• If you ever wondered what fruits and vegetables are in season in South Africa, then this handy guide is for you.

    Seasonal fruit and vegetable chart for South Africa

     

    Summer

    December, January, February

    Fruits

    Apples Apple and yoghurt cake
    Apricots Apricot roly-poly with ginger custard
    Bananas Fluffy banana bread
    Blueberries Ricotta cakes served with blueberries and honey yoghurt
    Cherries Sour cherry and açaí dark chocolate bliss balls
    Figs Polenta cake with crème fraîche, figs and honey
    Granadillas Granadilla fridge tart with white chocolate ganache
    Grapes Baked Camembert with honey-roasted grapes, almonds and puff-pastry shards
    Guavas Guava jam
    Litchis Litchi-mousse no-bake cheesecake
    Mangoes Yoghurt panna cotta with mango and granadilla jelly
    Melons Pawpaw, melon and blueberry cooler
    Mulberries
    Nectarines Spice-crusted grilled feta with nectarines
    Papayas Smoked chicken and pawpaw salad with pistachio pesto
    Peaches Brioche with thyme-roasted peaches and vanilla mascarpone
    Pears Black sesame stuffed pavlova with port poached pears
    Pineapples Blistered pineapple, cinnamon and ginger pickle
    Plums Spinach, chickpea, Gorgonzola and pecan nut salad with grilled plums
    Pomegranates Gooey chocolate cake served with crème fraîche and pomegranates
    Raspberries Salted milk chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut rocky road with ricotta and raspberries
    Strawberries Rose and lemon scented no bake cheesecake stacked with strawberries
    Watermelons Watermelon and Aperol snow

    Vegetables

    Artichokes Chargrilled artichokes with crushed garlic and orange, honey and sage butter
    Asparagus Wild mushroom, pancetta and asparagus cheesecake
    Aubergines Fragrant roasted aubergines with harissa and guacamole
    Baby corn
    Baby marrow Baby marrow fritters with green salsa and coconut cream
    Beans Lamb Chops with Marmite sauce, baby potatoes and green beans
    Beetroot Beetroot and dark chocolate meringue cake
    Chives Ham and cream cheese terrine with chives and mustard
    Mange tout Lemony cauliflower and sweet potato salad with crunchy mange tout peas
    Mealies Bacon-wrapped mealies topped with garlic and jalapeño butter
    Mushrooms Garlicky wild mushrooms on rye toast
    Pattypans Pattypan and bulgur-wheat sushi with mango-chilli dip
    Peppers Stuffed peppers
    Radishes Pickled pink peppercorn radishes
    Red onions Pickled red onions in a Caprese salad
    Rhubarb Rhubarb tart
    Spinach Basil, spinach and ricotta gnudi with red pepper and tomato sugo
    Tomatoes Tomato and apple chutney
    Watercress Pickled squid, watermelon, watercress and olive tapenade salad

     

    Autumn

    March, April, May

    Fruits

    Apples Almond-studded toffee apples
    Blueberries Spiced blueberry and chocolate honeycomb tart
    Figs Vanilla-infused figs with fresh coconut muesli
    Gooseberries Gooseberry-roasted pulled pork buns
    Granadillas Self-saucing granadilla, white chocolate, yoghurt and coconut puddings
    Grapes White chocolate cake with drunken grapes
    Mandarins Chicken, cashew and mandarin salad
    Mangoes Mango doughnuts
    Papayas Thai prawn, pawpaw and palm heart salad with a citrus dressing
    Peaches Poached peach and rosé trifle
    Pears Caramelised pear and vanilla-bean oats
    Plums Red velvet pancakes with poached plums
    Pomegranates Smoked salmon, red onion and pomegranate salad with creamy dill dressing
    Strawberries Home-made strawberry milk
    Watermelons Watermelon pizza

    Vegetables

    Aubergines Preserved aubergines with herbs
    Avocados Beetroot carpaccio with avocado salsa, salmon ribbons and walnuts
    Baby marrows Baby marrow, pepper and spinach muffins
    Beans Tacos with vindaloo beans, crushed avocado and charred corn
    Beetroot Beetroot and chocolate cake
    Broccoli Chicken, broccoli and peanut-butter curry
    Brussels sprouts Lentil pasta with leeks and shredded Brussels sprouts
    Butterbeans Three recipes with butterbeans
    Cabbage Ouma’s cabbage frikkadels
    Cauliflower Spiced coconut cauliflower rice veggie bowls with peanuts
    Celery Chicken burgers with hummus and a fennel, celery and orange slaw
    Hubbard squash Hubbard squash slices with a cinnamon and nut crust
    Mange tout Lemony cauliflower and sweet potato salad with crunchy mange tout peas
    Leeks Whole spanakopita with leeks and spring onion
    Mushrooms Garlicky wild mushrooms on rye toast
    Parsnips Lemon-roasted chicken with parsnips
    Peppers Broccoli with roast peppers and chilli
    Persimmons Persimmons in vanilla and grapefruit syrup with white chocolate whipped cream
    Radishes Griddled sourdough with steak, marinated radish and avocado
    Spinach Vegan chickpea and spinach burgers with red onion chutney
    Sweet peppers Baked ricotta with corn, chilli and peppers
    Tomatoes Tomato, aubergine and parsnip stew with torn roasted tofu

     

    Winter

    June, July, August

    Fruits

    Apples Wicked toffee-apple cake with caramel peanut-brittle buttercream and snow-white apples
    Dates Springbok shanks with dates
    Figs Classic terrine with boozy figs
    Gooseberries Gooseberry and granadilla Pavlova
    Granadillas Crêpes with pan-fried orange, pear, caramel and granadilla
    Grapefruits Grapefruit, orange and minneola stuffing
    Kiwifruits Kiwi fruit and cucumber granita
    Limes Chicken thighs with lime juice and ginger
    Mandarins Linguine with mandarin, chilli and lobster sauce
    Naartjies Naartjie daiquiri
    Oranges Beer, orange and spice caramel sauce
    Papayas Papaya atchara
    Pears Caramel-glazed poached pear bread and butter pudding
    Persimmons Spicy prawn and vegetable spring rolls with sweet persimmon and ginger dipping sauce

    Vegetables

    Asparagus Crustless quiche with asparagus, goat’s cheese and basil
    Avocados Crystal spring rolls with chargrilled tuna, avocado, apple and herbs
    Beetroot Pan-fried rump steak with spiced salt and fresh beetroot salsa
    Broccoli Creamy broccoli and gorgonzola soup with toasted walnuts
    Cabbage Leek, smoked chicken and cabbage soup
    Cauliflower Cauliflower and potato curry with peas
    Celery Caramelised carrots, celery and honey
    Kale Crispy kale with chilli soya dipping sauce
    Leeks Greek lentil soup
    Mushrooms Wild mushroom tart with porcini vinaigrette and pea shoots
    Parsnips Cider-battered hake with parsnip chips and crushed peas
    Spinach Lasagne of pumpkin, spinach, mascarpone, onion marmalade and walnuts
    Sweet peppers Peppadew, roast pepper and goat’s Camembert savoury tart

     

    Spring

    September, October, November

    Fruits

    Apples Chocolate and apple wonton pastries
    Apricots Chargrilled apricots with prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella and basil
    Bananas Roasted banana and coconut milkshake with Amarula
    Berries Show-stopping stars and floating berries trifle
    Blueberries Blueberry and carrot bread with flavoured cream cheese
    Cherries Rippled cherry and Greek yoghurt parfaits with honey-roasted almonds
    Dates Apple, date and cinnamon achar
    Gooseberries Gooseberry fool
    Grapes White chocolate mousse with red grapes
    Grapefruits Grapefruit, strawberry and mint granita
    Kiwifruits Strawberry and kiwi ice-cream terrine
    Papayas Granadilla jellies with papaya salsa
    Peaches Spiced peach sherbet
    Plums Vanilla, coconut and plum cupcakes
    Strawberries Blueberry, plum and strawberry vanilla crumble
    Watermelon Watermelon pizza

    Vegetables

    Artichokes Chargrilled artichokes with crushed garlic and orange, honey and sage butter
    Asparagus Warm cannellini bean salad with herbs, vine tomatoes & asparagus
    Aubergines Aubergine, buffalo mozzarella and sun-dried tomato stack
    Avocados Avocado and yoghurt dip
    Baby marrows Baby marrow, seed and herb no-grain bread
    Beans Lamb Chops with Marmite sauce, baby potatoes and green beans
    Beetroot Beetroot risotto
    Broccoli Broccoli, cauliflower and Cheddar soup with Gruyère and chive croutons
    Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts and kale salad
    Cabbage Cabbage and mince lasagne with yoghurt
    Cauliflower Spiced, roasted cauliflower with hazelnuts and pomegranate rubies
    Celery Celery, apple, kale, spinach, lime and ginger juice
    Leeks Fish with baby leeks and borlotti beans
    Mange tout Tagliatelle with prawns, mange tout and lemon sauce
    Marrows Roast beef with carrot, horseradish, duck fat potatoes & marrows
    Mealies Braai mealies with 3 different toppings
    Mushrooms Butternut pansotti with buttery wild mushrooms, rosemary and pecan nuts
    Parsnips Ginger and honey roasted baby carrots and parsnips
    Peppers Summer meatloaf with roasted peppers
    Tomatoes Spelt pizza with heirloom tomatoes, nectarine, prosciutto and kale pesto
    Turnips Paprika battered fish with turnip chips
    Watercress Roasted beetroot, whipped chèvre, walnut sable and watercress salad
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com

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