1. Preserves
It’s not exactly in-season produce, but homemade preserves are about to become your best friend this February. Just when stone fruits, berries and all the other gorgeous summer goodies are starting to come to their last legs, buy a big box of seconds, cook them up and put ’em in a jar to be enjoyed all year long! Make a jam, chutney or bottled preserve out of your favourite summer produce, such as this plum and vanilla jam, this peach and kaffir lime chutney or these fabulous fruit jars.
Find more divine recipes here, so you can keep summer going forever!
2. Rockmelon
Get your fix of fresh fruit this month from the rockmelon, a melon of Italian origin that might just make you feel as though you’re eating a breakfast platter overlooking the Mediterranean. It’s delicious in many forms, but we particularly love it sliced and wrapped with prosciutto, elevated with a creamy ricotta stuffing if you’re feeling a bit fancy. Explore this sweet/savoury pairing more by trying our rockmelon and poached chicken salad for a delightful summer side dish. Or you could keep things sweet with this deliciously refreshing (and refined-sugar-free) rockmelon sorbet, which is so elegant when served on slices of fresh papaya.
3. Blackberries
One berry that we’re happy is hanging around this month is the blackberry, which is just as delicious in your cooking as it is eaten straight from the bramble. To really appreciate its pop of tart but sweet juiciness, try a slice of this blackberry and apple tea cake (served with a dollop of blackberry cream, of course) or this plum and blackberry crumble, which makes a gorgeous pair out of two summer favourites. Blackberries also lend their flavour beautifully to savoury dishes, so try these crispy chicken thighs drizzled with blackberry vinaigrette or this succulent venison with blackberry and wine-braised cabbage.
4. Mango
There’s nothing so satisfying as the sweet, sticky goodness of fresh mango, even if it does go all over your face and fingers (and just about everywhere else). If you’re looking for new ways to experiment with this tropical delight, pretty much anything combined with coconut is guaranteed to be a winner. We love these refreshing dairy-free coconut and mango popsicles, this lime-spike mousse and these vegan coconut fritters with mango, chilli and lime. These spicy lemongrass pork burgers are also worth a try – the mango slaw filling is just what a summer barbecue calls for!
To find more scrumptious ideas for cooking with mango, click here.
5. Pineapple
Another joy sent from the tropics, the pineapple is the hero of many homes when summer comes calling. If the taste of pineapple makes you wish you were drinking a piña colada, try them in popsicle form with this beach-ready recipe, or play with the pineapple/coconut combo in these little Caribbean pineapple tarte Tatins. You could also jazz up taco night by making a pineapple salsa for these steak tacos. Plus, if you’re looking for a new way to reduce food waste, create a breakfast or dessert that looks as good as it tastes with this coconut, honey and chia pineapple pudding, which uses the hollowed-out pineapple shell as the bowl – ingenious!
For more deliciously creative ways with pineapple, click here.
6. Bean sprouts
Summer is a great time to get experimentative with growing your own produce, and there’s nothing more simple to do yourself than sprouting mung beans. Just a couple of minutes’ work each day, and you’ll have delicious, nutrient-packed sprouts to flavour your dishes for a week! Our favourite recipes with bean sprouts include this pork and Singapore noodles dish, this spicy Thai beef and this sprouted mung bean and coconut curry. But really, you can put them in and on anything – from your sandwiches to your omelettes!
To learn how to sprout your own mung beans and other legumes, click here.
