June means the official start of summer! Longer days, warmer weather and a range of colourful produce. While you really can’t go wrong this time of year, here’s how to cook with six kinds of produce that are truly at their peak in June: cherries, strawberries, raspberries, courgette, new potatoes and asparagus.
Cherries
Cherry season is short, so enjoy them while you can! Look for dark red, firm cherries with bright green stems (though stemless cherries can still be fresh and delicious). For an extra-sweet treat. Cherries store well for a few days at room temperature. Put them in a dry colander for a little air circulation, and don’t rinse them until you’re ready to use them. If you want them to stick around a few extra days, store them in that colander in the refrigerator. Or turn them into one of the recipes below.
Strawberries & Raspberries
Although you can get these year round, these berries are at their best in June, full of flavour and aroma. Stock up now and fill your freezer with them, so you can still enjoy the flavour when summer is gone. Raspberries are also highly nutritious and good sources of fibre, they’re also ranked as 1 of the top 10 antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables.
Courgette
Look for courgettes that are firm with shiny, blemish-free skin. Store them unwashed in a plastic bag with some holes (to allow air to circulate) in your crisper drawer for up to to five days. There’s no need to peel them and they can be eaten raw or cooked, and when spiralized, make a popular substitute for spaghetti. They can also be used in sweet bakes!
New Potatoes
These are sweeter than their ‘older’ counterparts due to being picked earlier, so their sugar is not yet converted to starch, so they lend themselves well to salads. Jersey Royals are the most known variety and their appearance often indicates the beginning of summer.
Asparagus
A delicate green vegetable that is laborious to grow and considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world. British asparagus is green and the white asparagus you may see is from Germany, and is grown underground, thought to be a sweeter variety.