Backyard Bounty all-Tasmanian Vegie box: 31st August

This week’s $30 and $40 boxes include a punnet of lovely mixed gourmet mushrooms from Cygnet Mushroom Farm; in order to have enough for our boxes we have to ask Bec to grow these for us a few weeks in advance, and whilst they’re a bit pricey (around $5 retail a punnet), we think they’re worth it, and make a rather nice treat now and then! I often aim to include Asian-leaning veg in the weeks we have the gourmet mushroom punnets (which mostly feature Asian varieties like shiitake and oysters, and generally have a meatier, chewier texture than the commercial button varieties), hence the spring onions, buk choy, and turnips; I was aiming for coriander this week, but had to opt for tarragon, which certainly is an equally suitable flavour match for the earthy ‘shrooms! If you haven’t cooked with turnips before, the best place to start is to peel and then boil them in plenty of generously salted water – it won’t make the turnips very salty, but it will reduce the bitterness and enhance the mustardy, sweet flavours of what’s a much maligned but rather delicious winter vegetable.

John has provided us with an exclusive this week – Toolangi Delight potatoes, for which the seed has been discontinued, so they’ll likely be a one-off. They’re a floury type, developed by growers in Victoria, so will cook to a soft texture, but with a nice firm skin will hold together when baked, or boiled (they’re also apparently good for gnocchi!) $20 boxes also get a treat this week with some lovely rainbow chard from regular box contributors Richmond Farm.