Using ingredients which are in season can massively improve the taste of your food as well as being cost-effective. Recently consumers are asking more and more for fresh, local ingredients, so seasonal foods are the way to achieve this.
These are just a few of our favourite fruits and vegetables that are in season for June…
Nectarines
Nectarines add a sweet and juicy addition to any dish, they are commonly used in deserts for a good reason – they work excellently in many dishes.
However, have you ever considered adding this sweet fruit into a savoury dish, they are a great addition to a summery salad or served caramelised on the side of fresh fish.
Cherries
This fruit provides any dish with a sharp and slightly sweet flavour making it an interesting ingredient to use in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Historically this fruit has been used in sweet dishes to help introduce a sharp and slightly sour flavour to the dish, but it is increasingly introduced into savoury dishes.
You could try adding cherries into a summer salad or as the perfect addition to any dish like pork or chicken.
Artichoke
As vegetables go, Artichokes are one of the most interesting vegetables out there. This vegetable has many elements of edible parts so why not try including each part into a dish – even the edible leaves.
Grilling or baking the vegetables are a great way to get the flavour out of the ingredient but the most common use is steaming the Artichoke.
This makes an amazing and interesting addition to what before could have been a plain or simple risotto, or even a baby artichoke bruschetta – take a classic and create a seasonal spin on it!
Spinach
This is not only in season for June but is a very popular food as people are more health conscious than ever and know the benefits of eating spinach for their body. This is one food trend that has lasted the test of time.
You can eat this leaf both raw or cooked which can give you a lot more freedom than using some other foods, especially in savoury dishes.
You really can add spinach to any dish from pasta and risottos to eggs and pizzas. Try adding this to a dish where you may have usually used another ingredient or just to make it a little more interesting.
