Veronica Wnuk says the produce that's at its best in February lends itself to warm weather cooking.
"Seasonal produce goes well with what you actually want to be eating that time of year."
The recipe developer and content creator — who lives on Bundjalung land at Tweed Heads, on the Queensland/New South Wales border — gravitates towards salads and the barbecue at this time of year.
This month, Ms Wnuk says she is prioritising:
- tomatoes
- zucchini
- eggplant
- capsicum
- sweet corn
- peaches
- nectarines
- mangoes
- pineapples
If the idea of prioritising seasonal produce sounds confusing, Ms Wnuk says price can be a helpful indicator.
If something is "radically expensive" there's a good chance it has been imported and is out of season.
"But, if it's cheaper, and if it's abundant, it probably is in season."
Sue Dodd from Sydney Markets — a wholesale market in Sydney's inner west — says she expects eggplant, sweet corn, capsicum and zucchini to be good value for money (and in good supply) in February.
Her top picks for fruit include grapes, figs, plums, peaches and nectarines.
Capsicum, zucchini and tomato
Ms Wnuk says ingredients such as zucchini, capsicum and green beans are all the types of vegetables she might throw into a quick midweek stir-fry.
Ms Dodd says zucchini are a "thrifty buy", with price estimations falling between $3 and $6 a kilo.
Zucchini is delicious barbecued at this time of year and can also be grated into fritters or other dishes. "A good vegetable to hide from kids," she adds.
Ms Wnuk says "underrated" zucchini is a great addition to a stir-fry or grilled side, but can also be used raw.
Using a traditional potato peeler you can create "beautiful delicate ribbons", or you could use a julienne peeler or spiraliser if you have one, she says.
"You could just have the zucchini ribbons as they are with some olive oil, salt and pepper, or make a sort of soy, sriracha, sesame oil dressing."
Ms Dodd says red capsicum prices are finally falling in price (after weather events made then unusually expensive throughout January).
They're also versatile and as the weather cools in some states you can transition from using them in salads to stirfrys, pastas and casseroles.
"Choose firm capsicums with smooth skin" and expect to pay between five to 10 dollars a kilo, Ms Dodd says.
Tomatoes are delicious at this time of year, Ms Wnuk says.
"You can make them shine just by themselves."
"Something that I posted last year that was really popular was tomatoes — you can do it with fresh tomatoes or roasted — on a bed of whipped feta and then you can have that with some grilled chicken, some steak or some roast vegetables."
Ms Dodd says we'll continue to see high-quality tomatoes through February, including saucing tomatoes from Victoria.
Grapes, stone fruit and pineapples
February brings fruit that "can be incorporated into dinner", Ms Wnuk says.
For example, a salad of zucchini ribbons, peaches and goat's cheese "looks so beautiful on the plate [and] tastes a little bit more interesting".
Ms Dodd says she still expects to see good quality and well-priced stone fruit — plums, peaches and nectarines — this month.
It's also a good time to enjoy the many varieties of grapes on offer, Ms Dodd says.
"Through February to March is the peak season for grapes and we're seeing some beautiful grapes come to market now."
While they're perfect for snacking as is, Ms Dodd says you can also pop them into salads, freeze them as a cool treat, add them to a charcuterie or cheese board or roast them.
Ms Wnuk also loves cooking peaches and plums into a crumble or grilling nectarines on the barbecue and serving with vanilla yoghurt for dessert.
Where she is, Ms Wnuk says she's lucky to have mangoes, papaya, pineapples and passionfruit at local markets this month.
"I feel like that's all really effortless fruit to eat and serve."
Those fruits also easily lend themselves to pavlova, she says.
It is also the time of year for one of Ms Dodd's personal favourites, figs.
"You can't go past some beautiful figs."
Just add some gorgonzola and honey and serve, she says.
