Discover what produce to enjoy in autumn and how to make the most of it
PEARS
Autumn is a great time to enjoy fresh juicy pears. This versatile fruit can be enjoyed on its own, grated into cake and muffin batters, sliced in salads, stewed as a topping for porridge, poached whole for an easy dessert, or roasted and served alongside meats. Popular pear varieties available at Woolworths are Packham, William Bartlett, Corella, Nashi pears, and Beurre Bosc.
ROCKMELON
Rockmelon, also known around the world as cantaloupe, sweet melon, muskmelon or spanspek, can be enjoyed fresh with sweet or savoury flavour pairings. Watch our video to learn different ways to cut and serve rockmelon, as well as handy leftover tips – such as freezing offcuts for a delicious smoothie.
SILVERBEET
Now’s the season for silverbeet! This leafy green can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways, from being cooked in a tart or pie, blended into a soup, being sautéed for rissoles or wilted for an autumn salad. It’s distinguishing characteristic from English spinach is its stronger flavour. The leaves cook quicker than the stalks, so cook the stalks first to ensure they’re tender.
BEETROOT
Autumn is the ideal time to make the most of beetroot’s rich, vibrant colour and sweet, earthy flavour. When choosing beetroot, pick those with a uniform shape, smooth surface and deep red-purple colour. They can be grated and enjoyed raw in salads, roasted as a side or even pickled to be used in sandwiches. The versatility of this root vegetable is truly un-beet-able.
RASPBERRIES
Bright crimson raspberries are ripe for the picking in autumn. Store punnets in the fridge, and just before eating, gently rinse raspberries and dry with paper towels. You can also freeze raspberries to enjoy them year-round. Frozen berries are delicious blitzed into smoothies or stirred through overnight oats. Have an abundance of raspberries? Use them to make a delicious jam. Find out how below.
ONIONS
So many recipes start with onion, and autumn is the optimal time of year to make the most of this bountable bulb. Be it pickled, fried, caramelised or enjoyed raw, there’s so many ways to enjoy onions. Brown onions are a staple due to their stronger flavour which is ideal for cooking. White onions are slightly sweeter and milder in taste and can be cooked or served raw. Similarly, red onions are mild, sweet and juicy, and can be eaten raw or pickled.
CABBAGE
Distinguished by its coarse, ruffled leaves, cabbage is a leafy vegetable suited to be curried, sautéed, blanched, pickled or fermented to make sauerkraut. Raw cabbage leaves can also be used instead of flour tortillas or wraps. Varieties include savoy, wombok, red and green cabbage.
LEEK
Autumn is the ideal time to enjoy leeks. A relative to onions, leeks have a similar mild and sweet flavour and are winners in an array of dishes, from potato and leek soup to pies, tarts, frittatas and stir-fries. Learn how to use up the various parts of a leek, as well as how to grow your own at home.
APPLES
Autumn is a great time to enjoy apples. With a large range of varieties to choose from, such as Royal Gala, Pink Lady, Jazz™, Kanzi® and Granny Smith, there’s endless opportunities when it comes to enjoying this crisp fruit. From eating whole as a simple snack to sliced fresh in a salad or baked in an apple pie or cake, discover plenty of tasty apple recipes below.
BANANAS
Bananas may be the ultimate lunchbox snack, but they’re also so much more. They can be baked into a banana cake, used in pancake recipes, grilled or pan-fried to caramelise, blitzed in smoothies or enjoyed on porridge. It’s no wonder why this versatile fruit is so a-peeling! Discover plenty of recipe ideas below, including how to make a waste-free banana bread using banana peels.
GREEN BEANS
Autumn is when green beans are at their peak. They’re so easy to prepare – simply steam and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon, or step things up by adding them to stir-fries, salads or curries. They add colour and a delicious crunch to any dish.