Want to know what’s good and in season in December? Looking for December recipe ideas? Use moist sweet potatoes, crisp, crunchy apples and mild Savoy cabbage from your local greengrocer to make these seasonal dishes and bakes. We’ve included plenty of tips for how to shop for particular varieties, prepping guides and useful ideas for using leftovers.
Sweet potatoes
The sweet potatoes you’ll typically find in supermarkets are orange-fleshed, moist and sweet. Not as widely known is the white sweet potato, also called boniato. Available in Caribbean and Asian supermarkets, it’s also known as kumara or Caribbean sweet potato. It has creamy white insides, is drier and less sweet than its orange cousin.
Sweet potato muffins
Discover more sweet potato recipes here.
Get ahead and bake a batch of sweet potato muffins for lunch in the week – they keep well in the fridge. They also make for a great speedy breakfast or brunch.
Cauliflower
Related to broccoli, a cauliflower’s head (the curd) is actually made up of hundreds of undeveloped flower buds. That collection of buds should be pure white when buying, and held within crisp green leaves, which can also be steamed and eaten, too.
Cauliflower ragu
Enjoy this great alternative to a meat ragu. Made using cauliflower, it’s cheaper and sneaks in an extra one of your 5-a-day, while the anchovy adds a deep, rich flavour. Find more cauliflower recipes here.
Apples
British apples are at their best during the later seasons. Go for fruit that’s not bruised and wrinkly, and don’t be fooled by shiny skin – quite a few apples are waxed purely for aesthetic reasons.
Gingerbread apple butter
Spread this gingerbread apple butter on crumpets, stir into a bowl of hot porridge, use on a cheeseboard or as part of a sauce for some juicy pork chops. Check out more apple recipes here.
Savoy cabbage
Named after a region in France, Savoy cabbage is mild in taste and, due to its large, robust leaves, holds up well when cooking. The leaves are especially good for stuffing.
Savoy cabbage thoran
Enjoy this simple Savoy cabbage thoran, or cabbage fry, a dry vegetable dish originating from Kerala. The key ingredients are coconut, chilli and spices. We have more cabbage recipes here.
Savoy cabbage gratin
Chunky wedges of Savoy cabbage are roasted until browned and then baked in a rich cheesy sauce with thyme – the perfect accompaniment to a roast.
