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What’s in season: December

With so much rich food on the table at Christmas, you need to balance your December menus with the season’s lighter offerings

Despite the cold weather, when I’m planning a menu for December I like to keep my starters small and simple or crisp and fresh. And nothing could be fresher than a winter salad. At this time of year, we’re lucky enough to get hold of the various chicories with their bitter leaves: look for witloof, the pale yellow and white plump oval chicory, radicchio with its strong crimson colour, and whatever other varieties you can find.

I like to partner these slightly bitter leaves with sweet, anise-flavoured fennel, crisp, nutty celery and the sweet and slightly peppery kohl rabi. I cut the vegetables into wedges and slices as appropriate, and tear off the leaves. I prefer to hand round the dressing separately, in case there are others like me who prefer to eat the salad au naturel.

Winter vegetables
For a change from sprouts – British or Brussels – look for something more exotic, such as salsify or scorzonera. These are tough-skinned root vegetables that need peeling before cooking in boiling water. After that, you can turn them into a gratin, with a silky texture and delicious, subtle flavour.

Creamed leeks are a delicious accompaniment to grilled and roasted meat as well as fish, and all you do after trimming, slicing and rinsing them thoroughly is put them in a heavy saucepan with a nut of butter. Cover with a lid, and cook gently until the leeks are tender. Fork to a purée with a little more butter, cream or crème fraîche and a grating of nutmeg. Brussels sprouts can be prepared in the same way.

Here are some more of my favourite winter vegetable suggestions:

• Jerusalem artichokes in a gratin

• Savoy cabbage, shredded and stir-fried with olive oil and sherry or fruit vinegar
• Chinese cabbage, shredded and stir-fried with oriental aromatics
• Kale, cavolo nero or green cabbage, shredded and stir-fried with flaked almonds, sultanas and creme fraiche
• Baked sweet potatoes
• Baked pumpkin
• Wild rice cooked in vegetable stock with wild mushrooms
• purées of root vegetables with spices
• Chestnuts, small onions and quartered pears, braised and glazed.

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