QUESTION TIME:
Q: What do eggs and potatoes have in common?
At Simon George & Sons we like to work closely with our clients, listen to their needs and then shape our service accordingly. So this week, I thought I would take the opportunity to answer our most frequently asked questions about produce. It is interesting that some of the more ‘commonplace’ produce on our quote tends to generate the most questions, for example one of the most FAQ of our team relates to the classification of eggs (what do they mean and how should they affect my purchasing decisions?). Meanwhile, the #1 most searched product on our blog (by a long way) is the humble potato – with people wanting to know what varieties are out there and how to use them. I have done my best to answer these questions below, should you have any products or produce trends that you would like to see featured on the blog, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
EGGS: Simon George & Sons is HACCP accredited for the storage and distribution of eggs
Purchasing eggs has become much more difficult. With no centralized classification system, egg producers can be accredited by one of any number of different associations, each with very different requirements to achieve accreditation. So what do these mean?
ORGANIC: organic and humane
Buying organic states that the eggs have been produced on a certified ‘organic’ farm by chickens who have been fed only certified organic feed/grain and treated humanely (roam free, outdoor access, no beak-trimming or wing-clipping).
Simon George & Sons stock 60gm organic eggs
FREE-RANGE: access to outdoor areas
There has been some controversy surrounding ‘free-range eggs’ of late, with the lack of a formal definition coming under fire. The number of hens per m² can vary hugely from farm to farm, however 90% of free-range egg producers in Australia are accredited by the Egg Corporation of Australia, which allow farmers to keep an equivalent of 2 hens/m². Free-range hens are housed in sheds but must have access to outdoor area.
Simon George & Sons stock 70gm free-range eggs
BARN-LAID:
Barn-laid is an alternative system to Free-Range farming- the chickens do not have outdoor access but roam freely around a multi-tiered barn that accommodates fundamental needs such as dust-bathing, scratching, enclosed nest boxes. Density of the hens in the barn varies per farmer and accreditation.
Simon George & Sons stock 60 & 70 gm barn-laid eggs from Llandilo farm
CAGE EGGS:
Simon George & Sons sells caged eggs in 50, 60 and 70 gram sizes, these can be supplied in tray pack or carton.
POTATOES:
There are hundreds of potatoes on the markets and with more varieties being developed all the time, the question seems to be- which should you use for what? Below is a list of the most common commercial potato varieties, their classification i.e. waxy vs floury and recommended use.
Waxy: low starch (16-18%) and high moisture content
Best for salads, stews, soups or anything where you want the potato to hold shape
Bintje
Dutch Cream
Kipfler
Nadine
Nicola
Patrone – the salad potato
Pink Eye
Pink Fir Apple
Purple Congo – avoid roasting
Red Delight
Ruby Lou
All-rounders: Are neither waxy nor floury
Lend themselves to a variety of cooking methods
Desiree – avoid frying
Kennebec – chip
Pontiac
Purple Jester
Red Rascal
Royal Blue
Sebago
Spunta
Toolangi delight - gnocchi
Floury: high starch (20-22%) and low moisture content
Release starch when boiled or fried, best for roasting, baking (in skins) and mashing. If you want to make chips or use them in a salad, soak first.
Coliban
Golden Delight
King Edward - mash
Russet Burbank
A: They come alive when you add fresh truffles!
While fresh black truffles are as expensive as they are delicious, they also add a whole new dimension to potato and egg dishes. Simon George & Sons has fresh Black truffles available, with extra class, first class and pieces selling by the gram. With the WA season up and running , the first of the NSW truffles being dug up this week and Tasmanian truffles yet to come -we are looking at a harvest to remember.
Eggs: add unique character to egg dishes without using a single gram. Grab a large glass jar and place a bed of rice at the bottom. Layer your eggs, truffles (wrapped in absorbent paper) and finally a knob of butter on top of the rice. Close the jar and refrigerate for 48 hours, after which the egg, rice and butter will all be infused with the unique truffle aroma.
Potatoes: with your truffle still whole and ready to use, why not add that gourmet touch to your potatoes and finely slice or shave fresh black truffle through a rich, creamy mash.
THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
Q: What does Kohlrabi have to do with broccoli?
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that the “beautiful rests on the foundations of the necessary” and nothing could be truer for the workhorses of the culinary world: root vegetables. Despite their functionality and crude appearance, root vegies are at the core of cuisines worldwide due to their flavour, affordability and nutritional value.
While Winter is the peak season for most root vegetables, Autumn sees early lines of root vegetables arriving at the markets- preparing us for the chilly months and comfort food to come. Here’s some of the more unusual or timely root vegetables to keep an eye out for this Autumn.
POTATOES:
While we have previously explored the most popular taters and their uses (see Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew post) here’s some strong Autumn varieties.
Burbank aka Idaho
When: All year, best Mar - Dec
How: The chip potato! Though also good for baking and roasting
Kennebec
When: All year, best Jan - Oct
How: Starchy so make great chips but also good mash, boiled, baked or fried
Pontiac:
When: Available all year but good buying at the moment
How: General purpose, though avoid frying. Density means longer cooking time but holds shape well and has minimal discolouration after cooking
Royal Blue:
When: All year, best Feb - Aug
How: All rounder- good cooking variety (roast, mash, chip, salad)
CELERIAC: aka Celery root
Availability: All year, best Mar – late Sept
Appearance: creamy brown solid tuber
Flesh: white
Flavour: rich texture & slightly smoky flavour - cross between celery and parsley
Selection: choose medium size roots that are firm, if the leaves are still attached look for healthy plump stalks
Preparation: Don’t wash until ready to use and peel tough outer layer. Think remoulade, soups, chips, or as a side (boiled, steamed, mashed). Raw they are often grated in salads (use lemon to stop discolouration once cut)
Nutritional value: good dietary fibre and Vitamin C
KOHLRABI: aka Turnip-rooted cabbage, Cabbage Turnip
Availability: early produce at markets now, best Jun - Aug
Appearance: swollen stem at the base of blue/green leaves, stem can be red/light green (white)
Flesh: pale green - creamy white and crispy
Flavour: slightly sweeter than broccoli stems or cabbage heart. White tends to be slightly softer and milder, while red is larger and has a stronger aroma and flavour
Selection: buy med size (larger = woodier). Look for crisp, good colour
Preparation: cut off base, trim stalks. To get the most value and nutrients, cook whole with skin on then peel after cooking. Otherwise, use much like a turnip- lovely raw in salads or roasted/sauted
Nutritional value: very high Vitamin C and potassium
LOTUS ROOT: aka renkon
Availability: Mar – Nov
Appearance: root (rhizome) with reddish brown skin
Flesh: slightly crunchy, white flesh with air holes running the length of the root
Flavour: sweet, crisp (maintains texture when cooked)
Selection: firm, plump and juicy with no soft spots. The darker the root the older it is
Preparation: Peel and go. Can be eaten raw like celery or carrot on a platter or in salads. When cooking it is recommended to blanch prior to cooking to avoid discolouration. Steam, stuff, caramalise, stew, candy or use in a curry or soup
Nutritional value: dietary fibre, Vitamin C, minerals- copper, iron, zinc, magnesium
HORSERADISH:
Availability: Mar - Nov
Appearance: white, tapered root
Flesh: white
Flavour: spicy, pungent nose burn- similar to wasabi or mustard (which are in the family)
Selection: avoid shrivelled or dry roots with soft or green spots
Preparation: fresh roots aren’t pungent but (similar to wasabi) the process of cutting, grating or grinding causes its cells to breakdown and undergo a chemical reaction. This reaction releases oils which provide the pungent aroma and taste. Once prepared, fresh horseradish should be used quickly or it will lose its potency (if left exposed it can also develop a bitter taste)
Nutritional value: antibacterial (good for colds) source of potassium, calcium and magnesium
PARSNIP:
Availability: All Year, best Mar - Oct
Appearance: taproot that looks like a white carrot
Flesh: creamy white
Flavour: sweet yet with a slightly nutty, peppery edge
Selection: pick small to medium size roots (large have a woody core) with a smooth, firm surface
Preparation: Best in dishes with prolonged cooking
Nutritional value: good source of potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin C and niacin
SWEET POTATO: aka kumera
Availability: All year, best May to July
Appearance: long, tapered root with smooth skin that can be white, orange, red or purple
Flesh: can be white, yellow, bright orange or purple.
Flavour: sweet - orange varieties are sweetest due to a higher sugar content
Selection: bright, uniform skin that is clean and smooth with no cracks or bruises
Preparation: can peel or scrub the skin. The options are endless, they can transform into everything from a scone to a chip- while also good raw in salads or coleslaw
Nutritional value: Orange varieties are best for Vitamin C, beta-carotene and dietary fibre, though all are fat free with good Vitamin C, A
TARO
Selection: choose hard, firm tubers heavy for their size
Preparation: use much like you would a potato - bake, roast, chip, fry or boil or chop into soups, curries, casseroles or stews
White:
Availability: May – Jan
Appearance: small- medium tubers with brown to purple/brown skin
Flesh: white
Flavour: somewhere between a potato and a chestnut
Pink: aka Samoan Taro
Availability: Jul - Aug
Appearance: small- medium tubers with brown to purple/brown skin
Flesh: white
Flavour: slightly nutty
Yellow: aka Dasheen
Availability: Jul - Aug
Appearance: large, long tubers with a yellow skin (avoid any with pink skin as this indicates damage)
Flesh: pale yellow
Flavour: nutty, slightly sweet, dryer texture- preferred variety for Polynesian cooking
Japanese: aka Sweet White, Mini Taro
Availability: Jun - Aug
Appearance: mini tubers that grow off the main tuber
Flesh: white
Flavour: sweet, moist – preferred for Asian/Japanese cuisine
JICAMA: aka Yam Bean, Mexican water chestnut
Availability: Jun - Dec
Appearance: tan coloured tuber
Flesh: white and crunchy
Flavour: crisp and sweet (cross between an apple and a potato)- high water content
Selection: medium size, firm with dry roots
Preparation: Use like apple or pear in salads (grated/chopped) as it won’t discolour. Can be used like a water chestnut in Asian dishes or chopped into stews or soups.
Nutritional value: very good source of Potassium, dietary fibre and Vitamin C
A: Believe it or not, they are related. They both belong to the species Brassica Oleracea, which also lays claim to Brussels Sprouts, Chinese Broccoli, Broccoflower, Collard Greens, Cauliflower, Cabbage and Kale. All deriving from Wild Cabbage, these strikingly different vegetables (in both appearance and flavour) have been deliberately shaped into their current forms through thousands of years of careful cultivation by humans.