The Seasons - Winter Magic

I would love to start a group along the vein of "I'm not going to eat anything that is not at the height of it's season".

What brought this on was a visit to my local Bi-Lo store, where I watched people ignoring all those wonderful winter goodies (such as parsnips, Swedes, turnips, brussel sprouts, apples and pears). Instead they opted for those many little numbers that purely and simply depend on a good splash of sunshine to be at their very best. (Not that we've had a lot of that in our so-called sunny months this year.)

I don't blame the supermarkets. After all they are in the business of giving us what we want. But we, the customers, should be ignoring ingredients such as tomatoes, strawberries and asparagus and even, dare I say it, prime cuts of lamb and veal. And, instead think of root vegies, Asian greens, the aforementioned apples and pears and any cut of meat that can be successfully stewed or braised.

This is the time of the year for hearty food - rich stews bubbling on the back of the stove as you watch TV, thick soups that can be whipped up at the drop of a hat and roasts with lots of crispy, crunchy roast vegies. And, of course if you are feeling a little fancy, oysters are at their very best in the colder months (they tend to spawn and become milky in the hotter months) and game birds such as pheasant, guinea fowl and partridge are also at their best right now. (All of which everyone whips up for the family dinner on a regular basis, don't they?)

But, at the risk of repeating myself, this is the time for hearty, winter warmers.

And, just to get you in the mood, try whipping up a simple stew by sauteing a few sliced or chopped onions with a couple of crushed garlic cloves in some oil, before adding a kilo of cubed well trimmed meat. Toss until it changes colour and then add 1 heaped tbsp of any Indian curry paste or pre-prepared spice mix and cook for a few minutes. Then add 3 tbsp plain flour and briefly cook, before just covering with stock (and wine, if you like) and a couple of cans of drained, diced tomatoes. Cover the pot and gently cook for 1-2 hours, stirring every now and then. If you like, throw in some green vegies (such as broccoli) towards the end. And, just out of interest, the curry paste or spice mix just adds body and richness and will not be discernable in the end product.