21 - 27 May 2018

VEGETABLES

Leeks add a delicate onion flavour to soups, casseroles, stir-fries and pasta dishes. But have tried serving leeks as a vegetable side dish? This Braised Leeks with Thyme dish takes leeks to a new level. Pick up a plump and flavoursome leek this week for $2-$3 each.

Brown onions are a thrifty buy at $1.50-$3 a kilo. Brown onions are less pungent than white onions and ideal for making a sweet and aromatic French onion soup and fabulous for adding depth of flavour to a casserole . Serve with crusty bread for a quick meal.

Add a bunch of crunchy and versatile Victorian grown celery to your shopping list this week as it’s a bargain at $2-$3 a bunch, depending on size.

Eggplant is a savvy buy this week at $3-$6 a kilo. There is so many ways to enjoy eggplant, roasted, grilled, barbecued or add to a curry. Layer cooked eggplant slices with a rich tomato passata and mozzarella cheese and bake until warm and bubbly.

Queensland grown green beans are a thrifty buy. Machine harvested green beans are $3-$6 a kilo and $8-$10 handpicked.

Select compact, even sized, vibrant green Brussels sprouts for $3-$6 a kilo, depending on size. Toss thinly sliced Brussels sprouts in a hot wok with a little oil and sliced beef until just tender, toss through noodles and soy sauce and serve.

Add colour to you diet with fresh beetroot. Toss roasted beetroot, with diced apples and rocket. A bunch of ruby red beetroot is $2-$3 a bunch.

For value on the vegetable scene, you cannot go past cabbage. This humble vegetable is versatile, nutritious and flavoursome. Add shredded Chinese cabbage also known as wombok to soups, hoikken dishes or braise with a spicy chorizo sausage and serve with mashed potato. Wombok is $3-$6 a head, depending on size.

Warm up with a bowl of mug of nourishing pumpkin soup. Start with sliced leeks for a mild onion flavour or use brown onions for a richer flavour base. Jarrahdale pumpkin is a top buy at $1-$2 a kilo, when purchased whole.

FRUIT

Microwave chopped rhubarb with honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon until tender and serve over pancakes or toasted waffles. Delicious and healthy rhubarb is $3-$4 a bunch.

Do you love apples strudel? Crispy light filo pastry encasing tender sweet apples, then check out this easy to make Apple & Cinnamon Strudel recipe. Made with Granny Smith apples this recipe is sure to become a favourite. Granny Smith apples are $2-$6 a kilo.

It’s never too cold to serve a fresh salad however salads should always change with the seasons. To make them, tasty, fresh, economical and interesting. With pomegranates, oranges and fennel now in peak season, this autumn inspired Orange, Spinach, Fennel & Chickpea Salad makes a delicious and healthy salad.

The Australian winter harvest of juicy Navel oranges has arrived. For a quick dessert, peel some oranges, removing all the pith, then slice. Arrange the orange slices on a platter, drizzle with honey, lightly dust with cinnamon and sprinkle with chopped pistachio nuts. Purchasing a 3-kilo net bag of navels is a thrifty buy to purchase oranges with bags selling for $4-$6.

Attractive ruby-coloured and antioxidant rich pomegranates contain fruit contains jewel-like seeds bursting with juice and flavour. Sprinkle the seeds over a range of dishes, and use the juice for salad dressings or marinades. Pomegranate compliments lamb, duck and chicken dishes. Liven up your porridge, salads, couscous, eggplant or hummus with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds. Pomegranates are $3-$4 each.

Pears are a naturally sweet snack; they add sweetness and crunch to salads and then poached or roasted make elegant desserts. Pears continue to ripen after harvesting. Select firm, mature pears and ripen at room temperature. Skin colour may not change with ripening. The fruit is ready to eat when it yields to gentle pressure at the stem end. Use firm pears for cooking. Buerru Bosc and Packham pears are $3-$5 a kilo, depending on variety and size.

Dress up a simple salad, pizza topping or nashos with avocado. The Hass are well supplied and selling for $1-$3 each, depending on size. Team avocados with citrus, pepper flavoured baby rocket leaves and a drizzle of olive oil for a quick salad.

Versatile banana $1.50 - $3 a kilo. Bananas make the ideal quick snack, as the carbohydrates found in bananas has a low glycaemic index which means it is absorbed slowly and is extremely filling giving you sustained energy.

FLOWERS

Lots of glorious tulips, kale, stock, pink ice protea this week. Also, in season stock, sweet pea, Queen Anne’s Lace. jonquils, delphinium, cotton bunches, lisianthus, chrysanthemums, David Austin roses, sea holly and calla lily.

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 2018-05-21 15:35:00