1 - 7 JULY 2024 update Sydney Market that includes availability and price of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also includes recipe suggestions.
FRUITS
Oranges are plentiful, and there are a few choices: traditional navel oranges ($2-$5 a kilo) and Cara Cara navel oranges ($3-$5 a kilo), depending on size. Both are delicious for eating and juicing, and the peel should not be wasted. Add grated zest to cookies, cakes, and puddings for a rich citrus flavour.
Arriving in July and finishing in September, ruby-fleshed blood oranges have become popular. Their attractive, juicy flesh colour has a tangy raspberry-like flavour, with the flesh colour varying in depth of colour depending on variety and growing conditions. Select blood oranges with a distinct reddish blush on the rind, as they are more likely to have richly coloured flesh and juice. Blood oranges are available at your local greengrocer for $6-$8 a kilo.
Luscious Queensland-grown strawberries bring a burst of sunshine. Eat straight from the punnet or add to your favourite home-baked goodies. Delicious in crumbles, muffins, pies, and puddings, now is the time to cook with this rosy fruit.
Hass avocados are in peak supply in winter, and at $1-$3 each, they are super good value right now. Pop a few ' avos ' in the trolley this week and serve them with tacos, smashed on toast, or easy fish tortillas.
Fill your fruit bowl with juicy winter lemons. Drizzle a little lemon juice before serving to enhance the flavour of tomato-based casseroles and soups. Add a strip of lemon rind and juice to sugar syrups for poaching apples, pears, and quinces. Lemons cost $3-$6 a kilo.
Mandarins are sweet and juicy, packed with vitamin C. They are a choice buy at $3-$6 a kilo. There are plenty of varieties to enjoy, including Afourer, Imperial, Hickson, Murcott, Roya Honey Murcott, and Daisy.
Green-fleshed kiwifruits are in plentiful supply and selling for $6-$8 a kilo. Gold kiwifruits are $9-$15 a kilo. Kiwifruit adds glorious colour to winter fruit salads, or scoop out the flesh with a spoon for the perfect snack.
Kon Fruit, also sold as Sumo, is a large mandarin resembling a large tangelo. With a thick, wrinkly rind, this fruit is easy to peel, seedless, ultra-flavoursome, and juicy. Expect to pay $8-$10 a kilo. Enjoy now, as the season is short. Alternatively, depending on size, opt for tangelos at $7-$8 a kilo.
Stew calcium and fibre-rich rhubarb with the season's best Granny Smith apples to create a flavoursome and tangy fruit compote that can be enjoyed hot or cold. Rhubarb is $4-$5 a bunch and Granny Smith apples are $3-$7 a kilo, depending on size.
VEGETABLES
Versatile carrots are a bargain at $1.50-$2.50 a kilo. Perfect for winter creamy carrot & chickpea soup, or add carrots to a spice Rogan Josh curry.
Inexpensive and ultra-versatile pumpkin has an inherent natural sweetness, which works deliciously with sweet and savoury dishes. Jap, Jarrahdale and Butternut pumpkins will be $2-$3 a kilo whole. Warm-up chilly winter evenings with Jap pumpkin with parmesan & seed crumble, Massaman pumpkin, tofu & spinach curry or a fragrant butternut pumpkin soup
Fennels, firm, crisp bulbs with a delicate aniseed flavour, are a winter favourite. They are delicious enjoyed raw or cooked. Shredded fennel adds a delightful crunch to winter salads. If cooking, enjoy fennel cut into wedges, braised or baked, and served with lamb shanks or a leg of lamb. Large fennel bulbs are a bargain at $1.50-$2 each.
The natural goodness of cabbage shines in winter. Sautéed, steamed or tossed in a hot wok, these easy-to-prepare vegetables require minimum cooking. Expect to pay $4-$10 a head, depending on size. Try cabbage & leeks with bacon & pine nuts.
Select small, even-sized, compact Brussels sprouts. Cut in half, quarters, or slices. Cook quickly and never overcook. Brussels sprouts are $5-$10 a kilo. The smaller sizes are the best buy.
Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrients and flavour. Add them to a risotto, or make a bowl of umami-rich soup or team mushrooms with gnocchi and fresh sage. Button, cups, and flat mushrooms cost $12-$15 a kilo.
Large, plump leeks have a delicate onion flavour. Add finely chopped leek to soups, burger mixtures, bolognese sauce, casseroles, or braise with thyme until soft to serve on the side. Large plump leeks are $2.50-$3 each and small bunches are $2-$3.
Large beetroot bulbs cost $4-$5 a kilo. Winter is the perfect time to discover the beetroot's sweet, earthy flavour and versatility. Boil, roast, or steam it; it is truly delicious.
The nutrient-packed kalettes are a delicious cross between leafy kale and tiny Brussels sprouts. Small, frilly, purple-tinged kalettes have crunchy, loosely-packed leaves with a slightly nutty flavour. Quick cooking for crunch halved kalettes and toss into a stir-fry with meat or chicken. Finely shredded kalettes bring colour and crunch to salads and winter slaws. They team well with Asian-flavoured dressings. Sold in 300g packs, Kalettes are $3-$4.
You can grab a handful of scrumptious roast chestnuts to enjoy this week. They're perfect for adding to soups, hearty casseroles, sauces, and puddings. Team them with pumpkin mushrooms or cauliflower to make a scrumptious soup. Chestnuts are $8-$14 a kilo, depending on size and quality.
Cauliflower is highly adaptable and delicious. It can be roasted, braised, fried, mashed, steamed, or eaten raw in salads. Low in kilojoules, cauliflower is delicious added to soups. Team it with chestnuts, pumpkin, or mushrooms for a tasty and nutritious meal. Cauliflowers are $4-$5 each this week.
Broccoli is bursting with natural goodness. Select Firm, bright green heads of broccoli are $3-$4 a kilo. Rapidly cook to retain its vibrant colour and flavour. Add broccoli florets to stir-fries, pasta, and noodles or warm up with a big bowl of spicy broccoli and chilli soup.
FLOWERS
Bright up your home or office desk with a bunch of hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, rose lilies, phalaenopsis orchids, sweet peas, poppies, hyacinth, sea holly, ornamental kale, scabiosa, daphne, roses, violets, lavender, freesia, stock and iris.
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 2024-07-01 14:51:06
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