Potatoes a family food

Press, 21 October 1983, Page 2

Potatoes a family food

A good selection of new potatoes was available in Christchurch this week with varieties from Pukekohe, Nelson, and Oamaru. With the weather becoming warmer, new potatoes are a good choice for family meals and summer dishes. In hot and cold dishes, new potatoes are an important source of vitamin C and other nutrients, and contrary to popular belief, are not high in calories. Serve them in'salads, chowders, pies, curries, or on the barbecue.

Pukekohe and Nelson potatoes met a good demand at Christchurch produce markets this week, and Jersey Bennes, from Oamaru, were also coming forward. Pukekohe potatoes fetched $lO to $ll a bag, Nelson potatoes, $lO to $l2 a bag, and Oamaru potatoes, $7 to $8 a carton. Hawke’s Bay potatoes were also available earlier in the week, and fetched $l5 a bag. The quality of all varieties was excellent.

A full range of old potatoes was still available, with Ham Hardy fetching $3 to $4 a bag, Rua, $4 to $4.50 a bag, and Chippewa, to $7 a bag. The warmer weather also created a bigger demand for salad vegetables, most of which were plentiful. Lettuces sold for $l2 to $lB a case, and tomatoes were $l7 to $24 a case. Asparagus was. fully supplied, at $2.60 to $2.80, as were courgettes, at $4 to $5.50 a kilogram. Tongan capsicums were not available this week and local supplies were scarce. Prices were slightly higher at $7 to $7.50 a kilogram. Cucumber prices also

firmed up this week and shorts fetched to $1 each, and telegraphs were to $1.50 each.

Spring carrots from the North Island came forward and prices dropped slightly to $8 to $l6 a bag. Cabbage prices were also better with spring supplies from the North Island supplementing local supplies. North Island cabbages fetched to $2O a bag, and local ones were $8 to $l2 a case.

Spring onions and . radishes were plentiful and were selling for $2 to $4.60 a bunch. Broccoli was plentiful, and prices ranged from $l2 to $25 a case. Most winter vegetables are still available, but some are nearing the end of their

season and becoming scarce. These include leeks, supermarket squash, and beetroot.

A good selection of fruit was also available and exotics included honeydew rockmelon, the smaller smoothskinned variety, Californian grapes, both red and white, and pineapples. The pineapples and bananas were both from the Philippines this week, the former selling for $l2 a carton. Bananas sell at the set retail price of $1.51 a kilogram, or cheaper if offered in specials.

Californian grapes met a good demand at $3B a lug. Kiwifruit prices firmed up this week to $3O a bushel, but demand was still good.

Mandarins are nearing the end of their season and sold for $l2 to $l5 a bushel and goldfruit was scarce most of the week and fetched to $l6 a bushel. Tamarillos have almost finished. They were $2O to $35 a half-case. Strawberries, oranges, lemons, avocadoes, and uglifruit made up the range of fruit available in Christchurch shops. Today’s recipe SCALLOPED POTATOES 50g butter 3 tblspn flour %tspn salt 3 cups milk 6 to 7 medium potatoes freshly ground black pepper paprika butter Method: Melt the first measure of butter in a saucepan until sizzling. Remove from heat and stir in the flour and salt. Cook until frothy. Remove from heat and gradually add the milk, stirring continuously. Return to the heat. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly and cook for two to three minutes. Remove from heat. Peel and wash potatoes. Cut into very thin slices. In a deep, buttered nine-cup ovenware dish, arrange two layers of potatoes. Pour a third of the sauce over the potatoes, grind fresh pepper over the sauce. Cover with two more layers of potatoes, another third of the sauce and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, sauce, and pepper. Garnish with paprika and dot with second measure of butter. Cover with a lid. Bake at lOOdeg. C., for 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another hour or until the potatoes are tender and top browned. Serves eight.