Photography Tan Wei Te Art Direction Shan
Well-travelled gourmets have long swooned over the plumpest white and green asparagus in German farmers’ markets, or blue-striped potatoes in Peruvian mercados, but found it impossible to enjoy the same variety in Singapore.
Unlike premium-brand meats like Omi wagyu or San Daniele prosciutto, seasonal greens have been difficult to source and expensive to import. But things are changing. Chef Alain Passard led the charge when he removed meat from his three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Arpege in Paris, and Netflix’s Chef’s Table series lovingly showcased chef and farm-to-table advocate Dan Barber’s farming revolution at his Blue Hill restaurants.
In Singapore, a coterie of talented, seasonally-sensitive chefs is not just using locally grown greens where possible, but is going to great lengths to bring in produce from around the world.
One of them is Keirin Buck, chef-owner of natural wine bar and kitchen Le Bon Funk. “Using ingredients grown in the proper climate and during their natural season will always produce a better product,” he says. This conviction is reflected in his restaurant’s au naturel philosophy, using ingredients at the peak of their freshness and employing the age-old technique of fermentation for flavour.
Buck, whose parents are organic farmers in Canada, draws up daily menus based on what’s truly seasonal. He has no qualms about taking items off if his favourite vegetables are not up to scratch on a particular day.
He also notes that outdoor soil-grown tomatoes (as opposed to indoor hydroponically grown ones) like the French pineapple tomato are extra-sweet and full of flavour from being battered by the wind, rain and hot sun.
“When vegetables need to fight for their life, they develop a lot more character.” Plants commonly grown hydroponically may lack complex, deep flavours that are influenced by the elements. So the spotlight is moving to nature’s bounty – vegetables.
https://www.herworld.com/life/gourmet-vegetables-specialist-greens/
Spotlight on veggies
Carciofi Mammole
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From: Italy; April-July
Chef Ciccone notes that the sophisticated artichoke is often tedious to prepare, but offers fantastic nutty, earthy and clean green flavours once mastered. The mammole or ™big-breasted∫ is the biggest variety (which is why it is also called the ™mother artichoke∫). He recommends a Roman-style recipe where the artichoke is washed in lemon water and pan-fried with garlic and white wine.
Friarielli
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From: Italy; April-July
Friarielli (or rapini) is part of the broccoli family, but much tastier and has super antioxidants, says Chef Ciccone. The only edible parts are the young leaves, buds and stems (discard the hard stem and roots). They are best boiled for a minute to tone down their slight bitterness, then sauteed with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, salted anchovies and chilli.
Pepquino Cucumber
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From: Holland; November-April
Originating from an ancient wild South American plant, these rare grape-shaped cucamelons may resemble tiny watermelons, but have the fresh, crisp taste of cucumber with a tinge of lime. Eat raw or stir-fry into a salsa, or even pop one into a martini. Look for them at Culina.
Radicchio Tardivo Treviso
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From: Italy; April-July
The finest of all vegetables from the chicory family, the late-blooming Treviso raddichio tardivo is pleasantly bitter and crunchy, finding perfect partners in fresh and seasoned cheeses. Its colour is the result of a labour-intensive technique where the mature plants are harvested with a large head and full dark leaves, and cleaned. Still with their roots attached, they are tied in bunches and immersed in large tanks filled with water from the Sile river in northern Italy. As the radicchio matures, its roots become white and absorb nutrients from the water while its reddish tufts re-sprout and give the vegetable its inimitable taste.
Topinambour
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From: Italy; April-July
The root vegetable better known as the Jerusalem artichoke is not an artichoke at all, but a tuber from the sunflower family. It’s highly prized for its nutty, sweet and potato-like flavours as well as its crisp, addictive texture. You can use this low-carb alternative in similar ways to a potato, though it can also be added raw to salads and stir-fries.
White Bell Pepper
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From: Italy; April-July
While red, yellow and green bell peppers taste slightly bitter, their white cousin is a rare variant that is sweeter and has a firmer, crunchy texture. It lacks capsaicin, the compound that gives chilli its heat. Chef Angelo Ciccone of Basilico recommends enjoying it chargrilled with rosemary and sea salt over toasted ciabatta and molten cheese.
Wild Asparagus
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From: Parts of Europe, including France; April-July
Foraged from the wild, this has more overt woodsy and balsam aromas, and an earthy flavour. It can be eaten in many ways, either raw or briefly cooked. Stocked at Culina.
Photography Darren Chang Art Direction Shan
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