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.

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)
Serving bowl of braised hasenpfeffer

Hasenpfeffer 
(German stewed rabbit)

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)

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

Irish Stew 
(Irish lamb and potato stew)

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

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)
Skillet of chicken pot pie with biscuit crust

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)

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

Borshch 
(Ukrainian beet soup)

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

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)

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)

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

Erdélyi Rakott Káposzta 
(Hungarian pork and sauerkraut casserole)

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)

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

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

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)

Semmelknödel 
(German bread dumplings)
Semmelknödel German bread dumplings on a platter

Semmelknödel 
(German bread dumplings)

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

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)

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

Töltött Káposzta 
(Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls over sauerkraut)

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

Fabada Asturiana 
(Spanish sausage and bean stew)

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

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

Hong Shao Rou 
(Chinese red-cooked pork)
Red-cooked pork with a scoop of rice

Hong Shao Rou 
(Chinese red-cooked pork)

Sancocho 
(Latin root vegetable stew)
Bowl of sancocho root vegetables stew

Sancocho 
(Latin root vegetable stew)

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

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

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)

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)
Individual Yorkshire puddings

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)

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

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jewish filled donuts)

Shchi 
(Russian cabbage soup)
Pot of simmering shchi

Shchi 
(Russian cabbage soup)

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)

Zuppa di Lenticchie 
(Italian lentil soup)
Bowl of lentil soup

Zuppa di Lenticchie 
(Italian lentil soup)

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

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

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

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)

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)

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

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)

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

Locro 
(Ecuadoran, Peruvian potato-cheese soup)

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

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)

Dong Gu Dofu 
(Chinese braised tofu with mushrooms)
Bowl of simmered tofu and mushrooms.

Dong Gu Dofu 
(Chinese braised tofu with mushrooms)

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

Inlagda Rödbetor 
(Swedish pickled beets)

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)

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

Fondue 
(Swiss melted cheese dish)

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

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)

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)

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

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)

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

Khoresht-e Aloo 
(Persian lamb stewed with prunes)

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)

Shuan Yang Rou 
(Chinese Mongolian hotpot)
Mongolian hot pot table set up of ingredients

Shuan Yang Rou 
(Chinese Mongolian hotpot)

Pierogi 
(Polish stuffed dumplings)
Plate of Polish pierogi

Pierogi 
(Polish stuffed dumplings)

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