Seasonal Produce - March

The papaya, or pawpaw fruit as it is sometimes known, is grown in a large number of countries, which all have one thing in common – a hot or tropical climate. Originating from Mesoamerica, which would today be southern Mexico and Central America, this remains a popular crop in the area.

It’s a favourite for our chefs including our new development chef, Simon: “Don’t limit your creativity. Papaya is great in everything from salads, when the fruit is green or under-ripe, such as the famous spicy and delicious Thai Som Tam, to desserts, when the fruit is ripe and perfumed, adding a tropical sweetness to a variety of dishes. Papaya Crème brûlée is a particular favourite of mine, bringing an early tropical summer feel to a traditional dessert.”

Papaya is high in vitamin C, with an 80g serving counting as 1 of your 5 a day.

With the Patron Saint of Wales, St David, being celebrated on 1 March, it’s a great time to consider leeks. It is thought that leeks became a symbol of Wales after Welsh archers fought bravely in a field of leeks at the Battle of Crécy in northern France in 1346, during the Hundred Years’ War.

Leeks are part of the allium family and are a versatile ingredient, suitable for a variety of recipes. Development Chef, David Lively, loves the traditional soups which are based around leeks, saying: “cock-a-leekie and crème vichyssoise are tasty soups and a great way to celebrate traditional Scottish or French cuisine. If you feel a little more creative, try a leek risotto which is a particular favourite of mine. Just make sure you take care when you store them as their strong aroma can sometimes taint other foods.”

A source of folate, an 80g serving of leeks will count as 1 of your 5 a day.

Vertically grown rocket is a great addition to our British range. Technically, it’s no longer a seasonal option because we can now source this year-round with the same fantastic quality guaranteed from modern British vertical farms. Because it’s grown in controlled conditions, there is no need to use pesticides and there’s no need to worry about the weather.

Our vertically grown rocket gets just the right amount of light, water and nutrients, creating a product that our chefs love. Development Chef, Neil Thrift, said: “Vertically grown produce gives us an additional way to source produce. The weather that we’ve had over past couple of years has shown how important food security is and so it’s great to have a top quality year-round product that’s not affected by the weather or other external factors.”

Rocket is a source of vitamin A and vitamin C, high in calcium.

Kohlrabi, which you may also hear referred to as German turnip or turnip cabbage, comes from the brassica family.

Its taste and texture are similar to those of a broccoli stem, albeit milder and sweeter. Both the stem and the leaves are edible, with the leaves being used similarly to kale. The stem is perfect for slaws or salads.

Ian Nottage, Head of Food Development at Fresh Direct, said: “It’s a shame we don’t use this ingredient more as they do in other countries, particularly in Europe and Asia. It’s such a versatile vegetable and can be used raw in salads as well as in sauces, stir fries and vegetable sides. The larger stems can be very finely sliced and used in place of rice paper for Crystal rolls and Chinese pancakes. The fairly neutral flavour means it takes on seasonings and spices really well.”

Kohlrabi is a source of potassium and is high in folate. An 80g serving counts as 1 of your 5 a day.