Fresh produce
There are very good baby artichokes at the moment, about the size of an egg and ideal for salads or pizzas. From France there are excellent big celeriacs, courgettes and Jerusalem artichokes. There are also good pointed artichokes and half-green, half-red San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. Also from Italy are must-have cherry tomatoes on the vine, with a wonderful sweetness and sharpness, perfect for slow roasting overnight. Italian cavalo nero is coming to an end but the British will begin soon. English Cos lettuce is also now starting to come through. On the fruit front, nectarines and peaches are now in full swing, but best of all are cherries from France and Spain. If you are going to eat them only once a year, now is the time to do it.

Source:
Chefs Connection
020 7627 4809
www.chefs-connection.com


Fish
Landings from the Faroes, Iceland, Norway and Denmark mean there will be good supplies of wild cod this week. There will also be plenty of Danish and Norwegian haddock on the market, but plaice supplies are expected to be more limited due to heavy demand in Germany. There should be a steady supply of lemons, monk, halibut, UK scallops, French sardines, farmed turbot, reds, coley, skate and dogfish. Good South Coast landings mean Dovers and grey mullet supplies should be plentiful. A word of warning: as the weather warms up, keep mussels refrigerated under wet newspaper - but not under fans, as this will kill them.

Source:
M&J Seafood
01296 588221
www.mjseafoods.com