Twelfth Night on the 6th and Burns' Night on the 25th provide occasions for partying in an otherwise gloomy month of post-holiday blues. And on the food front, January is a surprisingly rewarding time of year

It might be dark and cold outside, but our shops are brightened up by citrus fruits of every shape and size. And for just a few weeks in the middle of the month you'll find Seville oranges on display. As the nation's marmalade makers know, this is a seasonal treat to be seized as soon as you find them in the shops.

Sevilles, on the whole, are unsprayed fruit, and have a short shelf life. Fortunately, you can freeze them and have a ready supply throughout the year. It is worth doing this, even if you have no intention of making marmalade. Home-made Seville orange curd is delicious, not only on toast or scones, but in crepes, as a cake filling and simply spooned into a meringue nest for an instant dessert.

When I make curd, I simply substitute the lemon juice and zest with the sharp orange juice and zest. I've used the juice in place of lime juice in one of this month's recipes, the ceviche. You'll find that the juice has a wonderful affinity with most fish dishes, just as lemon does. You should also try it in a gin and tonic – it tastes delicious.

Not the only fruit
But these are not the only fruits to look out for. Blood oranges from Sicily are fabulous in fruit salads, and I love the juice, either on its own or in a Bucks Fizz or other cocktails.

Apart from stored apples, our only home grown fruit at this time of the year is forced rhubarb, a speciality of Yorkshire where it is grown in dark sheds near Wakefield. With shocking pink stalks and a green/blonde leaves, it brightens up a winter vegetable stall no end. Excellent in homemade sorbets and ice-creams, I also like to use it in pies and crumbles.

Fish
Flat fish is still at its best throughout the month, and I particularly recommend lemon sole and plaice as good buys. Of course, brill, turbot and Dover sole are real treats, but twice the price.

Fillets of flat fish can be simply dipped in seasoned flour and fried in olive oil, or you can fold them round a stuffing (chopped mushrooms or prawns, for example) and bake them in the oven with cream and white wine. Or lay them on a bed of spinach, spoon on a little cheese sauce and cook in the oven for 18–20 minutes.

Over the page: The pick of this month's meat

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What's in season: January