31 July - 6 August 2017

FRUIT

Magnificent plump and flavoursome Queensland strawberries are a choice buy this week. Strawberries are a bargain at $2-3 a punnet. These rhubarb & strawberry muffins are perfect for school lunch boxes.

Sweet eating blueberries are a nice change at this time of years prices are easing; expect to pay $4-$5 a punnet.

This year’s citrus crop is large, extra sweet and a top buy. Now is the time to enjoy oranges, lemons, mandarins and tangelos. Cumquats have also started and lastly try new season Sumo mandarins (also known as Kon fruit). Despite their odd appearance, this loose bumpy skinned fruit is super juicy, peels easily and is less acidic and sweeter than an orange.

Blood oranges (at $3-$5 a kilo) are exquisite, their raspberry coloured juice and segments, are sweet and tangy. A bumper crop of navel oranges means that navels are a bargain at $3-$5 a kilo.

Small Hass avocados are plentiful and greengrocers tend to offer a special on a multi buy. Avocados are a perfect substitute for butter on a sandwich or enjoy them spread on a savoury biscuit and topped with a slice of ripe tomato. Larger sized avocadoes are retailing at $2-$4 each.

It is very early days but the first trickles of the Australian grown mangoes Northern Territory were sighted in the Sydney Markets. The season doesn’t really get going until around mid-September.

VEGETABLES

The best-known member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, broccoli is a rich source of antioxidants and a good source of fiber, folate, and potassium. Raw, it makes a nice complement to salads. Steamed is another good way to absorb broccoli's many nutrients. Broccoli is $3-$5 a kilo.

With their delicious, sweet onion flavor, leeks are ideal for soups (like a, Creamy celeriac, leek & bacon soup) casseroles, stuffings and cheese based dishes. Plump single stemmed leeks are $2-$3 each.

Delicious served raw or cooked fennels delicate aniseed flavor teams deliciously with citrus fruits, tomatoes, lamb, chicken, or seafood. Add diced fennel to chunky vegetable soups, casseroles, pasta dish or toss shredded fennel through citrus for a salad to serve with fish. Fennel is $1.50-$2.50 a bulb.

Add colour and sweetness to a stir-fry or a simply omelette with sliced or diced red capsicum for only $3-$5 a kilo.

Crisp, tasty salad greens are good quality and value. Baby Cos lettuce, mignonette and crunchy icebergs are worth checking out this week, as they are selling for $2-$3 a head.

The silky, tender leaves of English spinach have a delicate flavour. Serve spinach in salads, toss small leaves into pasta dishes or serve with Hokkien noodles or sautéed mushrooms. Add to risottos or frittata fillings. Spinach is $1.50- $2 a bunch. Alternatively baby spinach leaves are available by the kilo for around $19 a kilo.

Orange fleshed sweet potato also known as kumara good value at $2-$4 a kilo. Delicious mashed, diced and roasted or baked in peeled chunks kumara has a pleasant sweet flavour.

With their crisp texture, bright green leaves and stems and excellent nutritional value, it’s no surprise that Asian vegetables are growing in popularity. To make your next stir-fry more authentic and delicious, toss in a bunch of chopped gai lum, pak choy, bok choy or choy sum. At $2-$2.50 bunch, they are super value.

FLOWERS

The gift of flowers says so much. This week some of the best seasonal buys include stock, sweet peas, freesia, poppies, lavender, leucadendron, kale, flowering blossom, cymbidium orchids, blushing bride, helebores daphne, rose lily, carnations, freesia, lisianthus, poppies, roses, tulips, sea holly, forget me knots, jonquils or purple iris.

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 2017-07-31 00:30:00