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Make summer sizzle with seasonal vegetables

Versatile, flavoursome and value for money – in season summer vegetables are back with a bang!

A delicious potato, chicken and summer vegetable traybake offers lots of flavour for a family dinner, with minimal washing up

Wed Jul 26 2023 - 05:00

Nothing says summer quite like long, warm evenings enjoying delicious food with family and friends. And with the arrival of tasty, in season summer vegetables and potatoes, finding recipe inspiration has never been easier. Planning a dinner party and want a crowd pleaser? Or maybe something that everyone in the family can enjoy? Look no further than what fruit and vegetables are in season right now.

Vegetables currently in season and readily available in Ireland during July include: new season Queens potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, scallions, courgettes, cauliflower, sweetcorn, swedes, parsnips, beetroot, pak choi, leeks, chilli peppers, kale, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, rhubarb, Bramley apples, strawberries and raspberries.

Bord Bia is encouraging people to support local growers by purchasing fresh, local, in season fruit and vegetables and to actively check on-pack information and labels such as the Bord Bia Quality Mark to ensure that what you’re buying is locally grown.

Why not try out some of these delicious Bord Bia summer vegetable recipes to celebrate the arrival of Ireland’s new season vegetable crop.

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Summer vegetable korma

This delicious summer vegetable korma is the ideal dish for a family dinner, not to mention it offers some tasty leftovers!

Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2.5cm piece root ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tbsp mild curry powder or paste
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 800g mixed vegetables, such as carrots, cauliflower, New Season Queens potatoes, courgette, chopped
  • 300ml hot vegetable stock
  • 200ml natural yogurt
  • 2 tbsp ground almonds
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve: toasted flaked almonds, sliced scallions, fresh coriander leaves, basmati rice, wraps (optional)

Method

· Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion for 6–8 minutes, until lightly golden. Add the chilli, if using with the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute.

· Stir in the curry powder or paste with the cumin seeds and then stir in the vegetables. Season generously, then cook for 5 minutes, stirring.

· Pour in the stock, stirring to combine, then cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and stir through the yogurt and ground almonds. Garnish with the almonds, scallions and coriander and serve in bowls with basmati rice and wraps on the side, if liked.

Massaman stir fry

This tasty massaman stir fry, featuring delicious summer vegetables and beef, packs a flavoursome punch, and is the perfect summer dinner that everyone can enjoy.

Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
  • 400g striploin steaks
  • 2 tbsp massaman curry paste (or use Thai red curry paste)
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 celery stick, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 500g New Season Queens potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
  • 300g green vegetables (such as sweetheart cabbage, pak choi, kale and/or spinach)
  • 4 tbsp roughly chopped salted peanuts
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve: shredded scallions, fresh coriander leaves and red chilli rings to garnish (optional), flatbreads (optional)

Method

· Trim and cut the steak into strips and toss in a bowl with half of the curry paste. Set aside for 5 minutes.

· Heat a large non-stick wok or frying pan. Add the oil and stir-fry the marinated beef strips for 2-3 minutes until browned all over. Transfer to a plate with a tongs.

· Tip the onion and celery into the existing juices left in the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the rest of the curry paste with the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

· Add the potatoes and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk, stirring to combine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

· Fold back in the beef and allow to warm through, then tip in the greens (if using a selection then add the sturdiest ones first) and cook for another minute or so until the vegetables are heated through but still holding their shape.

· Ladle into bowls, then scatter over the peanuts and garnish with the scallions, coriander and chilli with some flatbreads alongside, if desired.

Potato, chicken and summer vegetable traybake

This traybake has every element of a flawless dinner, all baked to perfection in one roasting tin. Use New Season Queens potatoes for the ultimate summer dish. Minimal washing up, maximum flavour – what’s not to love?

Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 red onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g New Season Queens potatoes, quartered
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 chicken thighs, well-trimmed (bone in and skin on)
  • 200ml fresh chicken stock (from a carton)
  • 200g kale, tough stalks removed and shredded
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish

Method

· Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/gas mark 6). Place the onion, leek, garlic and potatoes in a roasting tin and drizzle over half the olive oil. Toss to coat and then nestle in the chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper and pour around the chicken stock, then roast for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

· Meanwhile, put the kale into a bowl with the rest of the oil and a pinch of salt, then using your hands massage the oil into the kale.

· Remove the tin from the oven and stir in the kale, and sprinkle over the vinegar. Return to the oven for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown and the kale has started to crisp up. Scatter over the thyme and serve straight to the table family-style.

Bord Bia’s Best in Season calendar

Bord Bia’s annual Best in Season campaign aims to educate people about what is in season and the benefits of buying seasonal produce which, not only supports local growers and communities, but also guarantees the freshest, tastiest and most nutritious fruit and vegetables.

To promote the benefits of eating locally grown, in season fresh produce, Bord Bia has developed an interactive Best in Season calendar along with a range of tasty recipes highlighting the versatility and flavour of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables. To find out more about what is currently in season, along with some inspiring recipe ideas visit the Bord Bia website.

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