Winter, also known as Winter Solstice, begins December 21. Here comes Christmas and other religious holidays. What do we love during these holidays? Food. Family. Fires. The abundance of things that warm our hearts, minds, and especially our bodies.
Do you know what’s in-season during Winter? One hint lies in the abundance of root vegetables. It’s the time to use the nuts we stockpiled during Fall. Time to fire-up the grill and cook a thick, juicy steak. Winter isn’t the time for dainty salads. It’s the time to eat warming foods, such as meat, roasted vegetables, and bread. Crank up the oven and cook your butt off! Make a big pan of soup and some dinner rolls. Add some roasted potatoes and carrots and enjoy! As human beings, we need to eat to keep living. Although we don’t need as much food as we think we do, it is our source of fuel and is meant to be consumed and enjoyed.
Fruits and Vegetables in Season (North America):
- Apple – Apples can be eaten as a snack, are great cooked with dried fruits, used in cakes and pies or in relishes and chutney. They work well in salads too.
- Look for firm, unblemished fruit with smooth skin and a good color. For long-term storage, keep apples in cool conditions, separated from other fruit and vegetables. Apples give off ethylene gas, which can turn root vegetables bitter; apples will also absorb the flavor of onions.
- Wash apples just before eating. Eat them whole or chop, slice, or dice for salads and fruit salads. The flesh will discolor quickly when cut so brush well with citrus juice.
- Avocado – A fruit, rather than a vegetable, avocado is pear shaped with knobby or smooth skin, depending on the variety. Organic varieties are also available. Avocado is one of the few fruit vegetables with a high fat content, most of which is monounsaturated.
- A ripe avocado will yield gently when pressed. It can be bought unripe and will ripen at home – to speed up the ripening process, place in paper bag for a day or so. Use avocados when ripe; do not refrigerate them or they will go black. Once cut, the flesh discolors so eat right away or sprinkle the cut surfaces with lemon juice.
- Cut lengthwise around an avocado down to the large pit. Ease the two halves apart and then remove the pit using the tip of a sharp knife.
- Banana – Once considered exotic, bananas are now commonplace. They are usually eaten raw but are also good baked in their skins or grilled. They make a nutritious drink or meal when blended with milk, coconut milk, or bean curd. Use citrus juice to prevent them from going brown. Don’t throw out overripe bananas – they make great bread or cake.
- Bananas do not travel well and are therefore picked unripe and then ripened later or during transit. Choose those with a green to yellow skin and do not pack them at the bottom of your shopping cart because they bruise easily. At home, store them on a hook.
- Peel and eat raw, or bake with butter and honey, or bake in their skins. Great in smoothies.
- Beet – Beet is cultivated for both the root and its greens. The roots can vary in color from red and gold to white, although the flavor is roughly the same. The main difference is that golden beet doesn’t bleed in the way that red beet does. The flavor of beet is sweet and earthly. It is great with onion or citrus flavors, as well as with sour cream, tangy goat cheese, and hot condiments, such as mustard and horseradish.
- Choose firm, smooth bulbs with the leaves attached. Separate the leaves before storing. Keep beet in a ventilated plastic bag in the refrigerator for some weeks.
- Red beet will stain everything crimson, so consider carefully what you wear, where you prepare them, and what other ingredients you mix them with. Beet is easier to peel once it has been cooked. Scrub the roots then boil for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. Remove the skins with a sharp knife when the beet is cool enough to handle. Beet is good roasted or baked. It can be eaten raw is is then best grated or cut into thin slivers.
- Brussels Sprout – These look like miniature cabbages but, unlike so many baby vegetables, they don’t really seem to have caught on in the cooking scene other than as an accompaniment. They are much too strongly flavored to eat raw. Brussels sprouts are delicious lightly cooked, tossed in butter, and served with roasted almonds, whole or sliced; they also work well with chestnuts.
- Choose small ones, smaller than the size of a whole walnut, because they will be sweeter and nuttier. Keep loosely wrapped in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Trim off outer leaves and woody stalk ends. Cutting a small cross in the stem helps them cook more quickly. It is best to leave them whole since they have more texture and are less likely to go soggy. Steam, boil, microwave, or saute. Once cooked, brussels sprouts should be eaten immediately or they come to resemble overcooked cabbage.
- Cabbage – Good in salads and forms the basis of traditional coleslaw. Can be coated with yogurt or creme fraiche, or mixed with grated raw celery root, apple, dried fruits, or fresh herbs.
- Select firm heads that feel heavy for their size; the outer leaves should look fresh. Cabbage should keep up to one week in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in plastic.
- To shred cabbage by hand or in a food processor, cut into fourths first and then remove the inner core if it looks woody. Cut each fourth into fine shreds using a large knife, or chop it into chunks to fit the feeder tube of a food processor and shred using the slicing blade. Finely shredded cabbage makes a crunchy addition to stir-fries, or can be sauteed. Whole leaves can be blanched and stuffed with a filling suitable for grape leaf.
- Carrot – A highly nutritious vegetable, carrots are also a great cooking mainstay, delicious both raw and cooked. Carrots can be teamed with a variety of flavors – from the mildest dairy products to spicy Indian or Asian flavorings.
- Carrots should be crisp with a smooth surface. Avoid any that are limp or have damaged skin. Keep them in a cool airy place for about one week.
- Peel carrots thinly to remove any chemicals, but if they are organically grown, this is not necessary. Cut off tops and root ends and slice, dice, or cut into strips. Boil, steam, microwave, roast, or stir-fry.
- Coconut – While fresh coconut is fun and a treat to eat, ready-prepared block coconut and coconut milk are more useful cooking ingredients. These add an authentic flavor to Asian and Indian dishes. Coconut milk provides a velvety, creamy texture and is especially useful for those who do not want to eat dairy products.
- Choose a coconut that feels heavy and full. Examine the eyes of the coconut for wetness and mold.
- Drain the water from the coconut (if you want to). Hit with a hammer. Take the meat off the shell with a knife. If you have a few minutes, and want to watch a ninja open a coconut, click here.
- Grapefruit – Larger than the orange with a pleasant but sour taste, which some can only tolerate when counteracted with sugar or honey. Segmented grapefruit pieces are good in fruit salads.
- When buying grapefruit choose heavy fruit and avoid any with loose or puffy skin because the flesh inside will be dry. Grapefruit should be stored in the refrigerator and, like the orange, still tastes good when chilled.
- Cut in half, grapefruit can be eaten straight out of the peel as is, or sweetened with honey or sugar. Broiled grapefruit works well – simply place the cut half, well sprinkled with sugar, under a preheated broiler for a few minutes.
- Kale – Kale can be eaten raw or cooked and can be used interchangeably with other greens.
- Remove the course center stems and salt to prepare for eating.
- Delicious in smoothies.
- Kiwi Fruit – An egg-sized fruit with a brown hairy exterior. Inside, the flesh is a jewel-green color with a ring of minute black seeds. Kiwi fruit can taste like melon or gooseberry, depending on its ripeness. Its vitamin C content is higher than that of oranges.
- When ripe, the fruit should give slightly when pressed. It can be stored in the refrigerator or ripened by being stored with an apple or a banana. Organic varieties are usually smaller.
- Cut in half and eat straight out of its skin with a teaspoon. For other uses, remove the skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, then slice, and use in fruit salad, as a cheesecake or pavlova topping, or with savory salads. If the skin is difficult to peel, drop the kiwi fruit in boiling water for a few seconds.
- Leek – Milder in flavor than onions and develop a buttery texture when cooked slowly, which makes them excellent for pairing with cheese. Leeks also have an affinity with potatoes.
- It is best to choose medium to small leeks since large ones sometimes have a woody core that is inedible. Look for dark green leaves, which are not dry or wilted. Store leeks in the refrigerator and use within one week.
- Leeks need cleaning thoroughly because dirt is often trapped in the leaves. Remove the outer leaves, trim the green tops, and cut off the bearded ends. Slice twice lengthwise along the green part almost in the white central body of the leek. Rinse under cold running water, fanning out the leaves so any trapped dirt is flushed away. Cut the leek into slices or chunks.
- Lemon – Fragrant and acidic, lemons are used for both sweet and savory dishes.
- Lemons should have an even color and be free of blemishes. With some varieties a smoother skin indicates a thinner skin. Left whole, a lemon will keep for several days at room temperature or up to three weeks in the refrigerator. Once cut, lemon should be used as soon as possible.
- Scrub waxed lemons if adding whole pieces to a recipe or if using zest.
- Onion – Revered by the ancient Egyptians and favored by the Greeks and Romans, the humble onion is now treated as an essential ingredient in diverse recipes. Many countries grow their own varieties, which range from deep purple-red to pure white, from sweet to pungent, and from bulbous to pencil thin. Onions from colder climates tend to have stronger flavors.
- Look for onions with firm bulbs, evenly colored papery skin, and no sprouting. Avoid any that feel spongy or look sooty; a rotting onion will also smell unpleasant. Common onions should last for several weeks, if not months, if they are stored in cool, dark, airy conditions. Red onions and sweet varieties of onion do not last so long.
- Once cut, onions should be used quickly. If you have a leftover half, wrap it well before putting it in the refrigerator or the smell will permeate any butter or cheese. Aim to use it the following day.
- Trim the ends and peel off the skin. Onions have a slippery outer surface so use a sharp knife that won’t slide off. Cut the bulb in half and place each half cut-side down. Slice thinly to form crescents. To dice the onion finely, hold the sliced half firmly and cut again – at right angles to the first cuts. To watch Gordon Ramsay finely chop an onion, click here. (You’re welcome.)
- Orange – The three main varieties of orange available are the smooth, thin-skinned oranges, such as the sweet Valencia and blood oranges; thicker-skinned seedless navel oranges; and bitter oranges, like the Temple, which is used for marmalade and other cooked dishes. The blood orange, so-called because of its distinctive ruby flesh, is more strongly flavored than a standard orange – use it in fruit salads or to make richly colored sherbet. Oranges can be eaten as they are, squeezed for their juice, segmented and mixed with other fruit, or used in savory salads made with greens or legumes and grains.
- Look for oranges with a blemish-free skin and a good orange aroma. They should keep for about one week in a cool place.
- Scrub if necessary, peel, and segment, or squeeze and use the juice. For really attractive segments, do not peel the fruit by hand. Cut the peel away using a serrated knife instead, making sure in the process that you remove the bitter white pith. Once peeled, cut down between the membrane and the flesh on both sides of each segment so that you can ease it out. Continue working around the fruit in this way. Work over a bowl to catch the juice.
- Parsnip – A long white root, the parsnip is similar in shape to a carrot but with creamy-white flesh and a strong, sweet flavor. Parsnips are not edible raw but can be cooked in a number of ways. They go well with a variety of herbs and spices, as well as flavorings such as orange and lemon. Once cooked, parsnip purees easily, making it highly suitable for soup making.
- It is best to choose small smooth specimens with firm flesh; large parsnips tend to be woody in texture. Store in a cool dry place for about one week.
- Scrub and peel parsnips thinly. Trim tops and root ends and slice or chop into lengths. Boil, steam, saute, or roast.
- Pear – Delicious poached or stewed for pie filling and served with plain yogurt or cream. They work well with other fruits in fruit salads and also combine with savory ingredients, such as blue cheese, peppery salad greens, and avocado.
- Pears are best bought unripe since they do bruise very easily. Once ripe, however, they may last only a day or so before developing an unpleasant woolly character. If you need to ripen pears in a hurry, put them in a paper bag with apples and leave them to ripen at room temperature.
- Eat pears raw, washed and unpeeled. Alternatively, dice and stew, broil, or poach them whole. The flesh will discolor quickly when cut so brush with citrus juice immediately if preparing for a salad.
- Potato – One of the world’s most widely grown vegetable. Potatoes fall into two categories – waxy or mealy – although some all-purpose varieties are midway between the two. Waxy potatoes have a high moisture and low starch content, and are better for sauteing, boiling, and salads. New potatoes have a waxy character. Mealy potatoes have more starch and a lighter texture and are good for baking and mashing.
- Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, a group of plants in which all, apart from the tubers, are poisonous. Exposure to light and sprouting, can cause a concentration of poisons – visible as a green hue, so it is vital not to buy or eat green potatoes or sprouting potatoes. A small patch of green can be cut away but discard any with a heavy green tinge. Do not store potatoes sealed in plastic since this will create condensation and the moisture will cause them to spoil. Stored in a dry, dark place with good ventilation, potatoes will keep for at least two weeks, maybe longer. Don’t store them with onions.
- Scrub well to remove most of the pesticides or peel thinly. Potatoes can lose up to 25% of their protein if peeled too coarsely and much of their vitamin C content is close to the skin. Boil, roast, or bake whole.
- Pumpkin (and other winter squash) – Don’t be putt off by craggy skin or monstrous-sized specimens because they will still be delicious. Winter squashes add good color to soups and casseroles. The puree can be used for stuffing vegetables or pasta, as well as for flavoring risotto. Winter squashes go well with cheese, fiery spices, such as chile or ginger, and pungent herbs and garlic.
- Avoid any with damaged skin or definite blemishes. Winter squashes can be stored with whole for months in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation and away from frost. Once cut, use quickly or wrap and keep in the refrigerator for a few days only.
- Some varieties, such as butternut squash, have very thin skin, which can be left unpeeled in casseroles and soup, but thicker-skinned varieties will need peeling, which is hard work. Chopping large ones into pieces can also be tricky. Use a good, large sharp knife or cleaver and don’t try to cut through the stem for a perfect half. Roasted or baked halves or segments are easier to peel once cooked. This is useful to know, especially if you are making a puree. Bake winter squash whole and unpeeled, or peel and cut into cubes, then boil, steam, or bake.
- Sweet Potato – Sweet potatoes have light brown, orange, or purple skins and bright orange flesh. Their sweetness makes them less versatile than ordinary potatoes, but this quality can be used to advantage when making root vegetable purees, or when adding them to casseroles and roasting. Sweet potatoes team well with a variety of spices and herbs. They are not related to the ordinary potato or the yam but are often interchangeable with the latter.
- Check for rotten or soft spots. Store in a cool, dry, dark place and eat within one week.
- Scrub and bake whole, or peel and slice thinly for baking as “chips,” or cut into chunks for casseroles. Sweet potatoes can also be boiled and mashed.
- Turnip – The best turnips are no bigger than a golf ball with a greenish white or purple skin. They have a slightly peppery flavor, which works well with dairy products, as well as with pungent herbs, such as thyme or tarragon.
- Look for small smooth-skinned roots with creamy flesh. Avoid shriveled or cracked roots. Turnips will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
- Small young specimens do not need peeling – simply scrub them under running water. They can be added to casseroles, mashed with other root vegetables, steamed, sauteed, or stir-fried.