MARKET 5: BRITISH
Q: How big is the catering operation at the Olympics?
The world’s eye is fixed squarely on the London Olympics this week and while the weather has been mixed and the Badminton players suspect, the quality of the games overall has been exceptional. Beyond the individual sports, British culture is also in the limelight, so to capture the Olympic Spirit this week we are sharing our Market 5 for British cuisine. There is much more to British cuisine than Bangers ‘n Mash and to highlight the versatility of these everyday (and often overlooked) kitchen staples, I have included some world class recipes from some of Britain’s best Chefs.
1. PARSNIP:
While Don Burke may have controversially called parsnips an “affront to human dignity”, there are many Brits who couldn’t imagine a Sunday roast without them- in fact before the arrival of the potato from the Americas, the parsnip was a staple across Europe. So much so that during the Tudor dynasty, the parsnip was more commonly consumed than bread. Closer to home this cost-effective, nutritious and versatile vegetable is wonderful buying at the markets with quality, flavour and supply at its peak until October. For more information on parsnip selection and availability, please click here.
Host Nation inspiration: Chris Horridge’s Veal sweetbreads, parsnip air and curry oil
2. ENGLISH SPINACH:
Spinach first appeared in England in the 14th century and was adopted quickly due to its availability in early spring when other vegetables were scarce. Spinach was brought to Australia by the first fleet but as it was difficult to grow here, Silverbeet soon became the crop of choice. Today many still refer to Silverbeet as Spinach in Australia for this reason. At its best until September-October, Spinach is a tasty, healthy addition to the menu, especially while other leaf lines are battling with frosty conditions.
Availability: all year, best Mar-Sept
Appearance: bright green, slightly crinkled, flat leaves on a firm green stem
Flavour: bittersweet- finer in texture and flavour than silverbeet
Best for: suitable for eating raw, blanched, braised
Host Nation inspiration: Adam Gray’s Spinach soup with wild garlic toasts
3. RHUBARB:
Rhubarb is yet another ingredient that isn’t native to Britain, yet it is strongly linked to the national cuisine due to its popular use in desserts and wine making prior to WW2. In the United Kingdom, the first rhubarb of the year is harvested by candlelight in forcing sheds, where all other light is excluded, in order to produce a sweeter, more tender stalk. In Australia. Our rhubarb season peaks during Autumn-Winter, so now is the time to enjoy this tart vegetable at its best. For more information on selection or availability of rhubarb click here.
Host Nation inspiration: Nathan Outlaw’s Rhubarb and crumble trifle
4. LEEK:
The leek brings a Celtic flavour to the celebrations. As one of the National emblems of Wales, this humble vegetable root has a proud history in Britain and is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Brought to Australia on the first fleet, the leek is used widely in Australia with most production coming out of Victoria and an annual production value of over $16 million in 2007/2008. While it is grown commercially in other states across Australia, Victoria’s cooler temperatures allow for a top quality, consistent harvest over a longer period.
Appearance: long thick white stalk with hard green leaves
Flavour: mild sweet, onion flavour
Best for: commonly used insoups (cock-a-leekie), stock, stews and other dishes, they can also be boiled, fried or eaten raw in salads
Host Nation inspiration: Martin Wishart’s Leeks vinaigrette with eggs mimosa
5. PEAS:
Growing up in Manchester there was nothing I liked more than mushy peas- popular across Northern Britain (Scotland/Yorkshire etc) this signature dish has become synonymous with stereotypical English fare- in particular meat pies and fish ‘n chips. Realistically peas shouldn’t be featuring in our Market Five as they are very expensive at the moment (due to cold snaps in QLD slowing supply) however we couldn’t help by include this British classic on our list. Prices should ease over the coming month as the weather warms up, in the meantime Sugarsnaps are performing well and are a good substitute.
Availability: generally all year
Appearance: round green seeds in a long green pod
Flavour: sweet, juicy
Best for: mushy peas- other than this they aretasty raw or cooked- often used in soups, risottos, pastas, salads, sides
Host Nation inspiration: Nathan Outlaw’s Ham hock with pea purée and wholemeal bread
A: The Olympics (in this instance London 2012) is recognised as being the largest peacetime catering operation in the world and the Brits have stepped up to the plateas the first Olympic organisers to produce a food vision with a focus on sustainability. Over the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Olympic venues are forecast to serve up 14 million meals across 40 locations. The Olympic Village alone is being supplied with 25,000 loaves of bread, 232 tonnes of potatoes, over 82 tonnes of seafood, 31 tonnes of poultry items, over 100 tonnes of meat, 75,000 litres of milk, 19 tonnes of eggs, 21 tonnes of cheese and more than 330 tonnes of fruit and vegetables. Now that’s a mouthful.
IN THE FINEST TRADITION
Q: What is the oldest recipe collection in the world?
It seems that wherever you turn at the moment, Europe is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Whether it's the Euro versus the dollar, the babushkas performance at Eurovision or the early morning Euro 2012 matches - European Culture is well and truly on the agenda in Australia. So without further ado, this week we're featuring traditional dishes from the hot contenders at the Euro 2012’s competition and celebrating the fresh produce that makes them odds on favourites.
GERMANY
Red Cabbage:
Availability: all year, best Mar – May
Appearance: compact head of smooth red-purple leaves with small white veins
Selection: choose heads that are heavy for size, with crisp, bright leaves
Prep: when cooking add lemon or vinegar to water to protect colour, beware of colour bleeding into other ingredients
Traditional dish: ROTKOHL (sweet & sour red cabbage) - often served with winter dishes such as beef in buttermilk
Modern inspiration: Mustard and sage pork cutlets with red wine cabbage and lentils
SPAIN:
Tomatoes (Heirloom):
Availability: all year, fluctuates
Appearance: compact head of smooth red-purple leaves with small white veins
Selection: choose heads that are heavy for size, with crisp, bright leaves
Prep: when cooking add lemon or vinegar to water to protect colour, beware of colour bleeding into other ingredients
Traditional dish: GAZPACHO – raw vegetable soup served cold
Modern inspiration: Hand-pounded Gazpacho
FRANCE:
Aubergine: aka eggplant
Availability: all year, best Jan - Jul
Appearance: smooth purple fruit- pear shaped with glossy skin
Selection: look for firm, glossy, bright, skin. Should feel heavy for size.
Prep: highly versatile, can be sauteed, baked, roasted, fried, stuffed, stir fried, steamed or grilled
Traditional dish: RATATOUILLE – vegetable dish often used as a side
Modern inspiration: Yotam Ottolenghi's Indian ratatouille recipe
ENGLAND:
Rhubarb:
Availability: all year, best Jun - Dec
Appearance: look likes red celery
Selection: choose stalks that are crisp, firm, glossy and bright
Prep: once leaves are removed, cook and add to pies, crumbles or even slice finely and add to a salad
Traditional dish: RHUBARB & CUSTARD
Modern inspiration: Rhubarb semifreddo and pistachio cream with a honey madeleine
ITALY:
Tuscan Cabbage: aka Black Cabbage or Cavalo Nero
Availability: all year
Appearance: sold in bunches of long dark green leaves. The leaves are heavily bubbled with a thick, white vein from stem to tip
Selection: look for firm, plump stalks and bright, fresh leaves
Prep: traditionally used in soups and pastas or steamed, also a fantastic stir-fry vegetable
Traditional dish: RIBOLITTA: Tuscan Cabbage bread soup
Modern inspiration: Ditalini, borlotti bean and cavolo nero soup
RUSSIA:
Beetroot:
Availability: all year, best during cooler months
Appearance: bright red – deep purple tuber (often has white streaks)
Selection: choose beets that are crisp, firm, glossy and bright- fresh leaves are a good indicator
Prep: rinse in cold water, cook in boiling water, then remove skin
Traditional dish: BORSCHT
Modern Inspiration: Beetroot Soup with fetta
A: While many chefs have heard of ‘De re coquinaria’ (The Art of Cooking by Apicius) there is actually a much older recipe book in the Yale University Collection. The recipes are carved into ancient tablets dating back to approximately 1700BC. Originally believed to be pharmaceutical/medicinal in nature, it was only when successfully deciphered in the mid 80s that they were identified as recipes. Jean Bottero who translated the tablets describes the food as "a cuisine of striking richness, refinement, sophistication and artistry, which is surprising from such an early period. Previously we would not have dared to think a cuisine 4,000 years old was so advanced."
TRUE LOCAL
Q: With the urban sprawl of Sydney, do we have truly local produce available?
The Crave, Sydney International Food Festival is well and truly underway with Sydneysiders (and travelling foodies) basking in the glow of World Class chefs and the latest food trends. Despite its international focus, the festival keeps some things close to home. The 100 mile meal challenge, is a series of events that throw down the gauntlet to Sydney chefs, challenging them to host an event where their menu is made up entirely of locally grown produce. There are over twenty 100 mile meal events being held this year, with sustainability champion Jared Ingersoll from Cotton Duck going so far as to host a 10 mile waddle.
Outside of the Crave Festival, Sydney chefs are increasingly requesting local produce; actively embracing the market culture and the benefits of using seasonal ingredients with low food miles. A prime example is the redesign of Café Opera at the Intercontinental Hotel, where Executive Head Chef Tamas Pamer and Executive Sous Chef Julien Pouteau took on the challenge of using seasonal, locally produced ingredients in their signature buffet.
Simon George & Sons works closely with Sydney producers and has a strong offering of local produce this Spring, much of which is grown within 50 miles of Sydney, never mind 100! To prepare your palate for the 100 Mile Meals series, here is a snapshot of some of our best produce from close to home:
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Exotic Mushrooms- Oyster (white, pink, yellow), Nameko, Enoki, Gold Enoki, Porcini, Shimeji, Shitake, Swiss Brown, Woodear
Heirloom Carrots- Purple, White, Yellow
Carrots- Golfball, Dutch
Beetroot- Standard, Baby Beetroot, Baby Goldne Beetroot
Edible Flowers- Season about to start
Asian Veges- Most ranges
Zucchini Flowers
PANTRY STAPLES
Tomatoes- Truss, Cherry Truss, Roma
Hydroponic Lettuce- Baby Cos
Lettuce- Cos, Iceberg
Garden Vegetables- Shallots, Spring Onions, Radish etc
Herbs- Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme etc
Sprouts and Shoots- Bean Sprouts
Cucumber- Telegraph, Lebanese
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Silverbeet
English Spinach
Strawberries
Chicory/Witlof
Rhubarb
Lemons
Eggs
Get into the spirit of 100 Mile Meals with your own local produce menu. Contact Simon George & Sons for more information on this season’s best local produce.
A: Yes. Greater Sydney produces 7% of the state’s total agriculture and 12% of its total vegetables. The Sydney region overall produces 90% of the fresh Asian vegetables consumed in the state and 80% of its fresh mushrooms (Ecos Magazine). In 05/06, the Hawkesbury produced $61 million worth of veges, fruit and eggs, Penrith $32 million, Liverpool 19million, Camden $17milion and Campbelltown $3.4 million (Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036). Now that’s true local.