Produce report

This week’s produce report is brought to you by the letter B.

Brussels sprouts, broccoli and bananas are good buys in a supermarket near you and all bring affordable variety and welcome nutrients to winter’s reduced fruit and veg offerings. As well as being nutritional powerhouses (both have vitamins C and E, folate, fibre and calcium in common) brussels sprouts and broccoli have cholesterol-lowering benefits, especially when they are steamed. However, they still pack a fair punch raw or roasted. Try Nadia Lim’s brussels sprout, apple and sesame Asian slaw (recipe on bite.co.nz) for those days when you are crazy for fresh rather than another side of cooked wintry greens.

Not crazy for fresh yet? Turn those sprouts into crisp oven fries. Separate them into individual leaves (include the tougher outer ones), cutting down the stems to release more leaves as the head gets smaller. It’s a slowish job, best done when you have time to chat (with an optional glass of wine) as you prep. Lightly coat the leaves in olive oil and roast them in an 180C oven on a baking sheet. They will take around 5-7 minutes. You want them a little charred and crunchy. Eat straight away.

After buying, store cruciferous vegetables in plastic bags in the vegetable crisper. They are ethylene sensitive so should be kept away from ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables. Other vege buys of the week are kumara and cabbage. Fruit buys are navel oranges, avocados, lemons, grapefruit and packham pears. Suzanne Dale