Our Canadian farmers offer an array of colourful, vitamin-packed fruits and vegetables. Let us introduce you to June's featured foods and new arrivals. Discover the best ways to prepare and enjoy them while supporting the local producers.
Strawberries
Strawberry season is, without a doubt, an eagerly awaited part of late spring and early summer. It's impossible not to enjoy a few baskets! Strawberries can be added to smoothies, milkshakes, pancakes or muffins, or even baked into pies, mousses or cakes. In salads, strawberries go wonderfully well with herbs (basil, mint, rosemary), balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and pepper. Of course, they can also be eaten with yogurt or chocolate.
Romaine hearts
Romaine hearts are the center leaves of the romaine lettuce plant. Several varieties are grown on our farmland. From a culinary standpoint, romaine hearts offer a mild, slightly bitter flavour. The small yellow leaves have the perfect texture for salads. Considered one of the garden's greatest treasures, this often-overlooked food can do much more than fill a salad bowl.
Did you know you can cook this lettuce on the barbecue? It's tough enough to withstand this type of cooking. Cut the heart in half, brush it with olive oil and grill. Hearts can also be braised, finely chopped for soups or pureed for soups.
Green onion
The green onion, like garlic, onion and leek, belongs to the lily family and arrives in early June. A staple of Asian cuisine, it may seem simple but tends to cause a bit of confusion, even among experienced cooks. What to do with the white and green parts? The answer: you can use them in their entirety.
The white part has a more robust onion flavour and a fibrous texture. Therefore, it is better to cook it than to eat it raw. The green part has a milder and slightly more herbaceous taste. You can eat it raw. Sprinkle it on dumplings, salads and soups.
Nappa cabbage
There are many varieties of cabbage, all with great potential in the kitchen, and Nappa cabbage is no exception! Tall and long, rather than round like its cousins, it has pale yellow, curly leaves.
It has a slightly sweeter flavour than kale and red cabbage. Its leaves are more tender, ideal for gently flavouring a recipe. Nappa cabbage is a classic addition to dumplings, vegetable stir-fries, fried rice, salads and vermicelli soups.
Bok choy
Bok choy is simply delicious when stir-fried and goes well with just about any food, especially wild mushrooms and ginger. Add a little sesame oil or soy sauce, and it becomes the perfect candidate for a delicious last-minute meal.
Try it braised or grilled to accompany burgers, hot dogs and barbecued meats.
Zucchini
Zucchini is a versatile and inexpensive summer vegetable that also arrives in mid-June.
Among the many ways to prepare it, you can eat it raw in a summer salad, bread, or muffin recipe.
Zucchini goes well with eggs or in a spread with yogurt and mint. It also makes a great yogurt and dill sauce or even enhances a chickpea and barley salad. You can also grill or fry it.
With all these options nature has to offer in June, our summer is shaping up to be a gourmet one.
