Five Seasonal Recipes Using Local Produce Available Now

Winter in the ACT is peak season for some of the most nutrient-dense produce grown anywhere on the east coast. Growers at the Capital Region Farmers Market and the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets are currently hauling in Jerusalem artichokes, cavolo nero, blood oranges, leeks and celeriac — and most of it sells for under $4 a kilogram. The case for cooking with it, right now, is straightforward.

Australia's current moment of extreme weather — Sydney just recorded its hottest June in 167 years — has nutritionists and public health advocates talking more urgently about the relationship between climate stress and what we eat. Seasonal, local produce tends to travel shorter distances, carry more retained nutrients and cost less at point of sale than imported or out-of-season alternatives. For Canberrans, that argument has always been geographically convenient: the Southern Tablelands grow exceptional cool-climate vegetables within an hour of Civic.

What's on the shelves and what to do with it

The Capital Region Farmers Market at Exhibition Park in Mitchell runs every Saturday from 7:30am to 11:30am. Vendors there this month include growers from Bungendore, Captains Flat and the Molonglo Valley. Here are five recipes that make the most of what's available right now.

1. Jerusalem artichoke and leek soup. Roast 500g of scrubbed Jerusalem artichokes at 200°C with olive oil and salt until golden. Sweat two large leeks in butter, add the roasted artichokes, a litre of chicken or vegetable stock, and blitz until smooth. Finish with a swirl of cream and fresh thyme. Jerusalem artichokes are high in inulin, a prebiotic fibre linked to improved gut health — a claim backed by research published in the journal Gut Microbiome in 2024.

2. Cavolo nero and white bean stew. Soften one onion and four garlic cloves in olive oil in a heavy pot. Add a tin of cannellini beans, 400ml of tomato passata, a pinch of chilli flakes and a generous bunch of cavolo nero, stalks removed and leaves roughly torn. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with sourdough from the Baker's Creek stall at Fyshwick. This dish costs approximately $6 to feed four people.

3. Blood orange and radicchio salad. Slice two blood oranges crossways and arrange over torn radicchio. Dress with red wine vinegar, honey and extra virgin olive oil. Add toasted walnuts and shaved parmesan. Blood oranges are typically available at Fyshwick through late July. Their anthocyanin content — the compound that gives them their deep colour — has been associated in clinical literature with anti-inflammatory effects.

4. Celeriac rémoulade. Julienne half a celeriac and toss immediately in lemon juice to prevent browning. Mix through two tablespoons of Dijon mustard, three tablespoons of good-quality mayonnaise and a handful of flat-leaf parsley. Serve alongside roast chicken or smoked trout from Snowy Mountains Cuisine, which sells at the Mitchell market. Celeriac is low-glycaemic and high in vitamin K.

5. Roasted beetroot and goat's cheese tart. Blind-bake a sheet of puff pastry at 180°C for 15 minutes. Top with crumbled local goat's cheese, roasted beetroot wedges and fresh dill. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Sustainable Farms at ANU has documented the ecological advantages of buying root vegetables from regional producers — shorter cold chains, lower waste — through its Farming Together program.

Making the habit stick

The practical barrier for many Canberra households isn't knowledge — it's routine. ACT Health's Healthy Weight Initiative, which operates through GP referral pathways across the territory, specifically recommends building meal planning around what's seasonally available rather than working from fixed recipe lists. The logic: you're more likely to cook when the produce is cheap, fresh and already in your fridge.

Beyond Blue's ACT branch has also noted, in its 2025 community wellbeing summary, that regular cooking at home is associated with lower reported rates of anxiety and social isolation — particularly during winter months when outdoor activity drops off and daylight shortens.

The Mitchell market runs until 25 July before its two-week winter break. The Fyshwick markets are open Monday through Saturday. Both offer EFTPOS, and several stalls accept the ACT Government's Healthy Food Incentives vouchers for eligible cardholders. Anyone with specific dietary health concerns should speak to a GP or accredited practising dietitian registered with the Dietitians Australia ACT chapter.