Winter Foods
by, Mahira Sheikh
As the days grow shorter and the evenings a little chillier, it seems as though winter is finally upon us. While we all scramble to unpack our coats and sweaters, gloves and scarves there is another room in your home hoping you’ll remember to throw some winter goods its way.
Can’t guess? Well, it’s your kitchen!
Just as fashion changes with the season, the foods we eat should also change. Because farming conditions in the hot and humid summer are different from those in the cool and dry winter, fruits and vegetables that grow at your local farm change from month to month.
This is not the story at our local grocery stores, however. With globalization and modern technology we have discovered a way to make all fruits and vegetables available all the time.
When you see fresh berries in your grocery store in the midst of January, don’t be fooled. They didn’t come fresh from your local farm, those have been shipped from somewhere far, far away where either the weather conditions are suited for berry growing or they have been chemically nurtured to grow.
While you might like the idea of having access to any kind of food year-round, the benefits of seasonal produce should hopefully change your mind. Seasonal food that is grown at a local farm is going to be cheaper because it costs less to get it from the farm to your grocery store. Also, food that is naturally grown in winter-like conditions is healthier than food that has been chemically or genetically forced to grow. And, food at its natural peak is going to taste better, plain and simple.
Now are you curious about what kinds of foods you should be thinking about this winter? Here are some ingredients to put on your next shopping list:
| Vegetables | Fruits |
| Jerusalem Artichoke | Apples |
| Beets | Figs |
| Brussels Sprouts | Grapefruit |
| Cabbage | Kiwifruit |
| Carrots | Oranges |
| Cauliflower | Passion Fruit |
| Celery | Pears |
| Chestnuts | Persimmons |
| Collard Greens | Pomelo |
| Dates | Red Currants |
| Kale | Tangerines |
| Leeks | |
| Lettuce | |
| Parsnip | |
| Potato | |
| Pumpkins | |
| Radishes | |
| Sweet Potatoes | |
| Turnips | |
| Winter Squash |
And now that you know about seasonal foods, here are some easy meals for you to try this winter. Using in-season ingredients and simple techniques, these are some foolproof recipes courtesy of Bon Appetit to keep you warm.
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
* 8 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
* 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes
* 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 leeks, sliced (white and pale green parts only)
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon dried savory
* 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1 green onion (dark green part only), chopped
Bring 8 cups broth to boil in large saucepan. Peel Jerusalem artichokes and cut into 1/3-inch thick pieces. Add to broth. Add potatoes, leeks, garlic, savory and ginger. Cover pan and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marjoram; cool about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, purée soup in blender until smooth. Return to same saucepan. Bring soup to simmer. Add cream. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors, thinning with more chicken broth if soup is too thick. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm soup over medium-low heat before continuing.) Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with green onion and serve.
Lamb Chops with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Figs
Lamb chops:
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
* 4 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
* 2 2-pound racks of lamb, trimmed of fat and sinew
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, sliced
* 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Roasted figs:
* 12 ripe Kadota figs, halved lengthwise
* 16 sprigs lemon thyme or regular thyme
* Extra-virgin olive oil
For lamb:
Combine herbs in small bowl. Rub lamb with olive oil, half of chopped herbs, and garlic; cover and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper; sear until brown on both sides, 5 minutes total. Transfer lamb to large rimmed baking sheet; roast to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board; let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature; reserve baking sheet for figs.
For figs:
Place figs and thyme sprigs on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Roast in oven at 425°F for 10 minutes.
Cut lamb racks into individual chops; arrange on plates and place figs alongside.
Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie
Crust
* 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 1/4 cup frozen solid vegetable shortening,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 3 tablespoons (or more) ice water
* 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Filling
* 3 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples,
peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Topping
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For crust:
Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Drizzle over flour mixture; stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch; turn edge under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping.
For filling:
Mix all ingredients in large bowl to coat apples.
For topping:
Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand.
Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, mounding in center. Pack topping over and around apples. Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too quickly). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Cool until warm, about 1 hour.
Sources
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/seasonalingredientmap
