FOUR SEASONS IN ONE DAY

Q: Are seasonal guides redundant now that many produce lines are available year round?

Despite all evidence to the contrary, February is the last month of Summer and soon the hot, sunny days (we were supposed to have) will begin to give way to cooler Autumn months. Inevitably, the changing of the seasons brings new fashion and food trends, which for chef’s means a revamp of the menu.

So, to help ease the burden of menu planning we thought we would literally give you four seasons in one day and attach our new SG&S seasonal charts to this week’s bulletin. These charts serve as a quick reference guide to the fruit & veges you can expect to see in the markets each month.

These charts are also hosted on the Season’s Best section of our blog, however for those who want something more permanent to keep in their kitchen, contact SG&S and we will issue you with a laminated poster version which covers the full year.

Seasonal supply does vary, with individual lines arriving at the market early, late or in fits and starts due to unexpected weather conditions. So, keep an eye on our weekly buyer’s guide. Posted on our blog each Tuesday, these guides outline the week’s best buys, new season stock and any notable gaps in supply. To receive these updates directly, click on the follow button on the blog homepage and enter your email address.

 

Happy planning!

 

A: In short, no! We may not live by the Cordoba Calendar anymore (Google that when your bored!) but knowing your seasonal produce is the best way to serve up a cost-effective and reliable menu- rain, hail or shine.  Not only will the fruit and veg you use be abundant and therefore cheaper, it  will also be more nutritional and taste better, having been harvested at its peak and spared from travelling long distances.


BOIL 'EM, MASH 'EM, STICK 'EM IN A STEW

Q: How do you prolong the shelf life of potatoes? 

They may be getting a bad rap from peppy, anti-carb personal trainers the world over at the moment, but the humble ‘taiter’ is still one of the most versatile and cost-effective foods on the market. Yet another successful member of the Nightshade family, potatoes are the world’s largest vegetable crop and fourth largest food crop, with over 330 million tonnes produced worldwide in 2009. While consumption varies per region and the latest fad diet, the average global citizen consumes 33kg of the starchy tuber every year.

There are thousands of potato varieties, hundreds of which are edible, with more being developed all the time. Commercial varieties are categorised and bought in a number of ways; whether they are washed or brushed, size, texture and/or specific variety.

Washed potatoes are efficient, no washing on site means  less man hours and a shiny skin on arrival. The washed potatoes sold by Simon George & Sons are mostly Coliban which is a tasty, all rounder which is available in a variety of sizes. Varieties can vary under the ‘washed’ banner and all potatoes can be pre-washed or peeled on request. Meanwhile, the ever faithful Sebago represents for the ‘dirty brushed’ and ‘chipped’ category. Keeping the dirt on the skin helps protect the potato from moisture and light, which prolongs shelf life and balances the effort involved in washing at a later date.

Size matters when it comes to potatoes. Cocktails and Chat potatoes are bought purely on size, not variety. When you buy these sizes, you can expect washed, all-rounders that have white skin and flesh. The main size classifications you will see for spuds include:

  • Large
  • Medium (Table)
  • Small (Chat)- over 70grams but smaller than medium (table)
  • Cocktail Chat - under 70grams, usually 2-3cm in diameter

The texture of the spud is determined by the amount of starch in the potato and therefore directly influences its preparation. Textures range from waxy to floury, with all-rounders falling somewhere in-between:

  • Waxy- less starch (16-18%) and higher moisture, therefore best for salads, stews, soups or anything where you want the potato to hold shape
  • All Rounder: Are neither definitively waxy or floury and therefore tend to be good for most types of cooking.
  • Floury/Starchy:  higher starch (20-22%) and less moisture. Release starch when boiled or fried, therefore best for baking in skins and mashing as they fluff up beautifully. If you want to whip up freedom fries or a salad with floury varieties, they will need to be soaked first.

As there are so many different types of potatoes available, we have broken them down into something more palatable:

Needless to say we haven’t included every potato in the list above. Other spud favourites that deserve a mention are:

  • Waxy:                      Patrone, Bintje, Ruby Lou
  • All Rounder:      Golden Delight, Red Rascal, Spunta, Toolangi Delight
  • Floury:                   Russet Burbank, Kennebec

To discuss these and other tasty potato varieties, contact Simon George & Sons on (02) 9519 1411.

A: Potatoes are a demanding lot when it comes to storage. To maximise shelf life and ensure they don’t darken when cooking, they should be stored in a cool (not cold), dry, dark environment with good airflow and no onions! (When onions and potatoes are stored together, they release gases that can cause rot.) Check stock regularly and remove any that are soft, shrivelled or sprouting, like bad apples they will taint the lot.

Also, watch for ‘greening’. To maximise the tubers chance of producing more potato plants, they contain low levels of toxic chemicals (glycoalkaloids) which deter predators from eating the tuber when unearthed. If a potato is exposed to light or damaged, it triggers this protective measure and the production of glycoalkaloids increases. At their most potent in the sprouts, these chemicals can cause anything from food poisoning to death.  Green spots on the skin (greening) are a good indicator of light exposure and are therefore a warning sign of toxicity. While all green potatoes won’t kill you, it’s best to toss them.

 


SOME LIKE IT HOT

Q: Explosive chillies?? How hot are we talking?  

South American food has seen a major revival in Sydney over the last few years. The strong South American contingent at this year’s Crave’s World Chef Showcase was a clear indication of the interest in South American flavours among foodies, while a Masterchef appearance by the 2 hatted Porteno team has seen Aussie barbies flaring to life.

The pepper (capsicum) is one of the most important seasoning ingredients in South American food, both the sweet and hot varieties are treasured and used widely. Unfortunately, the meaning of pepper tends to get lost in translation. Many varieties look very similar, and depending on where you are and who you talk to, peppers can be chillies, chillies can be capsicums and capsicums can be sweet peppers?! Clear as mud!

While Australians refer to Bell Pepper/Sweet Pepper as a capsicum, ‘capsicum’ is actually the genus name for the flowering plants that produce sweet peppers and their fiery cousins, chillies. Capsicums fall under the umbrella of the Nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, eggplants and the pepino. As we are now coming into peak season for Capsicums in Australia, below is a list of the main varieties you’ll see cropping up at the markets.

OH SO SWEET: These capsicums have a zero to low Scoville rating. A recessive gene in bell peppers actually eliminates capsaicin

CAPSICUM

Alias: Bell Pepper, Sweet Pepper

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOURS: Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, Red.
  • APPEARANCE: Large, block shaped fruit with 4-6 lobes and seeds on the inside
  • AVAILABILITY: All year, best between November - June
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet
    • Green is less sweet and slightly more bitter
    • Red fruit can contain up to 2 tablespoons of natural sugar
  • BEST FOR: Everything, as long as you aren’t looking for heat
  • TASTY FACT: Red capsicums are the most nutritious, having more carotene, lycopene, and vitamins than their younger green siblings.

GOURMET ORANGE/YELLOW:

Alias: Paprika

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOURS: Orange and Yellow
  • APPEARANCE: Similar to regular bell peppers, however ½ to 2/3rd the size
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year, best between October and April
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet
  • BEST FOR: A sweet, colourful addition to salads, also good for stuffing or roasting

 

HUNGARIAN CAPSICUM:

Image: www.marketfresh.com.au
  • COLOUR: White to cream
  • APPEARANCE: Similar in size and shape to Gourmet Capsicum range
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year, best between November to March
  • BEST FOR: Goulash! Salads, stuffing or roasting

 

BULLHORN:

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOUR: Red, Green, Yellow
  • APPEARANCE: Long, curved and tapered to a point
  • AVAILABILITY: October to March
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet, fruity
  • BEST FOR: Stuffing or as a substitute for bell peppers

BABY CAPSICUM- VINE SWEET:

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOUR: Yellow to Red
  • APPEARANCE: Mini capsicums between 5-7cms
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet and crunchy
  • BEST FOR: Salads, Stir fries, gourmet presentation

 

IL BELLO ROSSO (BABY RED CAPSICUMS):

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOUR: Red
  • APPEARANCE: Mini capsicums between 5-7cms
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet and mild
  • BEST FOR: Salads, Stir fries, gourmet presentation

BRING ON THE HEAT: These chillies have capsaicin present in the white pith around the seeds and the seeds themselves, the capsaicin is what brings on the burn.  

LONG CHILLIES:

Alias: Cayenne Pepper

Image: Simon George & Sons
  • COLOUR: Green to Red, depending on stage of maturity. Green is immature, red is ripe.
  • APPEARANCE: Long and slender, tapering to a point.
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year, best between September and March as cooler months affect the heat of the chilli
  • FLAVOUR: Range from Mild and Sweet to moderately hot
    • Green: Hot
    • Red: Sweet and spicy
  • THE BURN: Hot. Similar to Tabasco. Scoville = 30,000- 60,000
  • BEST FOR: Indian, Chinese, Indonesian and Thai Cuisine

 

Image: Simon George & Sons

JALAPENO:

  • COLOUR: Green (sometimes allowed to mature to red)
  • APPEARANCE: Medium sized, 5-9cm long, firm
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year
  • FLAVOUR: Spicy capsicum
  • THE BURN: Medium- Hot. Scoville = 10,000
  • BEST FOR: Seasoning, spicing up sauces, salsa, soups

HABANERO:

  • COLOUR: Unripe habaneros are green but when mature can be orange, red, brown, pink or even white
  • APPEARANCE: Habaneros are short and look like a small bell pepper with the air sucked out.
  • AVAILABILITY: All year, best in Nov-Mar
  • FLAVOUR: Hot and Spicy with a hint of citrus/tropical
  • THE BURN: The deep burn, the Habanero is one of the hottest available averaging between 100,000-350,000 on the Scoville scale (some have been known to hit 600,000)
  • BEST FOR: An angry sauce!

BIRDS EYE:

Alias: Thai Chilli

  • COLOUR: Red when mature, but can also be yellow, purple or black
  • APPEARANCE: Small and round, lots of seeds
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year
  • FLAVOUR: Punchy
  • THE BURN: Hot!! Scoville = 50-000 to 100,000
  • BEST FOR: Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes- adding heat to pasta, soups, sauces, salads and dips

BANANA CHILLI

Alias: Hungarian Yellow Wax

Image: www.marketfresh.com.au
  • COLOUR: Yellow to orange.
  • APPEARANCE: Curved, comes to a point. Thick, waxy flesh
  • AVAILABILITY: All Year
  • FLAVOUR: Sweet and Hot, similar in heat to a Jalapeno
  • THE BURN: Medium-Hot. Scoville = 5,000 – 10,000
  • BEST FOR: Stuffing, soups, sauces and salads

BISHOP’S CROWN:

Alias: Christmas Bell

Image: chilipeppermadness.com
  • COLOUR: Immature is pale green, matures to red
  • APPEARANCE: Distinct wings on 3 to 4 pods
  • AVAILABILITY: In height of season
  • FLAVOUR: Fruity and spicy
  • THE BURN: Medium- Hot. Scoville = 5,000- 30,000
  • BEST FOR: Salsa, stir fries, drying or pickling

A: The hottest chilli recorded to date is the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper which recorded over 1,400,000 on the Scoville rating. They’re so hot they come with a safety warning! “Exposure to the eye or skin near the eyes when handling this pepper could cause temporary blindness. While preparing the Butch T, one should wear a chemical mask or a body suit to defend against fumes given off in the cooking process.” To give you an idea of how hot that is, the second strongest chilli in the world, the Bhut Jolokia, is being used by the Indian military as an anti-terrorist measure. Used as Chilli Grenades they choke the enemy's respiratory tract, leaving targets barely able to breathe, while their eyes, throat and skin, burn and sting. Now that’s explosive.

 

 


BATTLE OF THE SEXES

 Q: What makes a good Zucchini Flower?

 Zucchini Flowers are a delicacy all over the world. In fact in Mexican cooking, the flower is often preferred over the fruit. Many people aren’t aware however, that not only is the zucchini technically a fruit, but the much loved zucchini flower has a sex, with both male and female flowers available in Australia.

 The female flowers are distinguishable as the golden blossom is on the end of the baby zucchini itself. These are perfect for dishes where both the fruit and the flower are to be used. A perfect example is this Gourmet Traveller recipe for Zucchini Flower, mint and pecorino penne. http://gourmettraveller.com.au/zucchini-flower-mint-and-pecorino-penne.htm  

 Male flowers grow on the stem of the zucchini plant and are slightly smaller. They are ideal for dishes where the Zucchini Flower is the hero and the fruit is not required. Not only are they more economical than their female counterparts, but the long stems make preparation and cooking without damaging the delicate bloom much easier.

 A: Choose flowers that are firm at the tip, not wilted, with petals slightly open. If you intend to stuff the flower it is easier to buy the flower more open, however it is crucial to use them promptly as they perish quickly.