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.

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

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)

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

Kotmis Satsivi 
(Georgian chicken with walnut sauce)

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)
Serving bowl of braised hasenpfeffer

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)

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

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

Locro 
(Ecuadoran, Peruvian potato-cheese soup)
Bowl of locro potato soup

Locro 
(Ecuadoran, Peruvian potato-cheese 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)

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

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Kugelis 
(Lithuanian savory potato pudding)
Plated serving of kugelis

Kugelis 
(Lithuanian savory potato pudding)

Carbonade Flamande, or Vlaamse Stoverij 
(Belgian beef and beer stew)
Plate of beef carbonade with fries

Carbonade Flamande, or Vlaamse Stoverij 
(Belgian beef and beer stew)

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

Erdélyi Rakott Káposzta 
(Hungarian pork and sauerkraut casserole)

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)
Paprikas csirke Hungarian paprika chicken

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)

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

Sauerbraten 
(German marinated beef pot roast)

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

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

Gratin Dauphinois 
(French potatoes baked with cream)
Baking dish of partially served gratin dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois 
(French potatoes baked with cream)

Töltött Káposzta 
(Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls over sauerkraut)
Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls showing filling

Töltött Káposzta 
(Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls over sauerkraut)

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

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)

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)

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

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)

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

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)

Soon Dubu Jjigae 
(Korean spicy tofu stew)
Bowl of soon dubu jjigae with poaching egg

Soon Dubu Jjigae 
(Korean spicy tofu stew)

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)
Seasoned, braised cabbage

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)

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

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

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

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

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)

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

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Bográcsgulyás 
(Hungarian beef and pepper stew)
Pot of bogracs gulyas over a campfire

Bográcsgulyás 
(Hungarian beef and pepper stew)

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)
Plate of spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jewish filled donuts)
Sufganiyot jelly-filled donuts

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jewish filled donuts)

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

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)

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)

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

Apfelmus 
(German applesauce)

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

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)

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

Irish Stew 
(Irish lamb and potato stew)

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)
Individual Yorkshire puddings

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)

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

Inlagda Rödbetor 
(Swedish pickled beets)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)
Torta di mele Italian apple tart

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

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)

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)

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

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

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

Poule au Pot 
(French chicken in a pot)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

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)

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

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

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

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)

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

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

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