Parsnips
Parsnips are a much-loved root vegetable and grow well in Britain. They actually improve with a frost because the effect of freezing the living root converts some of the starch into sugar. Parsnips are very versatile and can be cooked in much the same way as potatoes. They are delicious parboiled then roasted until they caramelise golden-brown, mashed with cream, braised, steamed or deep-fried in thin slices to make parnsip crisps, a contemporary garnish or moreish snack. They also make wonderful, creamy soups and partner well with apples, spices, ginger and cheese. They often have a tough core which many cooks prefer to discard. They should be scrubbed, not peeled, as most of the flavour lies directly below the skin.
Goose
Goose is farmed but is still very much a seasonal bird. The season starts in late September when the bird is small but ready to serve for the traditional Michaelmas Day feast on 29 September. By November, and in the run-up to Christmas, the goose is mature and getting fat. Fresh goose can't be bought in portions but only as a whole bird. It has a thick layer of fat, most of which melts away during roasting, leaving tender, slightly gamey meat. The melted goose fat stores well in the fridge and can be used to make the best and crunchiest roast potatoes.
Chestnuts
Mention sweet chestnuts and most people conjure up warm memories of roasting them on a cold winter's day. The smell is very enticing and the nut is deliciously moist and sweet. Chestnuts are also important as a baking ingredient because they can be dried and ground into flour for making cakes. Marrons glacés are whole chestnuts soaked in syrup, which can be eaten as a sweetmeat or used as decoration for cakes and puddings. Boiling or roasting makes their skins easier to remove and they are perfect served whole with Brussels sprouts. They can be chopped into stuffing for turkey and goose or made into a purée and served as a traditional accompaniment to game. When buying fresh chestnuts, choose nuts that are heavy and have shiny, smooth skins. They should be used quickly, before they start to dry out when their skins become tough and the nut loses its flavour.
Cranberries
The cranberry was an important staple in North America, even before the Pilgrim Fathers arrived. To this day, New England, the West Coast and the Canadian borders are the biggest producers of this tart little fruit. Cranberries grow in wetlands and bogs and during harvest, in the autumn, growers use machines resembling large egg beaters to comb through the low vines shaking the fruit off. The bog is then flooded and the cranberries float to the surface, where they are easily collected. Cranberries are too tart to eat raw and are always processed, usually into drinking juice or into a sauce used as a filling for pies and tarts, as well as a relish for turkey. Dried cranberries can be used in baking cookies, muffins and cakes.
Beetroot
The Greeks ate the leaves of the beetroot and valued the root for its medicinal qualities but it was the Romans who first cultivated it and brought it to the table. Nowadays, beetroot tends to be relegated to adding colour to salads or making relishes, which is a shame because it can be used in all sorts of dishes. Choose beetroots that are as small as possible because larger, older roots can take longer to cook. They can be boiled, steamed or baked and the outer skin needs to be rubbed off once cool enough to handle. Baby beetroots can be pan-fried in olive oil with other baby vegetables to serve as an accompaniment to meat or fish. Hot beetroot is delicious mixed with sweated garlic and onions and its sweet, earthy flavour is perfect for making soup such as borsch.
Also in season
grouse
swede
cabbage
potatoes
teal
pumpkin
pears
leeks
quinces
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