Try these two Singapore restaurants serving seasonal produce in creative and delicious ways!
Mosaico d’Estate con Balsamico e Tartufo, with grilled Treviso radicchio, wild asparagus, heirloom carrots, rainbow chard and Norcia black truffle.
Basilico
The Regent Singapore’s executive chef, Angelo Ciccone, may have lived in Singapore for 11 years, but his south-eastern Italian roots are enduring. It’s no surprise that Basilico, and even the hotel’s Manhattan Bar – which shares some of the restaurant’s produce – have become known for heralding the Italian seasons in their menus. For late spring: friarielli salad with red mullet roe, artichoke risotto, radicchio and Gorgonzola salad, and roasted white peppers with mint and almond.
Says Ciccone: “We embrace the seasonality of the produce to create the most authentic Italian fare, using vegetables grown organically in their natural environment and seasons. Once you have the best and right ingredients of the seasons, minimal cooking is required to bring out the essence of the food.”
He avoids vegetables that are available year-round, noting that these are often the result of “inorganic farming methods” which may compromise on taste and texture. A whiff of his divine radicchio tardive Treviso, quickly chargrilled and baked with thyme, garlic, shallot, balsamic vinegar and orange zest, is all the proof you need to let his philosophy take root.
To prepare the Treviso radicchio for the dish above, it is quartered, marinated with olive oil, thyme and whole garlic, then chargrilled and seasoned with a 12-year barrel-aged balsamic vinegar from Modena.
Jaan
At the newly renamed Jaan by Kirk Westaway, it’s no surprise to find ingredients from Devon, Chef Westaway’s home county. His championing of modern British dining has resulted in a menu that draws on the English seasons, featuring vegetables that thrive in England and Europe – violin courgette, English rhubarb and white asparagus among them.
Westaway says: “We have a strong working relationship with suppliers in Singapore that have direct contact with farmers’ markets, which enables me to have up-to-the-minute updates and new ingredients on the market around the clock.”
From his menu, which is “flooded with sweet organic vegetables”, Westaway finds it hard to single out any ingredient, but finally sticks to his English roots. “At Jaan, every diner begins with a cup of warm roasted potato soup. Comforting yet delicate, this is a reinvented classic of the loved British leek and potato soup.”
In the Alaskan Langoustine with Violin Courgette, the langoustine is gently poached in vegetable bouillon with coriander seeds, star anise, orange zest, peppercorns, cumin seeds and dried fruits. A blanched violin courgette from Italy, sweet red pepper chutney and herb salad with locally sourced organic flowers sit atop a puree of Amalfi lemon. The slender summer courgette is sweeter than the usual varieties, with a smooth skin and delicate, nutty, artichoke-like flavor.
“Direct contact with farmers’ markets enables me to have up-to-the-minute updates.” - Kirk Westaway, executive chef of Jaan
Violin courgette, typically served with Alaskan langoustine (not shown).
YOUR GO-TO GREEN-GROCERS
LITTLE FARMS
#01-20 Valley Point, 491 River Valley Road, tel: 6262-0619, and three more outlets in Novena, Tanjong Pagar and Holland Village.
This boutique grocer has been making organic and fresh seasonal produce more accessible, with broccolini, Dutch cream potatoes and more lining its compact but quality inventory. The produce from Australia is delivered up to five times a week; some vegetables even leave the farm and arrive in Singapore on the same day. The focus is on ethically sourced, mindful and natural foods, with cafes serving wholesome meals adding to the convenience of shopping at three of its four outlets.
ZAIRYO
Zairyo.com
You might think of Zairyo for your sushi party needs, but its vegetable section is no slouch. Precious seasonal Japanese gems are flown in on Tuesdays and Fridays by demand only, and you can keep track of what’s freshest on its website. Check out the Okinawa red lady’s finger, pink-hued coral oyster mushroom, jumbo shishito green pepper, and other specially selected staples that will make a difference in your cooking, like mizuna (saltgreens) and Ibaraki Prefecture baby daikon.
CULINA
Block 15, Dempsey Road, tel: 6474-7338
Re-opened in April this year, Culina has ramped up its offerings in its new 15,000 sq ft space. The fresh “European-inspired food market” concept includes speciality stalls and a bistro, as well as foodstuff not previously available to the public. The change is in response to customers who increasingly want to replicate at home the dishes they have tasted around the world. For instance, fresh Perigord black truffles, once only accessible to fine-dining restaurants, are sourced from Manjimup, Australia. These truffles’ intense, earthy aromas enhance dishes like freshly made ravioli with white wine cream sauce. Also check out the wild matsutake mushrooms from Bhutan; wild French asparagus with a grassy, nutty and earthy flavour (available only in spring, roughly from April to June); zucchini flowers that are often used in restaurants but too delicate to stock in supermarkets; and pepquinos cucumbers to pop as a snack.
