December

 

The January Fruitbowl

January is a surprisingly good month for the fruitbowl and fruit basket maker, provided you are prepared to let your carbon footprint go up a few sizes and rack up the food miles! If you want to stick to European produce then there’s good selection of Apples, and Pears. Clementines and Satsumas remain good for most of the month and Oranges are excellent. You’ll also find Italian Kiwis and Spanish Custard Apples.  But it’s South Africa and South America that provides the most summery selection. Cherries will start the month well, but may die away towards the end. Peaches and Nectarines will be at their best. Cape Plums usually start in late December but the first good ones usually arrive in early January. Lychees will be cheap and good, particularly early on, and Israel will continue to send in excellent Sharon Fruit. Add Nashi and Chinese Ya Pears to the mix and you see there’s no shortage of options. Strawberries are rarely good in January.  Other Berries are air-freighted so are better, but very dear.

 

 

Golden Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts

Wash and trim about 6 Brussels Sprouts per person.  Halve them and rub thoroughly with Olive Oil.  Heat 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add one layer of the Sprouts flat side down. Season, cover and cook for about 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning and the hearts should be almost tender. Uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized then toss them to get some browning on the rounded side.  Add more seasoning to taste and dusting with a mixture of grated Cheddar and Gruyere Cheese. Best eaten immediately.

 

Pineapple, Pinenut & Ginger Tartin

Not everyone likes Christmas pud, so here’s a light, refreshing alternative to try:

Preheat the oven to 220C (425F). Melt 60g of Butter in a small ovenproof frying pan and sauté a peeled and diced Pineapple, add a handful of Brown Sugar, a pinch of Cinnamon and some finely chopped Ginger. When the Pineapple begins to caramelise, add in 2 tsp Honey and heat for a further 1-2 mins.

Cover the Pineapple with rolled Puff Pastry, trimming to fit the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove the Tatin from the oven and turn out onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with toasted Pine Nuts and serve with whipped Vanilla Cream.

 

Bubble and Squeak Rosti Cakes

Scrub a kilo of Cyprus New Potatoes (leaving skins on), cover with water and simmer with a lid on until cooked then drain. Shred 500g of Greens or Savoy Cabbage and blanch, drain and dry well.
When the potatoes have cooled, peel them, then, using the coarse side of a grater, grate into a bowl. Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, add 200g of grated Cheddar cheese, add the greens then lightly toss together. To assemble, shape the mixture into rounds 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide (1 cm) thick. Press firmly to form little cakes, dust lightly with flour
To cook the Rösti, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C), placing, baking tray on the top shelf of the oven. Melt a little butter and add a drop of oil, brush the Rösti on both sides with the mixture. Place the Rösti on the baking tray and on the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Great with juicy Pork Sausages, Fish and Beef alike.

 

December is, of course, mid-summer. The long days bring forth a wonderful variety of summer fruit -- all travelling here from the southern hemisphere, but usually arriving in good shape. We are expecting Grapes, Raspberries, Blackberries and Cherries from various parts of South America.

The Cape should supply delicious ripe Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines and more Grapes.

Spanish Citrus Fruit is at its very best in December and we may see the return of Blood Oranges. Sometimes they don't appear till the New Year, so just pencil them in for a few specials.

Leaf Clementines will be in good supply and are rarely anything but delicious and beautiful.

Sweet, juicy Lychees still have a closed season. This makes them even more enjoyable when they return to the market. They are usually wonderful just before Christmas.

Hail Kale, Cabbages and Courgettes. Baby Sprouts, and their bigger brothers, will remain excellent throughout the month, providing we don't get any exceptionally hard frosts.

Savoy Cabbage should retain its star quality, and Red and White Cabbage are a good choice for cooked dishes and winter salads.

Japanese Coloured Kale grows surprisingly well in England and is usually a good winter choice.

Italian Fennel stays good through most of the winter. It is particularly welcome at a time when vegetable variety is somewhat limited.

English Jerusalem Artichokes are a must, too. They are at their crunchiest in December and have plenty of nutty taste. They are usually very reasonably priced too.

Celeriac is always a good choice during early winter and the home-produced crop is the best bet in December.

Summery vegetables include Spanish Courgettes, Marrows and Broccoli, and Silk Beans from Spain and Holland.

Cyprus Spinach is usually something special, too. Be warned, though, the prices of these crops can be high.

Starchy vegetables are great for winter energy. Tropical Plantains, Sweet Potatoes, Yams and Dasheen offer an exciting alternative to Potatoes.

And as exciting alternative-Potatoes go, the long, thin and delicious French Ratte really take some beating. Ordinary English root vegetables should be a safe choice for the menu, but remember the price of all produce tends to rise just before Christmas so bear this in mind when costing all dishes.

English Celery is at its best. Most English Salads will be long-gone. Italian Cos and Radio, Spanish Iceberg, and superb French Watercress will be the order of the day. Roquette and Pousses become more expensive as they must be grown in heated and artificially-lit greenhouses, even in Provence!

Proper earth-blanched English Celery has an unbeatable flavour and is at its best in December.

Herbs are not a problem in the winter, unless you want Pineapple Mint or any other of the unusual herbs. They don't come back on line until late spring.

Wild Mushroom supplies can be very good in December but bad weather can cause severe shortages. Varieties likely to be available are Pieds de Moutons, Pieds Bleu, Ceps, Trompettes and Chanterelles.