In the spotlight - Asparagus

Admittedly asparagus are a spring vegetable, but owing to the fact that the blog has been running for over a year now, issues such as seasonal produce and food miles have gone out of the window in terms of which fruit and veg we are now spotlighting. They may not look very similar, but asparagus are related to onions and garlic - all belonging to the lily family - and similarly asparagus grow under the ground like their bulbed relatives. Another likeness is the sulphurous compounds that they contain and when these are broken down by the body they can give rise to the distinctive smelling urine that some people experience on eating asparagus. However, not everyone produces these pungent by-products and not everyone can smell them; as with the so-called "super tasters" of brassicas veg it is down to our genetic makeup and whether we possess a certain form of the genes responsible.

In centuries gone by asparagus was held in high regard for its health promoting properties and now we know that it is a rich source of numerous nutrients, that makes sense. Asparagus is a good source of Vitamin A, C and K, as well as thiamin and folate - two of the B vitamins; it also provides smaller amounts of minerals such as iron, copper and selenium. Folate isn't just beneficial for pregnant women; there is increasing evidence that it helps to keep levels of a substance known as homocysteine in check, high levels of which have been linked with heart disease and dementia.

There are obviously a lot of good reasons to eat asparagus - both nutritionally and because they are a delicious veg, as long as they aren't overcooked - so how are they best served? A few simple ideas might be to add them to a salad, grill them to serve with say chicken or fish, roast them with other veg or use them as an interesting pizza topping. However, they can be easily incorporated into a range of dishes; for example, in a frittata with peas and mint, they can be added to a stir-fry or pasta dishes. While asparagus soup or adding them to a casserole isn't an uncommon way to use asparagus, allowing this veg to turn soft always seems a shame, so I tend to prefer recipes that allow them to retain somewhat of a bite.

Feast your eyes on these recipes for further inspiration:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search.do?keywords=asparagus
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-173/asparagus-recipes.aspx
http://www.british-asparagus.co.uk/recipe_index_quickandeasy.php

Photo by Evan-Amos via Wikimedia Commons

In the spotlight - Pomelo

Apart from melons, fruit don't come much bigger than this, with pomelos typically weighing in between 1 and 2 Kg. A member of the citrus family, pomelos have much thicker skin, which starts off green, but turns to yellow as they ripen; all the pith needs to be removed before it can be eaten. The flesh can vary from yellow to pink in colour and has the same sweet-tart flavour that you would usually associate with citrus fruit. As you would expect, pomelos are rich in Vitamin C; a handful will meet your full daily requirement for the vitamin. Although it is native of South East Asia - so it's pretty high up there on the food miles - you can find it in larger supermarkets and specialty food shops.

In traditional cooking they are combined with seafood, papaya and spices. You can just eat a pomelo as you might a grapefruit, but you could try adding it to a fruit salad, a savoury salad or stir-fry.


Image by uploader via Wikimedia Commons

In the spotlight - Kohlrabi

Now here is a vegetable that probably doesn't make it to many dinner plates. Not the prettiest vegetable in the patch, kohlrabi is knobbly with various leafy stalks sprouting off its upper surface. It's most commonly green, but you may see striking purple kohlrabi too. Although it might look similar to a root vegetable, it is actually related to the cabbage. Don't let its alien like appearance put you off trying it, as you will be pleasantly surprised when you tuck in; it has a mild flavour and a texture similar to a radish. Kohlrabi is popular in mainland Europe, China and India, but it's time that its profile in the UK was raised.

If you were wondering what kohlrabi has to offer nutritionally, like other cruciferous vegetables it is a good source of fibre, with a 100g serving providing 3.6g. As far as vitamins go, a similar sized portion will meet your daily requirements for Vitamin C. It contains small amounts of various other vitamins and minerals, but providing less than 10% of your daily requirement, does not make a significant contribution by itself. Interestingly unlike other vegetables in the same family it is very low in Vitamin K, so anyone taking Warfarin can happily eat it.

If you are new to kohlrabi and wondering what to do with it, here are a few ideas:

• For a simple side dish, simmer cubes of kohlrabi till tender. Once drained drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with chopped parsley. This makes a good partner for a fish or chicken dish.
• Grate kohlrabi and serve as part of a salad or mix with grated carrot and onion to make  coleslaw.
• Thinly sliced kohlrabi makes a good addition to a stir-fry.
• Kohlrabi can also be stuffed. Remove the base and hollow it out before boiling for around 10 minutes. Stuff with mixed beans, a vegetable chilli or another mince dish, then cook at high temperature for about 30 minutes in the oven.
• Don't forget the leaves! These can be used as an alternative to spinach in dishes such as curries or why not lightly fry them with a dash of chilli and ginger to accompany a main meal?

Attribution - photo by thebittenword.com via Wikimedia Commons

In the spotlight - Kumquats

I was actually going to write about another tropical fruit this week - dragon fruit - but as I couldn't find some reputable nutritional information after a quick search, I decided to leave that for another time. Instead I'm turning my attention to kumquats. I always confuse these with physalis - the fruits with their papery foliage that often feature on the side of a dessert at a restaurant - which is understandable in a way as they are both small orange fruits; the two are also rich in Vitamin C and fibre. However, kumquats are more closely related to oranges, though they do not technically belong to the citrus family.

It's most common to eat kumquats as a snack - you can eat the whole fruit, as the skin is surprisingly sweet compared to the more sour flesh, though avoid the bitter seeds. However, don't alternatively keep kumquats as a decorative addition to a fruit bowl or dish, as they can also be used in a variety of ways in cooking. You can make sauces, jams and chutneys from kumquats or they can be used as an ingredient in baking and desserts such as cheesecakes. They also work well in savoury dishes, complimenting chicken, pork, fish and pulses nicely.

If you would like to look through some recipes that use kumquats try the following links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/kumquat
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-3420/kumquat-recipes.aspx
http://www.kumquatgrowers.com/recipes.html

Photo by Loadmaster via Wikimedia Commons