IN SEASON FRESH PRODUCE FOR JULY 2010
FRESH PARSNIPS:
The parsnip is a root vegetable & belongs to the carrot family. They have a long history & have been grown in Europe since Roman times. The Latin name for the parsnip plant is Pastinaca sativa, which means cultivated food – ‘pastus’ means food, ‘sativa’ means cultivated. Parsnips have a delicate, sweet & slightly nutty flavour. Different parsnip varieties have very subtle taste variations & slightly different shapes. The sweet flavor comes about when the starch is converted to sugar, this happens in cold weather, preferably frosts. For pre-winter crops you can store parsnips at low temperatures (0 degrees C) & there will be some starch conversion to sugar. Look for smooth & firm parsnips. Small to medium-sized parsnips are the best quality, preferably around 5-7cm shoulder diameter & approximately 19-25cm in length. Avoid large coarse roots which usually have woody or fibrous centres. Refrigerate in plastic bags.
Parsnips are a very good source of fibre. They also provide some vitamin C, folate & vitamin E & a small amount of other vitamins & nutrients. You don’t need to peel young parsnips. You may need to peel or scrape the older & tougher ones. Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces & the age of the parsnip, they should be tender but still firm. Parsnips are often served with a roast or casserole but they’re also tasty in stir-fries, salads, pies, soups, soufflés or cooked with potato wedges. Try strips of parsnip drizzled in olive oil & roasted with a medley of other vegetables like kumara, peppers & onions. They may be steamed, microwaved, boiled or sautéed as a side vegetable. Traditionally parsnips are boiled & mashed together with carrots. Parsnips are a favourite with home wine-makers. Parsnip cake, similar in taste & texture to carrot cake, is wonderful. Parsnips are often thought of as a winter vegetable but are available all year round. They are sometimes a bit hard to get in summer.
FRESH SWEDES:
Swedes belong to the same family as turnips & cabbages. They have been around since the seventeenth century when the swede was developed, in Sweden, from a hybrid between a turnip & a type of cabbage. Different cultures have developed their own ways to use them. The Scottish serve them boiled & mashed with their traditional dish, haggis. In the American Midwest they are mashed & candied & in Finland they are casseroled with cream & spices. Swede is also known as Swedish turnip or rutabaga. Rutabaga is Swedish for red bags, referring to the purple, bronze crowns. Whilst quite similar to turnips, swede flesh is yellow orange, not white, & they taste sweeter than turnips. They’re more available in winter & are said to be better tasting after a good frost, hence the best Swedes in New Zealand are reputed to be those grown south of Gore in Southland. Although the leaves are eaten in many countries, it’s the edible roots that are commercially available in New Zealand. Swedes have a delicate flavour, great texture & are very versatile. Choose smaller Swedes, about the size of a cricket ball, with a smooth skin & firm flesh. Refrigerate in plastic bags.
Swedes are a good source of fibre & vitamin C & only small amounts of other nutrients. You don’t always have to peel Swedes. If they are fresh & young, leave the skin on. Young Swedes are crisp like an apple & can be eaten raw, either finely sliced in salads, or as a chunk for a snack. Traditionally they are boiled & mashed like potatoes, often with butter & cream added. They lend themselves well to flavourings such as nutmeg, parsley, coriander & black pepper. Swedes are delicious stir-fried, roasted, pureed, steamed, baked, glazed or pickled. Their remarkable ability to absorb flavours makes them ideal additions to soups, stews or casseroles. Swedes are available all year round, but they are harder to get in December & January.
FRESH NZ NAVEL ORANGES:
The New Zealand season is from July to October & imported at other times from Australia & California. Please note though July is the earliest that NZ navels become available & take until August for when they sweeten & are at their best. They are one of the best sources of vitamin C, one medium orange containing more than the recommended daily allowance. That orange would hold about 65 calories. An even greater percentage of vitamin C & other desirable properties, as fibre, are obtained when the pulp is taken with the juice. Best stored at room temperature. Valencia’s are hardier than navel &, generally, will keep longer.
It makes little difference to you & me & how we enjoy the orange that there is conflict over its introduction to Spain. Some maintain it came as part of the Roman colonization but others say that the trees were planted, purely for ornamental purposes, by the Moors when they commanded much of Spain 800 years later. There is general acceptance that the first-known orchard was owned by a priest, Vincent Monzo, just north of Valencia at Villareal de la Planta. And that it was Spanish enterprise that was responsible for the first plantings in America. New Zealand has advanced immeasurably in the production of superbly-juiced & flavoured oranges. This development has been phenomenal in the last decade or two. The Washington navel has become one of the principal sweet-oranges in New Zealand, being extensively planted in Kerikeri, Bay of Plenty & Gisborne because the variety’s relatively low heat requirement has proved especially suitable for our somewhat marginal citrus-growing climate.
The orange ranks third in the New Zealand household fruit-spending stakes behind bananas & apples. And, no doubt many are aware, but fresh oranges are one of the ‘superfood’ produce picks.
Regards, Glenn Forsyth.