In the spotlight - Peaches

After a few weeks of covering fruits that masquerade as vegetables, it's time to go back to a fruit where there's no quibble over what it is, so I've plumped for peaches. No particular reason for my choice, though I do enjoy them regularly, even if they are from a tin - I find chopped, they are a nice addition to porridge.

• Although they originate in China, they have been referred to as "Persian apples" as they made their way into Europe via Persia along the silk routes.
• There are hundreds of varieties of peach and nectarines are not a separate fruit, they are a smooth skinned variety of peach.
• Italy is the 2nd largest producer of peaches in the world. No surprise then that the Bellini - a drink made from peach puree and sparkling wine/champagne - originated in Italy.
• Peaches are good for topping up your intake of Vitamin C and Betacarotene.
• There's only so many time you can have a peach melba, so how else might you serve them? Like a lot of fruits, they make a nice addition to fruit salads and cereal. However, they also work in savoury dishes - think salads and fruity sauces.
• They are a symbol of good luck and longevity.
• Peach juice is thought to be a good moisturiser and often finds its way into cosmetics.

Spiced peach couscous - a side dish with a kick

• Prepare the couscous according to the pack instructions, adding 3tbsp raisins.
• Cook a chopped red onion in a little oil until softened, then add 1 small diced chilli and 1 chopped peach with the skin removed - you can use a third of a can of drained tinned peaches instead. Stir and cook for about a minute.
• Add the couscous to the pan, along with 0.5 tsp each of curry powder, coriander and mint.
• Heat through for a few minutes on a low heat then serve.

Peach soup - a refreshing way to end a meal

• Drain 2 cans of peach slices (reserve half a can) and blend with 175ml pineapple juice and 125ml orange juice until smooth.
• Add 150g natural yoghurt, 75ml dry white wine, 1tbsp lemon juice and 0.25 tsp cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
• Chop the remaining peaches and stir through the soup.
• Chill until it is time to serve then garnish each bowl with a few raspberries.

In the spotlight - Aubergines

I've always shied away from cooking with aubergines, not that I dislike them - I've enjoyed them in ratatouille and moussaka previously - but the faff of having to pre-salt them to remove their bitterness had put me off. However, I have recently discovered that while not exactly a myth, it is not now necessary to pre-salt aubergines, as apparently the bitterness has been bred out of them. So with this new-found knowledge, I dug out an old recipe for an aubergine bake (adapted below) and off I went. I can now gladly say that aubergines will be firmly staying on the menu.

• Also known as eggplant and brinjal (and its literal translation from Italian is "crazy apple"), aubergines like tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. While some people with arthritis choose to avoid this family of plants, there isn't any good evidence that eating these worsen arthritis and in fact their antioxidants may be beneficial in slowing its progression.
• They originate from India and while we might be used to the purple variety, aubergines also come in white, yellow, green, two-tone and striped.
• You might not associate foods with nicotine, but aubergines contain the most of any type of food - tobacco also belongs to the nightshade family. However, the levels still remain very low - you would have to eat 20lb to get the equivalent of smoking a cigarette.
• Whilst perhaps being low in vitamins, they are a source of fibre and the deep colour of their skin certainly makes the purple varieties rich in antioxidants.
• Aubergine does tend to absorb a lot of oil due to all its air pockets. No one likes greasy aubergine, so salting them prior to cooking can help to reduce the problem of oil absorption. To salt an aubergine, cut into thick slices, add a generous amount of salt to the surface and then after half an hour rinse them thoroughly to remove the salt.
• You have Elizabeth David - an influential cookery writer - to thank for aubergine becoming an addition to the British menu. Following her travels, she introduced the idea of cooking with a number of Mediterranean foods to our kitchens.

Aubergine bake - serves 2

• Chop a small onion and fry in a little oil till softened.
• Add 1 chopped clove of garlic and cook for a further minute.
• Add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, a tsp of mixed herbs and pepper to taste.
• Stir and simmer until a thick sauce has formed.
• Meanwhile chop an aubergine into half-centimetre thick slices, brush with a little oil on each side and griddle for a few minutes, turning halfway.
• Place a layer of aubergine in the bottom of a small pyrex dish, cover with a layer of the tomato sauce, then repeat.
• Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese on the top and cook covered at 180 degrees C (gas mark 4) for 30 mins.
• Enjoy with a green salad and a slice of crusty bread.

Aubergine and chickpea salad - serves 2

• Chop an aubergine into half-centimetre slices, lightly oil on each side, then place on a baking tray under a medium grill. Cook on each side for 4-5 mins or until tender, then cut each slice into 4.
• Slice a small red onion finely and add to a bowl with the aubergine, half a drained can of chickpeas and a small handful of chopped coriander.
• Make a dressing by adding to a small screw-top jar 1tsp each of paprika, cumin and honey, the juice of a lemon and 2tbsp olive oil. Shake well, then drizzle over the salad.
• Serve with green salad and couscous.

In the spotlight - Avocados

• Another fruit disguised as a vegetable! 

• Native to central and South America, avocados are also known as "alligator pears", no doubt based on the appearance of their skin and shape.

• Avocados are a source of Vitamin C, E and various B vitamins.

• Unusually for fruit and veg, avocados are relatively high in fat, with one small avocado containing approximately 18g fat, though two-thirds of this fat is heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat.

• Avocados are thought to be good for the skin and a mashed avocado can be applied as a face mask.

• The flesh will soon brown once peeled, but adding lemon or lime juice will help prevent this happening. Avocados are usually served raw, as cooking tends to spoil them.

So apart from guacamole and serving in a salad, what else can you do with avocados?

• In some parts of the world avocados are incorporated into smoothies with other fruits and are also used an ingredient to milk-based desserts.
• Spread mashed avocado on toast as an alternative to peanut butter.
• Chunks of avocado can be used as part of a sandwich filling, but as they contain little protein, for balance you're best to team them with another source such as pulses or cheese.
• For a baked potato filling, combine half a mashed avocado with a small handful of grated cheese and a little natural yoghurt. Add cumin, chilli powder and black pepper to taste.
• Try stuffing the hollow of halved avocados - spiced bean salad, mashed hard boiled eggs with tomatoes or cottage cheese with chives are all possibilities.

Chocolate mousse - try this very simple dessert; you'll never know the fruit is even there

• Blend the flesh from 2 avocados and 2 peeled, chopped bananas with 125ml milk and 3tbsp cocoa powder
• Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving

Avocado and tomato salsa - the perfect addition to Mexican dishes

• Chop the following finely - the flesh from an avocado, a tomato, half a red onion and half a chilli
• Add 3tbsp lime juice and mix the ingredients well
• Chill for at least 30mins and garnish with coriander leaves

In the spotlight - Tomatoes

We all have those days when the kitchen cupboards are a bit bare and some creativity is needed to produce a meal. However, I find that as long as I have a tin of tomatoes and a few other ingredients, I'm sorted. The base for a soup, pasta sauce, curry, chilli, spag bol or stew, tinned tomatoes are a good way to bring a few ingredients together. They will keep for months in the cupboard, but I find that mine will never be there more than a fortnight. Fresh tomatoes are another must. Not only will they bulk out a sandwich or add a splash of colour to a salad, they are lovely roasted with other veg or as a bunch on the vine to accompany a meat, fish or veggie dish.

• Tomatoes are thought to have originated in Peru.
• If asked to name the world's most popular fruit, I bet you wouldn't have said the tomato, but it is!
• Whilst we are used to their red colour, tomatoes can be found in shades ranging from white all the way through to black, though you'd be hard pressed to find more than a yellow cherry tomato in most supermarkets.
• You might have heard of the pigment lycopene found in tomatoes. This antioxidant is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, notably prostate cancer. The lycopene content is higher in riper fruit and is most readily available when cooked, so tinned tomatoes, tomatoe puree and even ketchup are a good source. As lycopene is fat soluble, it's easier for the body to absorb when fat is present in a dish, so when cooking tomatoes add a little oil.
• For a non-foodie use, tomato ketchup is great for bringing up anything made of copper - the acids in the tomatoes remove the copper oxides that form on the surface, leaving the bright copper to shine.
• If you're after a bit of fun, head to Bunol in Spain. Here the annual "La Tomatina" festival is held, where participants throw an estimated 150,000 tomatoes at each other.

Speedy spiced tomato and carrot soup (serves 2)

• Chop an onion and brown in a little oil.
• Add a can of chopped tomatoes, a grated carrot, 1tsp ground ginger and 0.5tsp chilli powder.
• Simmer for 10mins, adding more liquid if required, then serve with some crusty bread.

Roasted Mediterranean veg (serves 4) - this makes a nice accompaniment to fish

• Peel and halve 4 red onions, quarter an orange and yellow pepper, and 2 courgettes.
• Place in a large bowl with 4 tomatoes and mix with 1tbsp oil and 2tbsp balsamic vinegar.
• Season with black pepper, rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano and sage (or whatever green herbs you have in the cupboard).
• Place on a roasting tray in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees/gas mark 6) for 40mins, shaking half way through. 

In the spotlight - Papayas

Stuck for inspiration for a fruit to write about, a friend's mention of the word "paw paw" was all that was needed to get me going again.

• A native of Mexico and Central America, ripe papayas are traditionally served with a wedge of lime and a pinch of salt.
• When ripe they lend themselves well to fruit salads, sorbets, salsa and smoothies.
• Unripe papayas can be used to tenderise meat and can be used in curries, stews, soups and stir-fries.
• Their seeds have a hot peppery taste, which can be ground to give a kick to savoury dishes.
• If you've never had a papaya before, don't be daunted by how to prepare one. Simply cut a ripe papaya in half, scoop out the seeds, then scoop out the flesh.
• Papayas are rich in Vitamin C and Beta-carotene, but are best avoided if you have a latex allergy.

Spicy stuffed papayas

• Brown a chopped onion in a pan.
• Add a 400g can each of chopped tomatoes and lentils and 0.5tsp each of cumin, coriander and chilli. Stir well and simmer for a few mins.
• Meanwhile halve and deseed 4 papayas, then fill the middle of each half with the spicy lentil mix.
• Cook in a roasting tin or dish for approximately 30mins in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C (gas mark 4).

In the spotlight - Potatoes

I tried to think of a fruit or veg associated with Easter, but I was stumped. Perhaps a fruit to dip into left-over chocolate? But hang on, Easter eggs would never last that long as to be surplus chocolate. I had to admit defeat and went with the idea that a lot of people will be sitting down to a roast dinner over the weekend and that whatever you have on your plate, potatoes will nearly always feature.

Although potatoes don't count towards your 5 A Day - nutritionally they are more similar to bread and cereals - there's no disputing that they are a vegetable. And a very versatile veg at that - boil, mash, bake, roast, chip, wedge, sliced to top a hotpot, baby new potatoes in a salad or if you're after something fancier duchess or Dauphinoise potatoes. As they soak up flavours, they also make an excellent addition to soups, stews and curries.

• Potatoes originated in the Andes and did not make their way to the UK until the late 1500s, though were slow to catch on - people were initially sceptical, as they weren't mentioned in the Bible.
• In the UK the average potato consumption per year is 103Kg each. If you think that's a lot, the people of Ireland and Portugal eat more.
• Potatoes are very easy to grow, so if you want to get started with "grow your own", they're a good veg to begin with. So easy to grow that they can reach big proportions - a gardener in Nottinghamshire was confirmed last year as having grown the heaviest by the Guinness World Book of Records, reaching a whopping 8lb 4oz!
• Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin C, various B vitamins and fibre as long as the skin is eaten.
• Chips aren't as new as you might think - they appeared in a cookbook in 1854. And interestingly, fish and chips were never rationed during World War 2.
• Potatoes were the first food to be grown in space - in 1995 they were taken on board of the shuttle Columbia.

Potato salad with a difference

• Add 500g new potatoes to a pan and simmer for 15mins or until tender. Drain and return to the pan.
• Add 1tbsp each of wholegrain mustard, clear honey, olive oil and white wine vinegar to a small bowl. Mix well and add 4 chopped spring onions.
• Stir the dressing through the potatoes and serve as a side dish for any salad.

Aloo Jeera - an Indian side dish

• Add 500g new potatoes to a pan and simmer for 15mins or until tender. Drain and quarter.
• Heat 1tbsp oil and add 1tsp each of cumin, turmeric and curry powder.
• Add the potatoes back to the pan, season well and stir through, cooking for a few mins.
• Garnish with chopped corriander and serve with a curry.

In the spotlight - Pomegranates

What springs to mind when you think of pomegranates? Sitting there with a pin pricking the individual seeds out, a bit of a fiddly fruit? It's probably for this reason that I don't buy them very often, but when I do, I remember how nice they are.

• They are native to the Middle East and Southern Asia and the English word pomegranate comes from the Latin words for apple and seeded. It is said that the Spanish city of Grenada is named after their word for pomegranate.
• They feature in a number of religious texts including the Bible, Torah and Qur'an.
• In Greece a traditional housewarming gift is a pomegranate, which is thought to bring good luck. It is also a Greek tradition to break pomegranates on the ground at New Year and weddings, presumably for the same reason.
• Rich in fibre, Vitamin C, K and folate, pomegranate is also very rich in additional antioxidants. 
• You might have noticed in recent years that pomegranate juice has become more popular - various studies have shown that this may benefit heart health. However, pomegranate juice may interact with medications to control blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as warfarin, so before you start drinking it, discuss this with your doctor if you take any of these medications.

Although pomegranates might not be the main ingredient in dishes, their seeds can be used in a variety of ways

• A colourful addition to salads, rice or couscous dishes
• Like passion fruits, they can add a crunch to a fruit salad
• Serve instead of grapes with cheese
• Stir through natural yoghurt
• An addition to porridge or muesli
• A topping for meringues, cheesecake or use instead of blueberries in muffins