Winter: Recipes in Season

Red berries in winter
Image by m01229

When the cold winter wind blows through the trees and the ground freezes hard as a rock, nothing warms a body faster than hearty comfort food. Soups and stews are favorites during the snowy time of year, as are braised dishes and roasted meats and vegetables. And holiday feasting has its own place among mid-winter dining pleasures.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking there is no good, fresh produce available during the winter months. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and greens are at their peak of sweet flavor. Root vegetables and avocadoes come into their own as well. A wide variety of citrus fruit adds a bright note to an otherwise bleak landscape of fruits. And shellfish are abundant.

Here is a list of items that are abundant, fresh and seasonal for winter.

December Ingredients

Vegetables

Beets | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Collard Greens | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Turnips | Winter Squash

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Dates | Grapefruit | Grapes | Persimmons | Pomegranates | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (U.S. West Coast) | Dungeness Crab | Oysters

January Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Beets | Broccoli | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Greens | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Dates | Grapefruit | Kiwi | Lemons | Limes | Oranges | Papayas | Pears | Pommelos | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Oysters | Tuna, Bigeye

February Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Celery | Celery Root | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Greens | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Salsify | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Dates | Grapefruit | Kiwi | Lemons | Limes | Oranges | Papayas | Pommelos | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Oysters | Tuna, Bigeye

International Recipes for Winter

Try these warming wintertime dishes.

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)
Flaming Christmas cranberry pudding

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)
Casserole dish of candied sweet potatoes

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)

Irish Stew 
(Irish lamb and potato stew)
A hefty bowl of Irish stew on the table

Irish Stew 
(Irish lamb and potato stew)

Scotch Broth 
(Scottish lamb, barley and root vegetable stew)
A bowl of Scotch broth with oatcakes

Scotch Broth 
(Scottish lamb, barley and root vegetable stew)

Fagioli all’Uccelletto 
(Italian white beans with tomato and sage)
Fagioli all'Uccelletto (Italian white beans with tomato and sage)

Fagioli all’Uccelletto 
(Italian white beans with tomato and sage)

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)
Fresh Brussels sprouts on a countertop

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)
Deep-fried apple fritters

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)

Poule au Pot 
(French chicken in a pot)
Poule au Pot (French chicken in a pot)

Poule au Pot 
(French chicken in a pot)

Apfelmus 
(German applesauce)
A spoonful of chunky applesauce from a bowl.

Apfelmus 
(German applesauce)

Gigantes Plaki sto Fourno 
(Greek baked white beans in tomato sauce)
Small plate of gigantes plaki

Gigantes Plaki sto Fourno 
(Greek baked white beans in tomato sauce)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)
Eggnog Recipe (American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)
A bottle of homemade aquavit.

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)
Puerto Rican pasteles, wrapped and unwrapped

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)
Casserole dish with bread stuffing

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)

Erdélyi Rakott Káposzta 
(Hungarian pork and sauerkraut casserole)
Sauerkraut for sale

Erdélyi Rakott Káposzta 
(Hungarian pork and sauerkraut casserole)

Bigos 
(Polish hunter's stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)
Bigos stew in a dish

Bigos 
(Polish hunter's stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)

Canard à l’Orange 
(French roast duck with orange sauce)
Sliced duck a l'orange on a plate with orange segments

Canard à l’Orange 
(French roast duck with orange sauce)

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)
Pot of simmering greens

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)

Inlagda Rödbetor 
(Swedish pickled beets)
A small plate of pickled beets

Inlagda Rödbetor 
(Swedish pickled beets)

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)
Plate of Swedish meatballs

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)
Half-served casserole dish of lanttulaatikko

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)
Half a coconut split open

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

Shchi 
(Russian cabbage soup)
Pot of simmering shchi

Shchi 
(Russian cabbage soup)

Ash-e Jow 
(Persian barley bean soup)
Bowl of Persian barley and lentil stew

Ash-e Jow 
(Persian barley bean soup)

Chili con Carne 
(American Tex-Mex spicy beef stew)
Large pot of chili simmering on outdoor stove

Chili con Carne 
(American Tex-Mex spicy beef stew)

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)
Glass bowl with cranberry sauce

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)

Sauerbraten 
(German marinated beef pot roast)
Slices of sauerbraten with gravy and potato dumplings

Sauerbraten 
(German marinated beef pot roast)

Fabada Asturiana 
(Spanish sausage and bean stew)
Fabada Asturiana (Spanish sausage and bean stew)

Fabada Asturiana 
(Spanish sausage and bean stew)

Boston Brown Bread 
(American steamed whole-grain molasses bread)
Slices of Boston brown bread with cream cheese

Boston Brown Bread 
(American steamed whole-grain molasses bread)

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)
Dish with galbi jjim

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)
Plate of Chinese steamed radish cake

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

Kotmis Satsivi 
(Georgian chicken with walnut sauce)
Small bowl of kotmis satsivi garnished with pomegranate arils

Kotmis Satsivi 
(Georgian chicken with walnut sauce)

Roast Prime Rib 
(English roast rib of beef)
Roast prime rib of beef

Roast Prime Rib 
(English roast rib of beef)

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)
Linzertorte on platter with a serving cut out

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Shou Mian – Longevity Noodles 
(Chinese egg noodles in broth)
Chinese longevity noodles

Shou Mian – Longevity Noodles 
(Chinese egg noodles in broth)

Khoresht-e Aloo 
(Persian lamb stewed with prunes)
Plate of khoresht-e aloo

Khoresht-e Aloo 
(Persian lamb stewed with prunes)

Daube de Boeuf Provençale 
(French Provencal beef braised in red wine)
A large dish of daube de boeuf provancale.

Daube de Boeuf Provençale 
(French Provencal beef braised in red wine)

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)
Swedish roast goose on a platter

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

Fesenjan 
(Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)
Fesenjan (Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)

Fesenjan 
(Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)

Kugelis 
(Lithuanian savory potato pudding)
Plated serving of kugelis

Kugelis 
(Lithuanian savory potato pudding)

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)
Bowl of sopa de ajo on a table with sunglasses and napkin

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

Shepherd’s Pie 
(English-Irish meat pie with mashed potato topping)
Shepherd's pit in casserole dish with portion removed

Shepherd’s Pie 
(English-Irish meat pie with mashed potato topping)

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)
Artsoppa (Swedish yellow split pea soup)

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)
Bowl of minestra di ceci

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)

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