27 May - 2 June 2024 update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
FRUITS:
Juicy mandarins, depending on variety and size, will be $3-$8 a kilo. Prices have firmed up a little as supplies from the southern states are not in full swing yet, and the Queensland fruit is just about finished. Navel oranges are good value at $3-$5 a kilo.
Plump, soft and caramel-sweet in flavour and fresh dates are also good sources of vitamin C, which is essential for helping prevent infection. Add dates to a curry, enjoy them as a snack, or whip a delicious sticky date cake. Date prices range from $16-$28 a kilo, depending on grade.
Ruby red rhubarb has a distinct tangy flavour that teams superbly with apples, nashi, pears, cinnamon, lemon rind, ginger, and cream to make warming winter desserts. Rhubarb is a popular winter buy, and its price range is $4-$5 a bunch.
Tangy lemons are plentiful and good value at $3-$6 a kilo. Soothe sore throats with warmed lemon juice and a spoonful of honey, or add lemon juice and rind to puddings and cheesecakes. Tangy lemon tarts are delicious or add a squeeze of lemon juice to a soup to sharpen the flavour. This Greek lemon & chicken soup is a favourite.
So many delicious apples are now available at your local greengrocer; it makes good sense to cook with them. Traditional favourites include Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, but Fuji and Pink Lady also have a higher sugar content, which means they hold their shape well when cooking, making them all perfect for baked apples. These granola and maple syrup baked apples are delicious served hot or cold. Depending on the size and the variety, most apples are $4-$7 a kilo.
Quinces are $5-$7 a kilo. Delicately scented, exotic quinces are in season from March to August, with the peak of the season being April to June. Quinces are best cooked and can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. Cooked quince flesh is soft and sweet. Quinces can be stewed, baked, poached, or used to make jams, jellies, and pastes. They are superb slowly simmered in sugar and cinnamon syrup. We invite you to try this recipe for easy roast quinces.
New season Hass avocados are a good buy, especially the smaller sizes, which sell for around $1 each. Perfect for lunch, small avocados are delicious and served mashed on a crispy savour biscuit or a slice of toasted Turkish bread. Larger sizes sell for around $2-$3 each. Avocados contain healthy unsaturated fat and are the richest source of vitamin E of all fruits and vegetables.
VEGETABLES
Fennel's distinctive mild aniseed flavour combines superbly with pears, tomatoes, lamb, chicken, or seafood. It can be boiled, steamed, microwaved, or braised. Add it to soups, salads, and casseroles. If you find the aniseed flavour too strong, soaking in lemon juice for an hour reduces the intensity. Fennel is $2-$2.50 a bulb.
Versatile celery adds crunch, colour, texture, and flavour to stir-fries and casseroles and is an ultra-taste flavour base for soups. At $1.50- $4 a bunch, it's a thrifty buy.
Flavoursome and versatile Asian greens require minimal cooking. Toss washed bunches into a hot wok and stir-fry, or enjoy them steamed and topped with a drizzle of soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Bok choy, choy sum, and gai lum are savvy buys at $1.50-$2.50 a bunch.
Add chestnuts to your shopping list. Supplies and quality are excellent, and prices range from $6-$16 a kilo. Once cooked, their creamy-white flesh is similar in texture to a roast potato with a delicate, sweet, nutty flavour. Try chestnuts cooked and removed from their hard shell, then stir-fried, added to casseroles, meat stuffings, pasta fillings, lentil and rice dishes, or puree to use in cakes and desserts.
Love them or loath them, Brussels Sprouts are loaded with goodness and great value at $4-$8 a kilo. Also, in season now are Kalettes, an attractive and milder-tasting hybrid cross of red kale and Brussels sprouts. They are similar to Brussels sprouts in appearance; however, the leaves have a green and purple frilly edge. South Australia-grown Kalettes are sold in 500g bags for $3-$7.
The natural goodness of cauliflower and cabbage shines from late autumn to winter. Roast whole, sautéed, steamed, added to soups, or tossed in a hot wok, these easy-to-prepare vegetables require minimum cooking. Depending on the variety and size, expect to pay $3- $5 for cauliflower and $4-$8 for cabbage.
Carrots are full of vitamins and minerals and are delicious enjoyed, cooked or raw. Try them roasted with garlic, grated orange rind, and fresh thyme, mash carrots (just like potatoes) with a nob of butter and season salt and pepper, or microwave sliced carrots with a drizzle of maple syrup and orange juice. Small carrots are sold in prepared 1-kilo bags for $1.50-$2 a kilo, and larger carrots are sold loose for $2-$2.50 per kilo.
Creamy mashed potatoes are genuinely 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.
Crisp iceberg lettuce is a thrifty buy at $2-$3 ahead. Use the leaves to make a classic green salad, shred and sauté in a dab of butter, and add fresh peas. Serve the shredded lettuce with taco fillings, or use the cups to make a san choy bow.
FLOWERS
A few floral favourites to look for this week at your local florist include stock, celosia, tulip, carnations, 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 2024-05-27 21:07:51
Print Page