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[01/03/2012] Fruit and vegetable consumption by poorer families falls 30%, figures show. More…

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[01/03/2012] Steamed purple broccoli with goat's cheese

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Hilary's Wholesale

What's in Season

Below is a list of what is in season this month!

At Hilary's we try to ensure that local fresh produce is available in season and that imported produce is kept to the highest quality and suitably seasonal.

There are 13 records in the database:

Name	Picture	Description
Bananas		The banana plant is not a tree. It is actually the world's largest herb! The famous long thick-skinned edible fruit is yellow when ripe. But remember to keep bananas on a fruit dish in the living room at room temperature. If you want the bananas to ripen faster place the bowl in the sun and never store bananas in the refrigerator. Depending on the type of banana unripe bananas are also cooked, fried or deep-fried.
Blood Oranges		One of the speciality oranges, they are so called because of the reddish colour of their flesh and rind. They are slightly more tart (and smaller) than normal oranges. They come in three main varieties, Moro, Tarocco and Sanguinello (the last most famous as a juice orange). If you eat a blood orange, you will get sprayed with juice, but it will all be worth it.
Cauliflower		Cauliflower is identified by its edible, rounded mass of curds. These curds are often mistakenly referred to as florets, but are actually undeveloped shoot tips. White cauliflower is the most commonly grown, but there are also cultivators with purple, green and even pink curds. If you are worried about insects, then you can soak your cauliflower for 10mins in salted water to draw out any insects hiding away inside.
Chicory		A vegetable or salad leaf comprising a white bulb of tightly packed elongated cones of overlapping white leaves with pale yellow leaf tips. Although called chicory here, it's commonly known as witloof (meaning white leaf) in Belgium and is called Belgian endive in the US. It's essentially a salad vegetable with a mildly bitter taste, but it can be cooked too. It's particularly good wrapped in ham, covered with a béchamel sauce and oven baked.
Kiwifruit		When you cut (or bite) through its thin brown skin, you reach velvety bright green flesh sprinkled with a ring of tiny, edible black seeds. The taste of kiwi fruit, which varies from sweet to tart, has been compared with a combination of other fruits, such as strawberries, nectarines, and melons. Kiwi fruit blends well with other fruits and makes a striking garnish, but it is also highly satisfying (and nutritious) eaten on its own. For the sweetest, fullest flavour, choose plump, fragrant kiwi fruit that yield to gentle pressure.
Leeks		Leeks are related to garlic and onions but have a much subtler, sweeter and more sophisticated flavour. They can be used to enrich soups or stews and they partner brilliantly with potato and with cheese to form tasty side-dishes and suppers that comfort and satisfy throughout the autumn and winter. Go for small or medium size leeks; large leeks (more than about an inch in diameter) are likely to be tough and woody. Leaf tops should be fresh and green, the root end should be unblemished and yield very slightly to pressure. Buy more than needed (around double by weight) to allow for losses due to trimming.
Lemons		One of the tricks to finding a good quality lemon is to find one that is rather thin-skinned since those with thicker peels will have less flesh and therefore be less juicy. Therefore, choose lemons that are heavy for their size and that feature peels that have a finely grained texture. They should be fully yellow in colour as those that have green tinges will be more acidic due to the fact that they have not fully ripened. Signs of over mature fruit include wrinkling, soft or hard patches and dull colouring.
Oranges, Large		Juicy and sweet and renowned for its concentration of vitamin C, oranges make the perfect snack and add a special tang to many recipes; it is no wonder that they are one of the most popular fruits in the world.
Passion Fruit		The passion fruit has to be one of the most intensely and enticingly scented of all fruits. Passion fruit can be enjoyed on their own, on yoghurt or ice cream, or use them to impart their magical flavor to a variety of fantastic desserts. Choose larger fruit whose weight indicates a reasonable juice content. The fruit are ripe when the skin is deeply wrinkled.
Pineapples		The essence of the pineapple is its juicy, sweet taste, which is best while the fruit is fresh. Once the fiberous core is removed and the fruit seperated from the shell, delicious and juicy slices can be carved from the remaining flesh.
Pomegranates		Pomegranates, with their associations with the East have always been seen as an item of luxury. Its distinctive aroma and subtle flavour, this has always been a favourite with the elegant and rich. To eat them, simply peel the pith away and eat the small juicy flesh that surrounds the little pips. Useful in salads as well as a fruit in its own right, Pomegranates are also used to make Grenadine, a deliciously aromatic liqueur.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli		Purple Sprouting Broccoli – The first intimation that spring is here. The tender florets are a joy and either steamed or boiled quickly can accompany any dish of fish or meat. And if you are a bit of a sauce fan, they go wonderfully with a Hollandaise sauce. Packed with vitamins and minerals, this is the one real treat of March. Get them young and tender and make sure you don't get any bendy ones. You can even eat the little leaves.
Spring Onion		Spring onions can be used for so much more than just adding to your Peking Duck pancakes. When raw or very lightly cooked they impart a wonderfully vibrant yet mild flavour where normal onions would be overpowering. Make some champ by folding chopped spring onions into creamy mashed potatoes - add some grated cheddar if you like - and marvel at how such a simple dish can taste so fantastic. Or combine with ginger to form the soul of a number of classic Chinese and Japanese dishes.

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