Winter is officially here, and with its falling temperatures and cold snaps comes comforting seasonal favourites.
“I’m a big fennel fan,” says the owner of Biviano and Sons, John Biviano, in north-east Melbourne. “It thrives in the cold and grows wonderfully … It’s set to have a very good season.”
Biviano expects fennel to come down to $1.50 or $2 each (currently about $3.50 in supermarkets). Give the mild aniseed flavour a try in Alice Zaslavsky’s one-pot wonder, which uses the fronds, stalks and bulb in a vegetarian stew; or make Thomasina Miers’ one-pan cassoulet – a new take on Ottolenghi’s fennel gratin.
Brussels sprouts are also a fan of the cold weather, and are currently hitting their stride. “While they’re in, they must be enjoyed,” says Biviano. At about $13 a kilo in supermarkets, brussels sprouts come into their own when roasted with the right garnish, such as harissa and garlic (top picture), or can be disguised in Alice Zaslavsky’s colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes).
Root veg (carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, parsnips and onions) remain a safe bet this month, while leafy greens are prone to withering in the cold. Spinach is likely to shrink in size and spring onions will be thinner. Herbs are also likely to perish.
But Heath McInerney, co-owner of Sydney produce merchants Fresh Fellas, has another bunch of vegetables on his watch. “I’ve never seen celery so cheap in my life,” he says.
McInerney is selling bunches for less than $1 wholesale at Sydney markets, and says low prices will stick around for the next six weeks. A bunch costs about $3.90 in supermarkets.
Brassicas are also back, with broccoli (about $4 a kilo), baby broccoli ($3.50 a bunch) and cauliflower (about $3.90 each) reliable winter staples.
McInerney says capsicums remain “frightfully dear” – about $13 a kilo in supermarkets. To get better value out of your vegetable shop, he recommends substituting wombok for the humble cabbage ($6-8 a head) – a less expensive, more versatile and longer-lasting Chinese variety.
Fresh squeeze
Citrus season is in full swing which means mandarins are in their prime.
“Your imperial is definitely the number one pick,” says Biviano. “As early as next week, dare I say it, we might see a drop in price because we’ll have Queensland and local season available.”
For now, imperial mandarins cost between $3.99 and $5.99 a kilo. Other varieties, including murcotts, satsumas and clementines are also beginning, which is a fine excuse to make Anna Jones’s mandarin compote.
Navel oranges are now less than $3 a kilo, and cara cara oranges – a variety of navel orange with a sweeter pink flesh – will be around this week, before blood oranges follow in a few weeks.
Apple of your eye
Berries are pricey this month, Biviano says, but strawberries will be first to return.
“It looks like it will be a reasonable season from Queensland, but to begin with they’ll be about $6.99 to $7.50 a punnet,” says Biviano. “They’ll look fantastic and be bright red and beautiful, but they’ll be expensive. But by mid to late June, you’ll find that they’re back to that mid range of $3.50 to $4.50.”
Blueberries are scarce and cost almost $9 a punnet in supermarkets, and aren’t expected to come down in price for another three to four weeks.
Apples continue to cost between $3.90 and $4.90 a kilo, making them economical fodder for apple crumble or an air fryer apple cake. Kiwifruit is down to between 80c and $1 each, and passionfruit (the panama variety with red skin) are also good quality and about $1.50 each.
Pomegranates and persimmons are on their way out, with the last of Fuyu persimmons expected to linger for the next three to four weeks for about $2.50 each.
Buy:
Apples
Avocados
Baby broccoli
Bananas
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Custard apples
Fennel
Kale
Kiwifruit
Mandarins
Oranges
Onions
Passionfruit
Persimmon
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Wombok
Zucchini
Watch:
Blood orange: on their way in
Black and red grapes: on their way out
Avoid:
Asparagus (imported)
Blueberries
Cabbage
Capsicums
Green grapes
Lettuce
Strawberries
