October is a great month for vegetables in Australia, with peak asparagus season and snow peas coming in, while whole heads of cauliflower and cabbage are at low prices. However, watermelons are looking worse for wear, according to buyers.
“It’s peak asparagus season,” says Graham Gee, senior buyer at the Happy Apple in Melbourne. When it comes in, and conditions are favourable, “it just bolts” through the soil, he says. At the Happy Apple, bunches of asparagus are selling for $2 and at the supermarkets they’re between $1.50-$2.50 each.
Easy Lunch Ideas and Cabbage Bargains
Land an easy win for lunch and use the stalks in Joo Won’s pajeon – Korean savoury pancake – which can be made in under half an hour. To extend your asparagus supply, try Kenji Morimoto’s asparagus kimchi – the fermentation process will take three to five days.
The year of the cabbage is going strong. This month large drumhead, or green, cabbages are filling shelves, says Elijah Etri, manager at Skippy’s Fresh Frootz in east Queensland – they have full outer leaves and “really big” heads. Michael Hsu, the operational manager at Sydney’s Panetta Mercato, describes them as being denser and harder compared to the savoy or sugarloaf cabbages. Hsu is selling large drumhead cabbages for $2 and at Skippy’s, they’re going for $1. At Perth’s Spudshed, they’re $2.50 each.
If you’re struggling to use a whole head, Alice Zaslavsky’s one-pot cabbage “rolls” will use up about a quarter of the cabbage – and she has tips for other ways to cook with it. You could also follow her lead and char the wedges, then drench them in a satay butter sauce.
Beetroot and Snow Peas in Season
Beetroots are in season and are growing pretty well, says Gee. “The quality’s been quite good … and they’re nicely firm.” They’re going for $4.99 a kilo at the Happy Apple, Panetta Mercato and Spudshed. You’ll need 1kg for Matt and Lentil Purbrick’s millet pilaf, which uses the whole beet – leaves, stems and all.
Spring also brings sweet and crunchy greens, like snow peas. Gee says while the quality has been good, prices are still quite high, around $15 a kilo. But as the month progresses, he says supply will pick up and prices will drop: “You’ll be looking at half the price or better.” A 1kg bag of snow peas is going for $4 at Skippy’s, who sell at wholesale prices; and is around $26 at the supermarkets.
Alice Zaslavsky’s tip for stir-frying is to blanch the veg first before throwing them in a hot wok – as she does in this recipe that pairs snow peas with tempeh “mince” and chilli oil. For another light and speedy meal, Yotam Ottolenghi simmers snow peas, asparagus and sugar snap peas for a vignole – a Roman vegetable stew – with orzo and lemon.
Pineapple Season and Brassica Bounty
After a “really rough” season, pineapples are finally having their moment in the sun, according to Etri – the warmer weather speeds up their growth. To pick a ripe topless pineapple, Hsu says to look for yellow in between the green grooves on the skin. Topless pineapples are selling for $1.99 a piece at Skippy’s. At supermarkets they’re between $4.90 and $5.90 each.
Benjamina Ebuehi pairs syrupy roasted pineapple with a crunchy coconut brittle. For a savoury option, make Meera Sodha’s vegan Thai-style fried rice – bonus points for serving the rice in a hollowed-out pineapple half. Hsu says that while all the “boring” fruits are doing well – pears, apples and navel oranges – there’s excitement to look forward to as the month progresses. Etri says we’re coming into stone fruit season, and at the end of the month the Queensland season for mangoes will begin. Australian grape season has also started, says Gee. While they’re quite expensive at the moment, around $15 a kilo, he says it won’t take long for supply to pick up. He says to keep an eye out for the sweet globe variety, which are a sweet and crisp seedless white grape.
There’s no shortage of brassicas coming out of Victoria, with cauliflower and broccoli in “good quality and good supply”, according to Gee. Hsu agrees: “There’s just a lot of them at the moment.” The Happy Apple is selling broccoli between $3 and $5 a kilo, while they’re around $4.50 at the supermarkets. Whole cauliflower is $5 at Panetta Mercato and $3.50-$4 at the supermarkets.
For the last of the chilly nights, top Thomasina Miers’ white bean puttanesca with roasted broccoli. Rukmini Iyer’s easy one-pan cauliflower and paneer curry is also a great way to up your brassica intake. “Any Asian vegetables are great for value,” says Hsu. Bok choy and gai lan are in good supply, thanks to the warmer weather. At Panetta Mercato, $2 buys you three bunches of baby bok choy, and gai lan is $4 for two bunches. The Happy Apple is selling packs of two or three bunches for $3, depending on the size. Put the leafy greens to work in Yotam Ottolenghi’s quick stir fry, with sambal tofu and pickled cucumbers.
Watermelon Warning and What to Buy
Watermelons are definitely a “no-go”, says Hsu. Gee agrees – they’re pricey, and not good quality. Hsu attributes this to cyclone Narelle at the beginning of this year which ravaged crops in central Queensland – a key growing region for watermelon. Avocado supply from Western Australia, the current growing region for avocados, has been limited compared to previous seasons, says Gee. As a result, Hsu says they have jumped up a lot in price.
Buy: Apples, Asparagus, Baby bok choy, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, English spinach, Fresh garlic, Gai lan, Lemons, Lettuce, Navel oranges, Pears, Pineapple, Silverbeet, Snow peas, Tomatoes, Zucchini flowers. Watch: Lebanese cucumbers (glasshouse grown), Mango (early in season). Avoid: Avocado, Limes (short supply), Mandarins (end of season), Watermelon.
