MARKET 5: SPECIALTY PRODUCE
Q: Are Warrigal Greens an all-Australian speciality?
Having worked on premium food magazines for much of the last decade, I am fully able to appreciate the overwhelming momentum of the ‘foodie culture’ here in Australia. Whether you put it down to the rise of the ‘Celebrity Chef’, industry efforts to make great food more accessible or the influence of stunning food publications (think Gourmet Traveller, Vogue E&T, delicious) there is no doubt that Australian cuisine now boasts a definite gourmet leaning. The average Australian is much more adventurous in the kitchen, preparing dishes at home that demand complicated prep and obscure produce previously only braved by the professionals. So to put you on the front foot with these increasingly discerning foodies, this week we are profiling ‘specialty produce’ items, which being a little off beat, present a fantastic opportunity to create something truly different and special this Spring.
SALTBUSH: aka Old Man Saltbush
A native plant previously used by indigenous Australians for its seeds (which were ground and roasted for making damper), this hardy shrub has taken on a new dimension in modern cuisine. Through careful selection and production in hothouses the bitter, wild plant used for rejuvenating land and grazing has been replaced by a much more user-friend large leaf variety.
Availability: all year
Use: blanch or use fresh as a salad leaf, stir-fry vegetable or similarly to a banana leaf
Supply: hits markets on Thursdays- production/supply steady and good quality
Health factor: good source of protein, mineral salts, antioxidants and calcium
JACKFRUIT:
Originally from South Western India, the Jackfruit is the national fruit of both Bangladesh and Indonesia. The largest of all cultivated fruits it is renowned for its distinctively sweet aroma and flesh. While also enjoyed as an immature fruit, the jackfruit is at its best when its prickly skin softens and its characteristic sweet aroma comes through.
Availability: Jun - Apr
Use: lovely fresh, but can also be cooked (often used in SE Asian curries). The seeds are edible and when baked taste a little like chestnuts. Immature fruit is a healthy, meat substitute for vegetarians due to its texture.
Supply: quality & supply is currently good, however it’s worth noting that Jackfruit are generally a more expensive item
Health factor: free of cholesterol and saturated fats, jackfruit is a good source of energy, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins
BETEL LEAVES: aka Wild Betel Leaf, Pepper Leaf, Cha Plu
Heralding from the same family as pepper and kava, betel leaves are used widely in South East Asian cuisine. With its bold, peppery aroma and delicate flavour it is a wonderful herb that is both visually appealing and delicious.
Availability: all year, best in warmer months
Use: South East Asian cuisine- raw in salads, cooked in stir-fries, soups, meat dishes (used as a wrap)
Supply: Australian crops are grown in QLD the rest is imported- currently looking good across quality, supply and price
Health factor: good source of protein, potassium, nitrogen and minerals
WARRIGAL GREENS: aka Australian Spinach, tetragon
Another native plant worth a look, the warrigal green is grown along the East Coast of Australia and is a fantastic substitute for your more common greens such as silverbeet or spinach. While it tastes very similar to spinach when blanched, it has a slight salty, bitter edge that gives dishes a new dimension.
Availability: all year round, but as with all leaf lines poor weather may potentially slow supply
Use: blanch (2-3mins) before use due to high oxalate content, thenuse in dishes/sides where you would usually feature spinach, silverbeet or Asian greens
Supply: hits markets on Thursdays- production/supply steady and good quality
Health factor: a nutritional value similar to other leafy greens it also has anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent stomach ulcers
CHESTNUTS:
While they may not be mysterious or unknown, their reputation for being difficult to prepare has meant chestnuts haven’t garnered the attention they deserve from home-cooks. The quality of the fresh chestnuts being produced in Australia at the moment is fantastic and with the season predicted to last another 6-8 weeks, why not take full advantage this Spring.
Availability: traditional season Mar - June
Use: soups, stir-fries, cakes, salads, stuffing
Supply: quality & price holding steady with the season ending in 6-8 weeks
Health factor: no cholesterol, low in sodium and fat. Good source of mineral salts, vitamins C, B1, B2 and folate.
A: Unfortunately not, Warrigal Greens are also native to New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Japan and some parts of South America. While native to Australia and NZ, it is believed that the Aboriginals and Maori didn’t use Warrigal Greens as a leaf vegetable like we do today, rather this trend was started by Captain Cook and the first settlers who popularised it use due to its ready availability and ability to prevent scurvy.
SPRING’S BOUNTY
Q: Why is Australian white asparagus priced significantly higher than green?
The end of August is always a period of transition for food lovers, however this year seems especially tough- cold weather along the Eastern Seaboard is slowing supply and hiking up prices on a long list of produce items, ironically just in time for the start of the busy season and there is absolutely nothing on TV that comes close to filling the void left by the Olympics. To put the Spring back in your step and assist with menu planning for the next few months, here are our produce highlights for the coming season. We have included some nutritional information as there’s nothing like feeling good about what you’re eating to make it taste even better on the palate.
SPRING FLAVOURS:
ASPARAGUS:
The arrival of the Australian Asparagus season is getting closer with quality spears predicted to arrive at the markets for the first week of September. In particular the arrival of the sweet, tender, home-grown white asparagus is much anticipated due to its premium quality, texture and gourmet aesthetic.
Supply: Early crops from QLD, main crop from VIC
Green Asparagus: all year, Australian produce best Sept- Dec
Baby Green Asparagus: all year, best Sept- Dec
Purple Asparagus: Oct- Dec
White Asparagus: Sept – Jan
Feel Good Factor: excellent source of Vitamin C & E, dietary fibre, folate and potassium
Inspiration: Confit of Suffolk lamb loin, fresh milk curd, asparagus, spring onions, broad beans, young leeks, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, quinoa, pea flowers, nasturtiums – Peter Gilmore via Lifestyle Food
AUSTRALIAN GARLIC:
Australian Garlic is world’s apart from the imported product available throughout the year and its season is something I have come to get excited about and support every year by paying a premium price for a premium product. For a more comprehensive overview of the garlic varieties currently grown in Australia, their seasonality and characteristics, click here.
Supply: Main growing regions are SA, VIC ,NSW with some early crops from QLD
Australian Garlic Season: October - May
Spring Garlic: available October
Green Garlic: available November
Feel Good Factor: natural antibiotic, also assists in management of blood pressure & cholesterol
Inspiration: Tamworth pork terrine, roast garlic purée, deep fried egg and artichoke – Kevin Mangeolles via Great British Chefs
MANGOES:
Early Northern Territory mangoes are already arriving at the markets and while they are not yet great eating, it is a sign of the luscious, warm weather and tropical flavours to come. Sydney Markets will be holding its annual mango auction on September 5th heralding the official opening of the mango season, last year the auction raised $30,000 ($2,500/mango) for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Westmead Children's Hospital. For more information on mango varieties and Australian seasons click here
Supply: NT opens the season (peaking around October), before main producer QLD enters the market around November
Feel Good Factor: very high in Vit C and A. Rich source of beta-carotene, fibre and potassium
Inspiration: Mango salsa and coconut heart salad recipe- Peter Kuravita via SBS Food
SHISO LEAF: aka Perillo
Shiso Leaf is available in red and green varieties, the red (with its anise and subtle mint flavour) is the most popular in Australia and is used widely in Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine (where traditionally the leaves were used to dye pickled ume or were mixed with ume paste in sushi). While available pretty much all year, Shiso is at its best Nov – Mar
Supply: SG&S predominantly sources our Shiso from local NSW producers
Feel Good Factor: high in calcium, iron and potassium, rich in fiber, very high in Vit A and C. Believed to have anti-inflammatory properties
Inspiration: Duck yakitori with pumpkin, shiso and daikon salad and plum dipping sauce – via Gourmet Traveller
PEPINO: aka Sweet Pepino, Melon Pear
Spring is undeniably the start of the mango and stonefruit season but if you’re looking for something different why not try the pepino. With its distinctive purple stripes, yellow flesh and a juicy flavour reminiscent of melon, banana and pear (depending on who you ask)– it is perfect for spicing up the breakfast menu or adding a twist to sweet and savoury spring salads.
Supply: QLD produces fruit in Spring and Autumn
Feel Good Factor: good source offibre, Vitamin A, B and C
Inspiration: Wild Mexican Shrimp Escabeche with Pepino Melon, Popped Corn, Jicama Salsa - Bernard Guillas via Restaurant Hospitality
Yam Oka: aka NZ Yam, Oka Yam, Oca
Originally from South America, these sweet tubers offer a wonderful alternative to winter root vegetable lines with their smaller size, tangy, nut flavour and silky texture. Eat with the skin on to get maximum nutritional value, the skin is thin and edible and ensures the yam holds shape when cooked.
Supply: coming from QLD, best in July (season runs for 6-8 weeks)
Feel Good Factor: good source offibre, Vitamin A, B and C
Inspiration: Yam, kumara and pumpkin coconut curry
Other items of note for Spring: As the weather warms, the markets will start to come alive with tropical fruits and a wider range of vegetables. Other items to watch out for this Spring include stonefruit (Oct/Nov), berries, chillies, sweetcorn, radishes, edible flowers, watercress and okra.
A: There are two reasons. Firstly, the Australian white asparagus season is brief and given its popularity among food-service professionals (and increasingly with home cooks) demand tends to outstrip supply. The second reason is production costs. To achieve its colour, white asparagus is grown in the dark, preventing sunlight from turning the shoots green. Traditionally this was achieved by keeping the asparagus crown submerged beneath a mound of dirt and using specialised equipment to blind harvest– which led to reduced yields as it was difficult to perform without damaging the crop. Many Australian farmers now employ an innovative system that sees white asparagus grown beneath black polyhouses- essentially a large dark greenhouse, a huge step forward, this farming method achieves wonderful colour, flavour and allows for simpler harvesting practices.