Add yams to the roasting tray and to stir-fries for a bit of winter variety. They are plentiful from June until October. Also good mashed, they may be grated raw or sliced thinly for salads.
Yams are a useful source of folate and vitamins A and B6. The yellow and apricot varieties are even sweeter than the pinky-orange types. These crunchy little tubers, originally from South America, love ginger, orange and sweet and sour sauces.
Still talking orange, baby carrots are in good supply in supermarkets too. If buying bunches with leaves on, remove them as soon as you get home otherwise they will suck up moisture from the carrots.
Warren Elwin candies a mix of yams and baby carrots to make a tasty side dish, see below.
Dark-leaved cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) comes into its own in the winter months too, although it is available year-round.
For cooking tips, see Ray McVinnie's article: Know your cavolo nero and Bevan Smith's recipe for ribollita, that classic Tuscan soup which is a thick, comforting mix of veges, bread and cannellini beans, topped with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
It's hard to keep up but, unfortunately, cauliflowers are expensive again. They join kumara (especially the gold ones) and avocados which are off the menu for many of us. Fortunately brussels sprouts and broccoli are good buying as are Australian round green beans.
Green kiwifruit are our stand-out fruit pick of the week. Limes and satsuma mandarins are also affordable purchases.
What, no avocado?
Make a spicy broad bean mash instead of guacamole: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and plunge 500g frozen broad beans in for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove, strain and plunge in ice-cold water to cool. Remove the skins from the broad beans. Place the beans into a food processor with 2 cloves garlic, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 small green chopped chilli, ⅓ tsp ground cumin, ¼ cup chopped coriander, 20 ml olive oil and pepper and salt to taste. Process until smooth, or to your liking. Place into a serving bowl. Serve with crostini or as part of a platter.
Try pea and ricotta instead of avocado on toast
