"ideas on the freshest produce this season coupled with gourmet recipes for the freshest produce in town
What's fresh?
Mangoes
EIrresistible Kensington Pride mangoes from the Northern Territory are sweet and tangy. Add sliced mango to a salad, team with strawberries and passionfruit or a quick dessert
Fragrant and sweet-eating Queensland and Western Australian strawberries are plentiful. Poach hulled strawberries in blood orange juice for 2 mins. Serve drizzled over vanilla ice cream or thick natural yoghurt
Loaded with healthy boosting antioxidants, fresh blueberries are a bargain, $2-$3 a punnet, and Jumbo blueberries are $4-$5 a punnet. Make a healthy blueberry fool by lightly crushing blueberries and folding through natural yoghurt with a drizzle of honey.
Pineapples do not ripen further after harvesting. Once cut, cover and refrigerate. Serve sliced, diced, crushed or pureed.A tasty way to enjoy pineapple in Spring is to team it with chilli and make a refreshing pineapple and chilli salsa. It's delicious and served with salmon.
If you are looking for a vegetable with a difference, try tender, nutty-flavoured Sydney basin-grown broad beans. To prepare broad beans, simply remove the pods from the shell, then boil or microwave until just tender. Broad beans have a delicate flavour, which is complemented by flavourings like olives, fresh herbs or garlic.
Spring is a great time to enjoy quality watercress. Rich in vitamin C, this leafy green is delicious, teamed with smoked fish, tomatoes, potatoes, lamb, citrus, and pear, and it is perfect for adding to stir-fries
Mushrooms are tops for value and versatility. Buttons are mildly flavoured; enjoy them raw and marinated in a salad or thread onto skewers with chicken and zucchini and sizzle on the barbecue
Vibrant-coloured spring beetroot is well priced this week. Individually wrap whole beets in foil and roast at 180ºC for 1 hour or until tender. Alternatively, gently boil for about the same time.
Sometimes called English spinach, fresh spinach can be used in warm or cold salads or cooked. Select delicate stems and leaves that are tender and bright green; check out spinach this week
