INGREDIENTS 3

Makassar, 8 Maret 2018

• Apricot

Pronounce it : ay-pree-kot

A relative of the peach, nectarine, plum and cherry, apricots are fragrant, with a soft, velvety skin that ranges from pale yellow to deep orange. Inside there's a large kernel that will fall out easily if the flesh is ripe.

Apricots need a warm climate to thrive - in the summer most come from hot European countries, and there's also a short winter season for apricots grown in Chile and South Africa.

Availability

The British apricot season is from May to September.

Choose the best

An apricot's colour is not always a reliable guide to flavour, but steer clear of very pale varieties, and always avoid wrinkled or blemished skins. The flesh should feel moderately firm with some give.

Prepare it

Halve by running a blade around the kernel following the line of the fruit's natural dimple, then gently twist apart and flip out the stone. Brush the cut sides with lemon juice to prevent the flesh from discolouring.

Store it

At room temperature if not completely ripe (they'll ripen in a day or two in the fruit bowl), otherwise in the fridge.

Cook it

In tarts and crumbles; poached and served with double cream; or use to make jam, compote or chutneys.

Alternatives

Try peach or nectarine.

• Asparagus

Pronounce it : a-spa-ra-gus

Labour-intensive to grow, asparagus are the young shoots of a cultivated lily plant. They're considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, with a price tag to match, and have a distinct, intense savoury flavour. Sprue is the term for young, very slender asparagus.

While French asparagus is purple, the British and American varieties are green. In contrast, Spanish and much Dutch asparagus is white, as it's grown beneath the soil and cut just as the tips emerge.

All types pack a nutritional punch, with high levels of vitamins A and C, potassium, iron and calcium, and they're also diuretic, giving urine an unmistakable aroma (which, curiously, not everyone can smell!)

Availability

Imports are available all year round, but the British stuff, which is reckoned by many to be the best, is available from May to July.

Choose the best

The tips should be tightly furled and perky, rather than limp, and the shoots should be straight and firm.

Prepare it

Sprue needs no preparation other than a wash. For larger asparagus (which will also have more flavour), bend the spear until it snaps and throw the woody end away. If the ends still feel tough, you can pare away the exterior to reveal the more tender flesh beneath.

Store it

Wrap in damp kitchen paper, put in a perforated paper or plastic bag and keep in the salad drawer of the fridge. You can also store it in a glass or jug of cold water in the fridge.

Cook it

Boiled (for 3-5 minutes) or steamed (4-5 minutes, depending on size) then served with Hollandaise sauce or hot melted butter or chopped and baked in a quiche or combined with peas, podded broad beans, young spinach leaves and basil for pasta primavera.

Sprinkled with sea salt, brushed with oil and roasted (for 15 minutes) or grilled (5 minutes), then served with Parmesan shavings and a spritz of lemon juice, or wrapped round with prosciutto.

Alternatives

Try French bean or mange tout.

• Avocado

Pronounce it : av-oh-car-doh

Although it's technically a fruit, the mild-flavoured avocado is used as a vegetable. Native to central America, there are four main varieties: Hass (considered to be the best), which has a dark, knobbly skin; the pear-shaped, smooth-skinned Ettinger and Fuerte (of which a tiny, baby-sized variety is also available); and the more spherical Nabal.

Avocado is also sometimes known as a butter pear, because of its unctuous flesh, or as alligator pear because of the Hass variety's textured skin. Highly nutritious, containing vitamin E, iron, potassium and niacin, it's also unique among fruits in that it contains oil - but most of it is the good, monosaturated type.

Availability

All year round.

Choose the best

Go for an unblemished skin, and flesh that gives slightly if squeezed gently (though it shouldn't actually be soft). If you buy hard ones you can ripen them quickly by putting them in a brown paper bag with a banana (keep out of the fridge).

Prepare it

Using a small, sharp knife, run a blade all the way around the avocado, from top to bottom. Make sure you cut in till the blade meets the stone. Twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them. To remove the stone, ease it out with a spoon or, using a firm, swift action, stick the length of a sharp knife into it and lever out. Avocado flesh discolours rapidly on exposure to the air: to prevent this, brush with lemon juice.

Store it

Once ripe, keep them in the fridge.

Cook it

Avocados are best used raw, not cooked. Halve, stone and serve with olive oil and and balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette, or fill the hollow with prawn cocktail. Mash with tomatoes, garlic and chillies to make the classic Mexican dip, guacamole; or slice thinly with tomato and mozzarella drizzled with olive oil to make an Italian tricolore salad.

Source : 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/apricot

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/asparagus

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/avocado