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.

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)
Simmering mulled wine with spices and fruit

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)

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

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)

Gołąbki 
(Polish, stuffed cabbage rolls)
Smal bowl of cooked golabki

Gołąbki 
(Polish, stuffed cabbage rolls)

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)
Freshly baked tourtiere

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)

Brasato al Chianti 
(Italian beef braised in red wine)
Slices of beef brasato al Chianti on a plate with polenta

Brasato al Chianti 
(Italian beef braised in red wine)

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)
Bowl of Japanese New Year soba noodles

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)

Hoppin’ John 
(American rice and black-eyed peas)
Skillet with hoppin' John

Hoppin’ John 
(American rice and black-eyed peas)

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

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)

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)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)
Two ghapama pumpkins on a table

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Borshch 
(Ukrainian beet soup)
Bowl of borshch with smetana sour cream

Borshch 
(Ukrainian beet soup)

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)

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

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)

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

Sauerbraten 
(German marinated beef pot roast)

Boston Baked Beans 
(American white beans baked with molasses)
Boston baked beans in a bean pot

Boston Baked Beans 
(American white beans baked with molasses)

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

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

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

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)
Seasoned, braised cabbage

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)

Crêpes Suzette 
(French thin pancakes with orange sauce)
Plate of crepes Suzette with sauce and orange segments

Crêpes Suzette 
(French thin pancakes with orange sauce)

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

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)

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

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)
Plate of oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

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

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)
Roast turkey

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)

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

Kotmis Satsivi 
(Georgian chicken with walnut sauce)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)
Rumtopf (German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)
Bowl of New England clam chowder

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)

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

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)
Many decorated gingerbread men

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)
Dried hibiscus flowers

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

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

Erdélyi Rakott Káposzta 
(Hungarian pork and sauerkraut casserole)

Fondue 
(Swiss melted cheese dish)
A full cheese fondue set and place setting

Fondue 
(Swiss melted cheese dish)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)
Slices and full loaf of Dresdner stollen

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

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

Ash-e Jow 
(Persian barley bean soup)

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

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

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)

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

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

Hausgemachtes Sauerkraut 
(German, Austrian, Swiss homemade fermented cabbage)
Jar of homemade fresh sauerkraut

Hausgemachtes Sauerkraut 
(German, Austrian, Swiss homemade fermented cabbage)

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

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Limoncello 
(Italian lemon-flavored liqueur)
Glasses of ice cold limoncello

Limoncello 
(Italian lemon-flavored liqueur)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)
Panforte (Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

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

Irish Stew 
(Irish lamb and potato stew)

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

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

Coq au Vin 
(French chicken braised in wine)
Coq au vin on a serving plate

Coq au Vin 
(French chicken braised in wine)

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)
Serving bowl of braised hasenpfeffer

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)

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