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Foodideals BlogDecember
Sea bass
Sea bass is best in the winter months and can be bought whole, as steaks or as fillets. A whole bass is perfect for a special meal and is a favourite of many a restaurant chef. You may have to pay a little more for sea bass but its tender, soft flesh and its delicate milky flavour is worth the expense. Unless you are used to handling fish, and sea bass in particular, ask the fishmonger to scale and trim the fish for you as this can be a tricky job. It can be poached, steamed, baked or cooked over coals but, whichever way you choose, take care not to overcook the delicate flesh. Use flavours such as fennel, garlic, butter, olive oil and herbs such as mint, parsley and coriander to complement it.
Turkey
Traditionally, turkey is eaten at Christmas and Easter but it needn't be saved for the festive table. There are many cuts and joints in the shops, such as mince, steaks, drumsticks, thighs and crown roast, which can be enjoyed at any time. A healthy choice, turkey is very low in fat and high in protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins. It should be hung for several days to allow the flavour and texture to develop. Frozen turkey can be convenient, but the birds are frozen as quickly as possible after killing which doesn't allow the flesh to mature, which makes fresh the best buy. You can always buy a fresh turkey and freeze it, if you wish.
Pomegranate
Originating in Asia, the pomegranate tree is mentioned in the Old Testament and has been a symbol of religious significance for centuries in many countries. Now cultivated in the warm climates of South America, the Middle East, the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean, the fruit is available in Britain from early to mid-winter. About the size of a large orange, it has a leathery skin with a blush of yellow and red. Inside there is spongy pith filled with seeds, which are, in turn, surrounded by a juicy, ruby red pulp. Eating a pomegranate can be a lengthy process as each pip has to be individually extracted, the juicy pulp eaten and the pips discarded (although they can be eaten if you find this too fiddly). The easiest way to extract the juice is by crushing the seeds through a sieve with the back of a ladle. This can be used to flavour mousse, fool, ice cream or sorbet. Grenadine is pomegranate syrup; it is great in drinks and is a good addition to the cocktail cabinet.
Celery
The green or yellow varieties of celery are available all year round and are plentiful in summer but it's the frost-hardy white celery that is available only in winter. Celery should have crisp long stems attached to a sound base and the leaves should be vibrant and green. The stalks need to be cut away from the base and washed thoroughly. It's a most useful winter vegetable which, at a time when fresh herbs are scarce, can also be used to garnish and flavour dishes. Serve trimmed stalks raw with cheese (no festive Stilton should be served without them), or chopped into salads for a refreshing crispness. Chopped celery can also be used to flavour stuffing, soups, sauces and stews or within a bouquet garni for a stock. Whole young stalks can be steamed or boiled; indeed in the 1930s, no banquet would be complete without braised celery and, unlike today, warming celery soup was very fashionable.
Red cabbage
A member of the brassica family, red cabbage has been cultivated in Britain since the Middle Ages. For many years, the British have shredded it and relegated it to the pickling jar, missing out on its finer qualities. It's packed with vitamin C and can be eaten raw in salads, dressed in sweet and sour vinaigrette and, where brief cooking is usually the rule for cabbage, red cabbage is an exception, benefiting from long, slow cooking. The best method is to shred the cabbage finely and braise it for two to three hours with the addition of a little oil, spices, vinegar or wine, apple, stock and brown sugar to achieve a sticky, caramelised result. This rich braised cabbage is a traditional accompaniment to game dishes, roast pork and duck.