Radishes were always on the menu in my mother's kitchen. The whole family seemed to enjoy the peppery flavour and crunchy texture of this vegetable. I seem to recall that we learned how to carve little florets from them in my high school home economics class too!
In his 2007 book, Seasonal, chef Stefano Manfredi recalls an event known as La Noche de los Rabanos, or The Night of the Radishes, which dates back to the mid 19th century and celebrates the introduction of the radish by Spanish colonists. Manfredi writes 'Of all the radish carving practised around the world, the Mexicans of Oaxaca take the prize for the most exotic and creative. Each year, on the evening of December 23, local farmers bring their extraordinarily large radishes into the town square, where artisans carve them into everything from aliens to the baby Jesus. Red radishes, such as those pictured, simple need to be washed and their tail trimmed. Eat whole or sliced in salads. Manfredi suggests that radishes go well with butter, olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, fennel, celery and raw celeriac, chick 'Few pleasures of the palate can be compared to biting into perfectly ripened peach flesh and feeling the juice run down your chin.' Summer was one of my favourite seasons when I worked at the produce market, for the air was filled with the luscious scent of stone fruits. Peaches, together with nectarines and cherries, are making an appearance at local markets now. White fleshed peaches always seem to have more flavour to my palate, although there are some beautiful yellow fleshed varieties available as well. The best tasting fruit has been allowed to ripen on the tree and will have a full bodied aroma. Peaches bruise easily so look for smooth, unblemished fruit and handle them with care. Peaches are best kept at room temperature. Enjoy them as snacks, eaten fresh from the hand; grill or roast them and serve them with yoghurt or cream; use them in salads; or make one of my favourite and hugely popular jams (the perfect edible gift).
NashiI visited an acupuncturist recently who specialises in Chinese medicine and he suggested I eat one or two Nashi or Asian/Oriental pears daily, to relieve congestion. Nashi are excellent for eating fresh from the hand, as they retain their crispness even in storage. Handle the fruit with care, as nashi will bruise easily, hence they are often sold with a protective wrapper. Simply slice and eat, or serve slices of nashi with cheese.
Baby Bok ChoyBaby bok choy reaches only 10-15cm in length and is perfect for quick cooking, such as steaming, but is also delicious braised, stir fried (think tofu, mushrooms, or beef with baby bok choy in an unctuous sauce), wilted or used in soup. The white stems of fresh baby bok choy are so tender, that they can enjoyed raw in salads. Wash bok choy well, taking care to separate the leaves, as dirt can be trapped between the stems.
CeleriacCeleriac is a variety of celery which forms an enlarged, solid, edible tuber just below the soil’s surface. The tuber is brownish white in colour and has a gnarled appearance. The leaves and thin stalks are similar to celery, although are slightly darker in colour. Celeriac tastes like a mild form of celery and parsley combined and, when cooked, has the consistency of carrots and other similar vegetables. It is ripe for the market basket in Australia between March and December and can be stored in the crisper of the refrigerator for up to a month, but it's best not to wash it before storage.
Custard AppleAnother of my favourite fruits, Custard apples go into the market basket during Autumn and Winter. This unusual fruit, with its lumpy skin has a creamy, custard-like flesh that some say is a combination of pineapple and banana. To buy, choose firm green fruit that has very few brown or black spots. Custard apples will soften as they ripen. Once they are fully ripe, store custard apples in the refrigerator. To eat, slice in half, remove the seeds and enjoy the fruit with a spoon. The flesh can be pureed and used in ice cream, sorbet, drinks and cakes. For more information, visit the Australian Custard Apples Growers Association web site.
WalnutsWalnuts featured regularly in my mother's kitchen and she was quite fastidious about quality and freshness. There would be no rancid walnuts used in any of her baking, thank you very much!
To my huge delight, the Robertson family, who grow walnuts in the Bright region of Victoria, are back at the Capital Region Farmer's Markets with their Alpine Nuts stall, so I can stock up on extra fresh walnuts direct from the farm. Nutritionist, Catherine Saxelby, reminds us that around half the weight of walnuts is fat, but it is 60% polyunsaturated and they contain no cholesterol. In fact, you are allowed to eat walnuts on diets for lowering your cholesterol, provided you are not overweight. As a bonus, walnuts contain Vitamins E, B group, as well as potassium, phosphorous and moderate amounts of iron, calcium and zinc. I have previously shared some beautiful walnut recipes: a salad, a torte, and a slice that you might like to add to your repertoire. Pop into my recipes pages for those. Make sure you check the freshness of your walnuts and pop some into the market basket this week. To contact Alpine Nuts, telephone 03 575721 612. Summer is over and we have bid mangoes and other tropical and stone fruits goodbye. Pears, apples and quinces take centre stage during Autumn. This season is a show stopper for pears and they are in abundant supply.
Pears will ripen naturally at room temperature but will stay fresher and last longer when stored, uncovered in a refrigerator. To test for ripeness check around the stem, if the flesh gives slightly, the pear is ready to eat. Perfect as a light and refreshing, healthy snack, pears are simple to prepare, just wash and eat, or peel first if preferred. Try serving slices of ripe pear with a platter of good Australian cheese, or in a crisp salad. Combine your favourite salad greens and nuts with pear slices, blue cheese and a nut-flavoured vinaigrette dressing. To prevent browning, sprinkle a little lemon juice over the cut slices of pear. Pears are also delicious stewed, poached, grilled or baked, teamed with piquant spices, or almonds, citrus zest, vanilla, port, honey or coconut. You can also substitute pears in most apple recipes. Try my luscious pear recipes for tarte tatin and poached pears with vanilla and saffron on my recipe pages. Pop an armful of pears into your market basket this weekend and support your local grower! Apples — tree-ripened, fragrant and juicy are in season during Autumn months in Australia. Our varieties include Royal Gala, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Jazz and Sundowner.
Apples are perfect for eating raw and can also be used in sweet or savoury dishes. Serve them for breakfast and pop one into the lunchbox. Enjoy them fresh and whole, or diced in salads, baked, stewed, roasted or grated. If you want apples to break up in cooking, cook with a little water but no sugar. To keep the shape of apple pieces, cook in a syrup (1/2 cup of sugar for 1 cup tart apples, less sugar for sweeter ones). The sugar acts in the same way as salt, withdrawing moisture from the apple so that the pieces hold together. Apples need very little water. Just a little in the bottom of a saucepan to prevent scorching. When shopping for apples, look for a good, bright appearance and a firm, tight skin. To maintain their freshness, store in a cool place such as the crisper section of your refrigerator. Look for the Aussie Apples sticker when buying from a supermarket or greengrocer. Having managed a fresh food market for a decade, I have seen my fair share of interesting fruit and vegetables and am always on the lookout for anything 'new' to my taste buds. Spotted this 'Achacha' fruit at the supermarket yesterday and bought some to try (the pimply boy on the checkout was stumped!). At $11.99 per kilogram, it is not terribly cheap but worth a try if you like the occasional indulgence in exotic fruit. Queensland readers and those in tropical climes will no doubt have seen them, as will regular visitors to the Eveleigh Markets in Sydney.
Originally from the Amazon and now grown on plantations in far north Queensland, Achacha is a cousin of the mangosteen, and the taste and texture are not dissimilar. The season runs from December through to mid March. |
Market BasketGood Things in season and ripe for the market basket each month. |