What’s in season April

This classic veg are a solid favourite side dish for years but we go beyond boring boiled beans. Beans with garlic are quick and easy to make and super delicious. Couscous with beans and peas is the ideal combination of veg and carbs. For something more substantial they also pair wonderfully with Asian flavours in this lamb with snake beans.

Quinces are rather odd fruit. They look like a cross between an apple and a pear, and as such seem inviting to eat. But if you take a bite of one right off the tree, likely you won’t do it again! They are however, lovely cooked, and make the most beautiful rose-colored jelly. Quince paste is known best for its place on any good cheeseboard. The slightly astringent flavour of quince is the perfect foil to the sweet creaminess of cheesecake, especially when doused in fresh lemon juice. This quince and vanilla cheesecake has our favourite granita biscuit base. Yum.

This creamy fruit is known for it’s ability to jazz up salads and act as an awesome toast-topped with smashed up with feta, but there are so many more ways to enjoy the humble avocado. From our Mexican quesadillas and chicken burgers, to grilled panzanella and sushi, this bunch of savoury recipes are perfect for lunch and dinner with your friends and family.

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Oh pomegranates, you juicy little bursts of deliciousness. Toss them through a salad, like this char-grilled quail with cauliflower and pomegranate salad, in a delicious dessert like these rhubarb, pear and pomegranate custard tea cakes or reduce them down in this date and rose pomegranate molasses for a tart, sticky salad dressing or meat marinade or click through our collection of pomegranate recipes for more.

Fennel makes a brilliant accompaniment to many warm or cool dishes, as it can be enjoyed cooked or raw. It’s a wonderful addition to both autumn salads as well as hearty Italian fish and fennel soup, seafood stew, baked pasta and savoury breakfasts such as baked eggs. It also pairs beautifully with certain cuts of meat such as pork and chicken.

Looking for more fennel recipes?

Say goodbye to overcooked broccoli slumped on the side of your meal. With broccoli in season this July it’s the perfect time to cook up delicious classics like this broccoli and cauliflower gratin or chicken and broccoli bake. July is soup weather which makes it an ideal opportunity to make this broccoli and kale soup. Like cauliflower, broccoli makes an excellent low-carb rice alternative like in this prawn and broccoli fried rice recipe, and is also delicious roasted like in this broccoli, barley and haloumi dish.

https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/broccoli-recipes-31890

This incredibly versatile sweet fruit are most often dried and due to their high sugar content they are often used as a sweetening agent in place of sugar. They can be added to cakes like this date and walnut loaf, and of course the classic sticky date puddings, date scones or used in stews, tagines, in stuffings or salads.

So many delicious recipes can make use of this versatile vegetable – from curries like this slow-cooked lamb and eggplant curry to bakes like whole baked eggplants, pasta dishes and more! No eggplant collection wouldn’t be complete without the classic moussaka

Nashi, a variety of Japanese pear, is recognised by its distinct round shape. Similar in sweetness and texture to other pear varieties, nashi is well suited to sweet recipes like this simple nashi galette. Nashi also pairs well with rich meats in savoury dishes like this pork cutlets with nashi recipe, or in this almond-crusted chicken recipe.

Get your fill of silverbeet this April as bountiful harvests bring the best this great green veg. The rich flavours of silverbeet work well on its on like in this silverbeet quiche or a classic spanakopita as well as adding colour and fibre to this lamb and silverbeet cannelloni or these beef and mozzarella meatballs with silverbeet and fennel. This hearty dhal with silverbeet is packed full of flavour, but requires minimal effort to make.