December 15—January 31
Mid-December brings the winter solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere the darkest time of the year. Now the garden is fully in slumber; even the hardy brassicas succumb to below freezing temperatures and the brave pansy petals are frozen crisp. It’s time for indoor pursuits, and especially for cooking!
The beginning of winter is also the beginning of the holiday season, along with all of its pleasures and pressures. Preparation for holiday visitors and the festive meals we want to serve them sometimes takes precedence over every-night cooking for the family. Yet the blessings of having a full house of loved ones—whether family or friends or both—makes it all worthwhile. But now that the new year is underway and everyone’s gone back home, we can return to making satisfying, healthful meals using the PrepHoldCook concept.
This year in the Mid-Atlantic, bitter cold came in with the holidays and brought ferocious winds that chilled us to the bone. Though we may get a “January thaw” in mid- to late January, we’re in for at least two months of frigid weather. So this season’s menus focus on the hearty, warming foods of winter. In days gone by, that meant a limited palette of hardy fall produce still remaining in the cellar—hard-shelled squashes, cabbages and Brussels sprouts, and dependable root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, rutabagas, and parsnips. Fresh meat and poultry was far less available, meaning reliance on cured and smoked meats, such as salt beef, salt pork, bacon, and ham. And fresh seafood was available only when the weather allowed fishing boats to venture out into winter waters, making salt fish a winter staple. Today we can have the world’s bounty of fresh ingredients delivered to our doors with a single click. Yet it’s still satisfying to honor our heritage foods in wintertime.
Winter’s also a good time to feature pantry staples in our cooking. Pasta, grains, dried or canned legumes, canned tomatoes, dried mushrooms and, for the home gardener, any of the summer produce stashed away in the freezer. And gardener cooks who froze a few containers of pesto or fresh herb composed butters can cheat wintertime with an occasional off-season meal packed with summer flavors.
So let’s get through the darkest, coldest time of year with the comfort of healthful home cooking elevated by professional concepts, techniques, and methods. Enjoy the season!
East Texas Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Jalapeño Cheese Grits and Collard Greens
East Texas cuisine draws influences from ranchlands cowboy cooking, Tex-Mex flavors, and the comfort foods of the Deep South. Serve this recipe on a chilly day to warm up your family and friends with a hearty meal that showcases our American melting pot cuisine. Moist and succulent slow-cooked beef in a rich, slightly spicy brown sauce teams brilliantly with fluffy stone-ground grits and savory collard greens in this satisfying winter entrée.
Sicilian Spaghetti Tonnato in Chickpea Sugo Crudo with Broccoli Rabe
Combine pantry staples with a few fresh ingredients to make a meal packed with the sunny flavors of Sicily! Steaming-hot, al dente spaghetti is tossed in a piquant room-temperature sauce made from crushed chickpeas, extra-virgin olive oil, lemons, and lots of garlic. Add high-quality oil-packed Italian tuna, diced tomatoes, and black olives at the last minute for texture and freshness. A crispy toasted-breadcrumb topping replaces cheese. Complement the pasta with the tangy flavor of broccoli rabe to make a delicious, nutrient-balanced dish.
Chinese Clay Pot Chicken and Mushrooms with Jasmine Rice and Baby Bok Choy
Although Chinese cuisine is best known for stir-fry dishes, in cooler weather Chinese cooks make traditional stews and braised dishes in traditional clay pots. But you can make this dish in a Dutch oven or casserole, as well. Moist, tender chicken simmers with meaty shiitake mushrooms and colorful roll-cut carrots in a savory Cantonese brown sauce. Served over fragrant jasmine rice and accompanied with crisp, bright-green baby bok choy, this dish is a feast for all your senses.
Pan-Seared Fish in Blood Orange Butter Sauce with Purée Potatoes, Baby Spinach, and Carrots
