Witloof shipment flown to Christchurch markets

Press, 1 June 1984, Page 2

Witloof shipment flown to Christchurch markets

Witloof, also known as chicory or Belgian endive, was available at Christchurch produce markets yesterday, after coming by air from Hamilton. Excellent in quality, the witloof fetched up to $24 for a skg carton. Witloof is a versatile vegetable that can be used raw in salads or cooked. It is low in calories, containing only 17 calories per IOOg. It is also high in vitamins B and C and contains many important minerals. Witloof will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days or it can be frozen — — for two minutes, put in a plastic bag and freeze. Light is best kept away from witloof as it turns green and bitter when exposed to direct light. Use lemon juice instead of water to soak the vegetable, as the juice will prevent it from turning yellow. To prepare witloof for cooking, discard any damaged leaves and trim the stalk end. Cut a small cone about Icm deep out of the bottom of the stalk, because this portion is bitter. Witloof should be available for the next few weeks. Cold weather and frosts have affected both broccoli and cauliflower. Broccoli was $1 to $2 a kilogram or $7 to $22 a case, depending on the case size. Goodquality cauliflower was to $9.20 for a bag of eight.

Cougettes, mostly from the North Island, were $5 to $7 a kilogram or $lB to $24 a half-case. Oamaru lettuce were to $4.50 for a case of 10. Cabbages, carrots, marrows, and swedes from Southland, were in plentiful supply. Silver beet was up to $9 for a bushel case and spinach up to $lO a case. Good supplies of all varieties of pumpkin were available. Onion prices are still at the same level as they have been for the last four weeks

and fetched to $l5 for a 20kg bag. Hot-house capsicums were up to $8 for a 2kg carton. Cucumbers are nearing the end of their season which was reflected in the price. Short cucumbers were $l2 a quar-ter-case and the longer, telegraph cucumbers were slightly dearer. Potatoes are still in plentiful supply. Ham Hardy was $1 to $1.50, and Rua and Chippewa $2 to $5 for 20kg bags. Oamaru Brussels sprouts

sold from $5 to $8 a bag. Citrus fruit has been arriving at the markets from the North Island spasmodically, but good supplies of kiwifruit are available from the Motueka-Nelson area for up to $1 a kilogram. Good-size tamarillos from Takaka are also available. The fruit is probably the best seen for some time, a half-case selling for $l5 to $25. Feijoas, from both Nelson and the North Island, were sss to $6 a tray or up to $l2 a half-case. Philippine bananas are plentiful and a fresh shipment is due in today. Pineapples are also expected to arrive with the bananas and both should be in the shops by early next week. Today’s recipe WITLOOF WITH HAM I’Akg witloof 200 gm cooked sliced ham 6 tbspns grated cheese breadcrumbs 30g butter Method: Wash witloof and put them whole in a pan. Cook for about 10 minutes then strain well. Roll each witloof in a slice of cooked ham. Place the witloof-ham rolls in an oven dish with little pieces of butter. Sprinkle with grated cheese and top with breadcrumbs. Cook in a warm oven for about 10 minutes.