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What's in season: November
Cold weather always makes shellfish a good choice, and I particularly like the ubiquitous sweet, cold-water prawns from Greenland. These are ideal for the perfect prawn cocktail, a dish that's often mocked but so delicious with that perky sauce made of mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, a dash of Tabasco and some creamed horseradish.
All our meat is good in the winter, as the animals will have had a good feed on summer pastures. But my meat of choice at this time of year is game, whether hare, partridge, venison or grouse. It is lean meat, so if it's to remain tender and juicy it needs either very slow cooking or a quick spell in a hot oven or very slow cooking.
On the side
As accompaniments to game, plain, homely root vegetables, such as celeriac, parsnips and swedes are clear winners.
Wild mushrooms come a close second, while also in the running are chestnuts, cabbage and some fruits such as orange or kumquats with wild duck, and apples or prunes with wild boar.
With dark game, such as hare or wild duck, I like to serve wild rice. And with slow-cooked beef or game dishes, braised fennel and celery hearts are the perfect accompaniment.
Nature's bounty
Home-grown treasures for the fruit bowl include a wide range of English apples and pears. Most supermarkets now carry several varieties as they come into season, and it's well worth trying some of the unfamiliar names. Recently I was absolutely knocked out by the flavour of a freshly picked Blenheim Orange.
If you can find tree-ripened Coxes, this is the best time of the year to enjoy them. Generally, they are picked far too early, leaving them with an undeveloped flavour.
Over the page: Queer gear and Frances' November menu
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