🌿 August 3rd - 16th | Seasonal Sydney Produce
Hi all,
Late winter is giving us some beautiful produce this fortnight. After several weeks of plentiful roots and brassicas, I decided to go a touch lighter this round, with some Asian greens, ginger, avocados and mini roma truss tomatoes (which are looking and tasting gorgeous).
King Edward potatoes are in this fortnight and they really can't be beaten. They’re a floury variety, so they roast beautifully, mash like a dream and make excellent potato gnocchi. Purple carrots bring a deep, earthy sweetness and look great shaved raw or roasted until tender. Get your peeler out and pile the shavings high into a nice salad, they look so beautiful.
Butter lettuce (or green salanova) is soft and delicate, perfect for simple salads or as a base for anything citrusy. Zucchinis are steady and reliable right now, and broccoli heads are tight and fresh. Swedes are at their winter best, with a gentle sweetness that works well in soups, mash or roasted alongside carrots and potatoes.
All the Asian greens are exceptional right now, super crisp and vibrant, and great for some lighter mid-week meals. Baby bok choy is tender and quick to cook, and the radish bunches are crunchy with a peppery lift.Â
Our special seasonal item is cauliflower, locally grown out at Horsley Park. Some have a light mottling of purple, as a result of being grown close to the purple cauliflower. It was described this morning as having a purple sparkle and I love that! It's a classic winter vegetable and so versatile. Roast it, steam it, turn it into a gratin or break it into florets for a quick stir fry. Chinese broccoli is the leafy green this week, with tender stems and leaves that cook in minutes.
Herbs include coriander and garlic chives. I don't often reach for garlic chives but they have such great punchiness, and are a perfect match for this fortnight's flavours. Purple brussels sprouts, snow peas and button mushrooms round out the veg bags. Fruit this fortnight includes red Imperial mandarins, Pink Lady apples and strawberries.
Please note produce may vary slightly between Week 1 and Week 2 depending on what’s freshest from our growers. We update this page as soon as we know what’s being delivered.
Here’s what’s in your box this fortnight:
Week 1:
|
King Edward Potatoes
|
A couple of recipe ideas:
Yellow Curry Cauliflower with Zucchini and Snow Peas
Sauté diced onions, garlic and ginger. Add yellow curry paste (or whatever your preference is- panang, red or massaman all work). Add cauliflower florets and a couple of halved mini roma truss and toss to coat. Pour in coconut milk and a splash of stock. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender, then add zucchini and snow peas right at the end so they stay bright. Finish with coriander and lemon. Serve with steamed rice.
Butter Lettuce San Choy Bao With Garlic Chives
You can use chicken mince, pork mince or firm tofu. Sauté in a pan and add chopped garlic, ginger and shallots (white part) and cook until fragrant. Add sliced button mushrooms if you like and stir in some diced water chestnuts for crunch (some diced radish could work here if you have no water chestnuts, but added at the end to retain crunch). Add a splash of Shaoxing wine and cook until nearly evaporated. Season with soy sauce and a little oyster sauce, or hoisin. Thicken the mixture by adding a little cornflour mixed with just enough water to loosen it (a little at a time until it's thickened and glossy). Add some sliced garlic chives. Spoon the mixture into butter lettuce leaves and finish with coriander and some sliced shallot (green part).
Stir Fried Noodles With Ginger and Greens
Start by preparing your vegetables. Slice snow peas, baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli and mushrooms. Heat a wok or large pan and stir fry the vegetables with ginger and garlic until they get a little colour (hot and fast). Add cooked egg noodles, oyster sauce and a splash of dark soy sauce. Toss everything together so the noodles pick up the flavour. Finish with chopped garlic chives and garnish with coriander and a squeeze of lemon. You can experiment with different proteins (beef, chicken, pork, tofu, tempeh or just finish with toasted cashews).
Broccoli and Lemon Rigatoni
Cut broccoli into small florets and slice the stems thinly so they cook evenly. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni. In a pan, warm olive oil and gently cook garlic until soft. Add the broccoli and a splash of pasta water and let it steam until tender. Toss through the cooked rigatoni with lemon zest, parmesan and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
You could add crispy pancetta, guanciale or crumbled pork sausage. All work really well with rigatoni.
Farro Salad with Charred Brussels, Radish and AppleÂ
Sear halved brussels sprouts in a hot pan with a little olive oil until they pick up deep colour and stay a little crisp. Slice radishes and pink lady apples thinly. Fold everything through cooked, warm farro with a simple wine vinaigrette or lemon and olive oil. Some baby cavolo nero and mini roma truss would work well, along with some grated parmesan or pecorino if you fancy.
A quick note on storage
- Leafy greens keep best in an airtight container with a paper towel, or wrapped in a damp tea towel.
- Potatoes and onions store best in a cool, dark place.
- Apples and mandarins can stay on the bench or in the fridge.
-Tomatoes prefer room temperature.
-Carrots, radish and brussels sprouts keep well in the crisper.
Hope you enjoy this fortnight’s selection.
Kim x
See last fortnight’s box → here
See all seasonal boxes → here