November is when winter really starts to set in. We often think of these winter months as being rather depressing – a season to persevere through until the bright lights of spring appear – but there’s actually lots to love about winter, particularly when it comes to food.
Britain is a melting pot of food cultures from all over the world, but if there’s one thing that we can consider ourselves experts in, it’s winter comfort food. Pies, crumbles, cobblers, stews, casseroles and pasties – comfort food is in our DNA, and winter produce suits it perfectly. There’s a glut of root vegetables hitting the shelves, from squash and turnips to parsnips and celeriac. There’s salsify, too – a long, sticky root with a hint of oyster to it, which is delicious simply roasted in butter and herbs.
One of the most under-appreciated is the Jerusalem artichoke – with a luxurious silky texture and nutty flavour, it's held in high esteem by chefs, but still rather underused by home cooks. You can keep things simple by roasting them, or making them into delicious soup or purée, and they go well with pork, lamb and beef, as well as other winter flavours like wild mushrooms and truffle.
