It's the start of New Zealand's satsuma mandarin season — easy to peel and seedless, these juicy segments are the perfect lunchbox addition. They're equally great in a fruit salad, or in quick desserts and there's no shortage of baking recipes on bite.co.nz to include them in. But do also try them in savoury dishes: add to a broccoli, chilli and almond salad, or try orange and mandarin with radicchio and ricotta as a great side.
Broccoli, chilli and almond salad
Apples, pears, kiwifruit, persimmons, passionfruit and tamarillo are still good buying. Rhubarb too, starts coming into its own in May, so when the feijoas are less plentiful, console yourself with a rhubarb crumble (recipes on bite.co.nz).
Looking fantastic on the shelves right now are brussels sprouts — thank goodness we've all come to realise the potential of this member of the cabbage family. Look for small, bright green brussels sprouts with compact heads, as smaller sprouts tend to be sweeter and more tender. There are so many ways to enjoy these — cut in half and fried in butter until caramelised, shredded or shaved in a slaw, roasted with root veg, or, if you have the time, remove all the leaves whole and fry them up with shallots and toasted nuts, such as macadamia. See below for four other great ways to make the most of them.
It's very exciting to see lime prices are still at their lowest right now. Limes are a ubiquitous ingredient in many Asian and Mexican dishes (essential in the perfect guacamole) and give zing to seafood, plus they are a cocktail's best friend.
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, pumpkins (more to come on those next week) are all especially good buying too. And, finally, it's sometimes hard to get your hands on, but if you can, now's a good time to buy witloof, or endive or Belgian endive as the French call it. It's a leaf vegetable, with a bitter nutty taste and scrumptious raw in a winter salad.
Nikki Birrell
Shaved brussels sprout salad
Pumpkin, brussels sprouts and beetroot salad with za’atar cheese
Greeky brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts, bacon,walnuts and blue cheese bruschetta
