gala, Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Fuji apples. Most apples are retailing at $3-$7 kilo depending on variety and size.

Rhubarb is in good supply and selling for $3-$4 a bunch. Stew chopped rhubarb with strawberries, a little caster sugar and the juice of a blood orange. To serve, layer vanilla yoghurt and the cooked rhubarb mixture into serving glasses.

FLOWERS

'I must have flowers, always, and always.' - Claude Monet. So this week we can enjoy, tulips, stock, hyacinths, Geraldton wax, blossom, kale, snap dragons, allium, asters, rose lily, poppies, lavender, sea holly, jonquil paper daisy, wattle sunflower, bud Magnolia and freesia and so much more.

For more information, recipes and stories visit Sydney Markets blog.

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, Retail Support Manager on tel 0438 725 453.

Published On 2017-07-24 00:30:00