It’s November – to some, the official start of the Christmas season. While I wouldn’t go that far, I am excited about all the lovely pears and root vegetables on the way. Many of November’s treats are extremely healthy and very versatile.
So what’s on the menu this month? Of course, looking at it by month is slightly pedantic, as though on 31 October apples are still in season, and on 1 November they are not. It might be useful to look at it by week. (Click here to have a look at what’s in season in
In any case, prepare yourself for beautiful greens, oranges and reds as we reap the rewards of the harvest.
Pears
Home-grown conference pears have been lurking in the supermarket for a few weeks now, but I’ve been waiting for the elegant comice, with its softer skin and sweeter flesh.
These fruits are wonderful just on their own, as a snack. But these ideas are great – and healthy too:
-poached pears in red wine… add a square of dark chocolate for a stylish touch.
-upside down pear cake – I’ve not made this before, but I’m really coming around to the idea. Or pear muffins, even: try this Epicurious recipe.
-in a salad with walnuts, blue vinney and watercress
-or this salad with roasted fennel and pear and a balsamic dressing
-as part of a stunning autumn/winter chutney
Parsnips
After growing up not knowing what parsnips were, and then spending years turned off by the sight of them (white carrots, what?), I gave in, and tried parsnips. I’ve never looked back – these creamy vegetables are divine.
My favourite parsnip recipes to date:
-Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s parsnip and apple cakes. Absolutely brilliant with a couple of sausages (get them as lean as you can) and a dab of Colman’s.
-this cream of parsnip soup recipe – though without the cream. If anything, use skimmed milk, as the parsnips are creamy and luscious enough on their own.
More to try:
-use parsnip in place of potatoes in classic recipes such as shepherd’s pie. They are stunning in place of mash potatoes – except the parsnips are better as a puree – and served with salmon.
-curried parsnips: the spicy earthy seasonings suit the sweetness of the parsnip. Serve as a side dish or whiz into a soup. Or try Paul Rankin’s spicy burger and roasted parsnip recipe.
Root vegetables galore (pumpkins, potatoes, swede, celeriac)
Aside from parsnips, autumn brings a range of root vegetables to our doorsteps. Pumpkins and butternut squash are still around, potatoes are our perpetual friends, and now swede (also called rutabaga in the States) and celeriac are just waiting to be eaten.
These vegetables are healthy, and importantly to many, cheap! So enjoy. Many of these work beautifully in unison, picking up on each others’ best qualities.
-try this root vegetable gratin from Abel & Cole, though I’m hesitant about all the cream needed. Perhaps a mixture of skimmed milk and cream could do the job just as well…
-my friend Sarah makes an excellent root vegetable stew with dumplings. In go parsnips, carrots, potatoes, swede and celeriac, simmered with a touch of cider, and, if it’s a special occasion, dumplings made of flour, cheese, spring onion, and a bit of butter. Perfect for a dark chilly evening.
-Delia does a great reduced fat slow-cooked soup too
-root vegetable and barley risotto – perhaps with a bit of single
-root vegetable slaw, served with smoked fish cakes. Love it.
Cranberries
Cranberries are another one of winter’s sweet fruits, arriving long after we picked the last of those regal blackberries. This is a down-to-earth fruit, pulled from bogs, and rife with a tart flavour that often needs a touch of sugar. For antioxidant fiends, evidently the fruit has been shown to have more antioxidant phenols than 19 commonly eaten fruits.
Here are a couple of ideas:
-in a pear-cranberry smoothie with low-fat yogurt – the sweet pear will hold up to those tart lovely berries
-homemade cranberry sauce for turkey – either at Thanksgiving in the
Cabbage
This vegetable has some awful historical connotations, much like the swede. Much of this stems from poor preparation – cabbage can be fantastic when cooked properly.
Red, white, green, summer, leafy, savoy – the possibilities are endless. But at this time of year, the hard and round ones are best.
-for red cabbage, try braising it with earthy spices – such as nutmeg and cinnamon – as well as something sweet like apples and a splash of vinegar to preserve the colour. Great with lean poultry and lots of other vegetables for a healthy Sunday lunch.
-stir-fry shredded green cabbage with leeks for one of my favourite crunchy side dishes. All it needs is pepper and some olive oil spray (if it seems dry, just add a splash or two of water)
-the traditional Irish dish colcannon contains potato, cabbage and onion with cream, salt and pepper. For a healthier version, substitute semi-skimmed milk in for cream and use potato, cabbage (or kale) and leeks.
Leeks
I love leeks. Their flavour is so distinctive, yet never too harsh. You know that old phrase, “Behind every good man is a woman”? The analogy applies to leeks. They back up soups, casseroles, stews, you name it.
-a week or so ago I made a watercress soup – that my husband was literally dreading – that ended up a hit. Two rather large leeks were responsible for quite a lot of that flavour.
-leek skillet: sauté leeks with parboiled cubed potatoes. Add a bit of spinach and top with goats cheese before serving. It’s a perfect casual Saturday afternoon lunch.
-roasted leeks add miles to any vegetable combo. Roasted baby leeks work well in a salad.
-in a frittata with mushrooms and watercress.
I could go on forever, especially as I haven’t even touched on beetroot or nuts. But that’s enough to keep you – and me – busy in the kitchen for now.
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