A Cookbook for Winter E-Book

Ryland Peters & Small

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 179

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Get cosy with this comforting collection of seasonally inspired recipes – the ideal cook's companion for the winter months. A study of 2,000 adults found they anticipate spending 72 hours rustling up meals during the winter months, compared to just 55 hours during warmer months! And what better way is there to spend a frosty day than preparing delicious food to enjoy with family and friends? When it's chilly outside, make the most of being holed up indoors and get creative in the kitchen with these comforting and nourishing recipes. And if you do have to venture outside, why not pack some sustaining snacks for winter walks and perhaps a flask of something hot to drink to keep your fingertips toasty and your spirits high. Featuring more than 100 recipes for winter eating and entertaining, from soups and stews to melted cheese, pasta, pies and puddings plus warming hot drinks, this book provides all the inspiration you will need.

Leseprobe

A Cookbook for

WINTER

A Cookbook for

WINTER

MORE THAN 95 NURTURING & COMFORTING RECIPES FOR THE COLDER MONTHS

With recipes by

LOUISE PICKFORD

Senior Designer Toni Kay

Senior Editor Abi Waters

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Production Manager Gordana Simakovic

Creative Director Leslie Harrington

Indexer Vanessa Bird

First published in 2024 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Recipe collection compiled by Julia Charles.

Text copyright © Julia Charles, Carol Hilker, Kathy Kordalis, Theo A. Michaels, Hannah Miles, Louise Pickford, Shelagh Ryan, David T. Smith and Ryland Peters & Small 2024.

Design and photographs copyright © Ryland Peters & Small 2024

See page 192 for full credits.

Illustration credit Adobe Stock: Nataliiaku: Cover and pages 3, 8, 46, 82, 134, 148 and 176.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-646-0

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-661-3

The authors’ moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available rom the British Library.

US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for.

Printed and bound in China

NOTES

• Both American (Imperial plus US cups) and British (Metric) measurements and ingredients are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

• Many recipes in this book call for a Dutch oven. This is a thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid. Any cast iron or ceramic casserole dish can be used – they are ideal for sautéing, braising, slow-cooking and baking so come into their own in the winter months. If a recipe is cooked only on the hob/stovetop a large saucepan can usually be substituted.

• When a recipe calls for the zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Contents

Introduction

Snow day soups & snacks

Fondues & fireside suppers

Warming one-pots & pies

Winter salads

Desserts & sweet bakes

Seasonal drinks

Index

Credits

Introduction

In A Cookbook for Winter, every recipe is an invitation to gather around the table for shared moments of joy and warmth.

As the mercury dips, our culinary inclinations lean towards comfort foods – those warming recipes that are akin to a hug for the soul during the cold days. Winter cooking is characterized by hearty stews and rich soups that simmer on the stovetop and slow-cooked casseroles and savoury pies that bubble in the oven, filling homes with enticing aromas. These dishes often feature seasonal produce, which not only provide depth of flavour but also essential nutrients to bolster our health through the colder months, encouraging adventures in both taste and nourishment.

In the heart of winter, when the air is crisp and the landscape is blanketed in snow, our kitchens can become havens of warmth and creativity. This season beckons us to explore a rich tapestry of ingredients that thrive in the chill. Pumpkin and squashes with their hardy shells, reveal vibrant, nutrient-dense flesh. Hardy greens such as kale and chard withstand frosty temperatures and offer a welcome burst of colour to many dishes, as does radicchio when it makes its debut in December. Incorporating grains and pulses/legumes adds both texture and sustenance, and the comfort of melting cheese, spiked with a little warming spirit in a fondue cannot be underestimated; it is no coincidence that this is food born of snow-capped mountains. Citrus fruits also peak during these months, orange zest and juice adding brightness to counterbalance the hearty fare, along with the heady sweetness of ripe pears. Spices play a pivotal role too: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger enhance flavour and bring with them their own comforting warmth. These star ingredients not only inspire culinary exploration but also connect us to nature’s rhythm, making cooking at this time of year uniquely satisfying.

Embracing winter cooking is also perhaps about more than just adjusting our diets to the colder weather. It’s a time when meals become more than just sustenance; they turn into moments of connection and warmth shared with loved ones around the table. As the frost blankets the world in its serene white, the pleasure of eating together becomes a cherished ritual. In these chilly times, kitchens and dining rooms transform into warm havens full of comforting scents; it’s a celebration of the season’s unique offerings and an opportunity to create warmth and contentment in our homes. This time of year, we are encouraged to slow down, take the time to savour each meal, and explore recipes that embody the essence of winter.

Whether it is perfecting a traditional recipe or experimenting with seasonal produce, winter cooking is an art that nourishes both body and spirit and we hope you find all the inspiration and encouragement you need in the recipes that follow.

Snow day soups & snacks

Slowly braised onions are truly one of life’s pleasures, especially in this classic, comforting soup, with its topping of melted cheese. For vegetarians, if you are happy eating cheese, simply replace the beef or chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Baked French onion soup with Gruyère topping

75 ml/5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 kg/2 lb. 4 oz. onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme

125 ml/½ cup fruity red wine

1 litre/4 cups beef stock or chicken stock (see page 19)

½ French baguette

75 g/⅔ cup grated Gruyère

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan/200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6.

Heat the oil in a 4-litre/quart Dutch oven over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, garlic and thyme with a little salt and pepper for 25 minutes until really soft and lightly golden, stirring frequently to prevent the onions from burning.

Add the wine, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until evaporated, then pour in the stock. Bring back to the boil and season to taste.

Cut the bread into slices 1 cm/½ inch thick and arrange over the top of the soup. Scatter over the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses and transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for about 10–15 minutes until the soup is bubbling and the cheese melted and golden. If you wish, you can brown the top of the cheese under a hot broiler/grill.

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pangrattato is an Italian fried breadcrumb garnish, often scattered over a dish of cooked pasta. Here, combined with crispy fried bacon, it provides both crunch and flavour to the finished bean soup.

White bean & rosemary soup with bacon pangrattato

60 ml/4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary

350 g/12 oz. potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, Russet, Desiree, or King Edward, diced into 1-cm/½-inch cubes

2 x 400-g/14-oz. cans cannellini or haricot beans, drained and rinsed (see introduction)

1 litre/4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

BACON PANGRATTATO

60 ml/4 tablespoons olive oil

125 g/4½ oz. rashers/slices of bacon, rind removed and diced

1 large garlic clove, crushed

100 g/3½ oz. day-old bread (without crusts)

2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Serves 4–6

Heat the oil in a 4-litre/quart Dutch oven over a medium heat and fry the onion, garlic and rosemary for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Add the potatoes and beans, stir well and then add the stock, bay leaves and a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, make the pangrattato. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan/skillet over a high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove the pan from the heat and using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the oil, and set aside. Add the garlic to the hot oil off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to flavour it. Remove and discard the garlic.

Cut the bread into pieces and place in a food processor. Using the pulse button, blend the bread to make rough crumbs, as evenly sized as you can. Return the frying pan/skillet to a medium-high heat, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until they are evenly golden and crisp. Combine with the bacon, parsley and a little salt and pepper and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, transfer half the soup to a blender or food processor (or use a stick blender) and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then heat through.

Divide the soup between warm bowls and top with the pangrattato and a swirl of olive oil.

Pumpkin soup is a classic to serve at Halloween or for Bonfire Night – it freezes well so you can prepare ahead and then just defrost and reheat on the day. For an extra spooky treat, why not serve in roasted pumpkin bowls – once the soup is eaten you can eat the bowl too. Small pumpkins and squashes work perfectly for this (see tip below).

Roasted pumpkin soup

1.3 kg/3 lb. pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 litre/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

double/heavy cream, to serve

toasted mixed seeds, to serve

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

Place the chopped squash or pumpkin in a roasting pan and sprinkle over the orange zest and juice, ginger and olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes until the squash is soft when you cut it with a knife.

Remove from the oven and place in a saucepan with the stock over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blitz until the soup is smooth.

Pour the soup into four bowls and add a swirl of cream to each. Serve topped with toasted seeds.

Tip: If you are making the pumpkin shell bowls, scoop out the insides of four small pumpkins or the round end of four small butternut squashes so that there is a thin layer of flesh remaining on the skin. Use the flesh in the soup recipe above. Drizzle the shells with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the flesh is soft but the pumpkin or squash bowl still holds its shape. Serve the soup in the roasted bowls.

Cauliflower may seem a humble vegetable but in this recipe, it is transformed into a deliciously creamy soup. If you don’t have cauliflower, you can substitute broccoli, which works equally well. Also try Cheddar instead of the blue cheese if preferred.

Creamy cauliflower & blue cheese soup

15 g/1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 whole cauliflower about 850 g/1 lb. 14 oz., leaves and stalk removed, chopped into pieces

1 litre/4 cups vegetable stock

125 ml/½ cup milk

75 g/2¾ oz. soft blue cheese, crumbled, plus extra to serve (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4

In a saucepan, melt the butter and fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the cauliflower to the saucepan together with the stock and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft.

Add the milk to the saucepan and season well with salt and pepper. Add the blue cheese and stir over the heat until it has melted.

Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into four bowls and top each with a sprinkling of black pepper and a little extra crumbled blue cheese, if liked.

When cauliflower is roasted it takes on a whole new dimension with a caramelized taste. Almonds add a nutty texture and the puréed cauliflower gives it a creamy feel even though there is no cream or milk added. This recipe is served with cauliflower pickles, which have a sharpness to cut through the creamy texture of the soup. The pickles should be prepared the day before so that they have time to absorb the wonderful vibrant yellow of the saffron.

Roasted cauliflower soup with toasted almonds & pickled florets

1 head of cauliflower, about 1 kg/2 lb. 4 oz.

olive oil, to drizzle

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

100 g/¾ cup blanched whole almonds (such as marcona)

1 litre/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

4–6 tablespoons crème fraîche (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

PICKLED FLORETS

cauliflower leaves and 1 floret (from the main cauliflower)

a pinch of saffron

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar

Serves 4–6

Begin by making the pickled florets as these are best made the day before. Remove all the leaves from the cauliflower and remove one large floret from the base. Keep the rest of the cauliflower for making the soup. Slice the floret very finely and place in a bowl. Put the saffron into another small bowl, pour a little boiling water over and leave for 5 minutes to steep, then pour into the bowl with the cauliflower slices. Mix the sugar and vinegar together until the sugar has dissolved, and then add to the cauliflower and saffron water. Cover and place in the fridge to soak overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

Using a sharp knife, remove the stalk of the cauliflower, but cut carefully to ensure that the head of the cauliflower stays in one piece. Place in the roasting pan, drizzle with a good glug of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the paprika. Seal the pan with a layer of aluminium foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and roast for a further 30–45 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.

About 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the almonds to the roasting pan and roast for 5 minutes, which should colour the nuts a golden brown. Take care that they do not burn. Remove a handful of the nuts for the garnish and roughly chop them.

Place the cauliflower head (which will by now be really soft) in a large saucepan with the remaining nuts and add the stock. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blend until smooth.

Pour into bowls and add a spoonful of crème fraîche, if using, to each portion. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped nuts and the pickled florets.

Curried parsnip soup is one of the most traditional flavours of soup and is always popular. The sweetness of the vegetable pairs perfectly with the spices. This soup is topped with a traditional tadka of ghee with fried spices and curry leaves. I like quite a mild flavour so I use korma curry powder, but you can use a spicier version if you prefer. You can even add a finely sliced red chilli/chile at the same time as the garlic for extra fire. Parsnip crisps also make a fun topping – you can either buy these or follow the instructions in the tip below.

Curried parsnip soup

2 tablespoons ghee

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2.5-cm/1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced

500 g/1 lb. 2 oz. parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 litre/4 cups vegetable stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

TADKA

2 tablespoons ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

12 curry leaves

Serves 4

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan and fry the onion over a gentle heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for few minutes. Add the parsnips and curry powder and cook for a few minutes, then add the stock and simmer until the parsnips are soft.

Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blitz the soup until smooth, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the ghee for the tadka and add the cumin seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves. Heat for a few minutes until you can smell the spices and the seeds start to pop.

Pour the soup into four bowls and top each with a little of the hot tadka.

Tip: Parsnip crisps make a perfect topping for this soup. Using a swivel peeler or mandoline, cut very thin slices from a parsnip. Toss lightly in a drizzle of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place the strips (stretching them out so that they are flat) on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for 5–10 minutes until crisp, checking regularly as they can burn quickly.

There isn’t a heartier farmhouse soup than pearl barley broth. The barley makes this a really filling soup, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute with soup pasta instead. This version is made with lamb, but you can easily substitute with beef and beef stock, if you prefer.

Pearl barley broth

100 g/generous ½ cup pearl barley

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 lamb leg steaks (about 300 g/10½ oz.)

3 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes

100 ml/⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine

1 litre/4 cups lamb stock

1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard

100 g/½ cup frozen peas

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Serves 4

Rinse the pearl barley. Drain and set aside.

Add the oil and onion to a large saucepan and sauté for about 5 minutes over a medium heat until the onion softens and starts to caramelize.

Cut the lamb steaks into small pieces, trimming away any fat, and add to the saucepan to brown. Once the lamb has browned on all sides, add the carrot pieces to the saucepan and sauté for a few minutes.

Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer, then pour in the lamb stock and 500 ml/2 cups water. Gently simmer the soup for 30 minutes until the pearl barley is soft.

Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blend a few ladlefuls of the broth (including some barley and carrots), then return it to the soup to thicken it. Add the mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When you are ready to serve, heat the soup, add in the frozen peas and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour into four bowls and serve sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.

Beans are a great source of protein, especially for anyone on a vegan or vegetarian diet. You can use any beans of your choice for this soup. Canned beans are easy to use because they are already cooked, but you can prepare your own beans, if you prefer, by soaking them overnight and then cooking according to the packet instructions. The chilli/chili sauce with the kidney beans is generally very mild, so if you prefer a spicier heat, add a little chilli/chili powder or some dried chilli flakes/hot red pepper flakes when you add the beans for a fiery kick.

Three bean soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 yellow (bell) pepper, deseeded and cut into small pieces

1 carrot, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 courgette/zucchini, cut into small pieces

400-g/14-oz. can black beans in water, drained

400-g/14-oz. can cannellini beans in water, drained

400-g/14-oz. can red kidney beans in chilli/chili sauce

400-g/14-oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato purée/paste

250 ml/1 cup red wine

1 litre/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon dried oregano

a handful of chopped fresh basil, plus extra to serve

100 g/3½ oz. soup pasta

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated Parmesan or Cheddar, to serve

Serves 6

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and fry until lightly golden brown, then add the chopped yellow pepper, carrot and courgette and fry for a few minutes to soften.

Rinse the drained black beans and cannellini beans well in cold water. Add them to the saucepan along with the kidney beans in chilli sauce, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, red wine, stock, oregano and basil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the soup pasta to the saucepan and simmer for the time stated on the pasta instructions – usually about 8–10 minutes – until the pasta is cooked. Season well with salt and pepper.

Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, blitz the soup quickly – you want to leave most of the soup in chunks, but blending some of the mixture will help thicken the soup. Taste for seasoning adding more salt and pepper as needed.

Divide the soup between six bowls and serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Cheddar and some extra chopped basil leaves.

This hearty soup is the perfect nourishment after a long snowy trek through the woods, drinking schnapps, followed by steaming bowls of cabbage and sausage. It has a meaty broth with sweetness from the cider and a tang of mustard seeds. If you prefer not to make the sausage balls, you can use cooked whole sausages instead and just cut them into slices and add to the soup. Make sure they are heated through in the soup broth before serving. To avoid having to slurp too much with this soup, make sure you cut the cabbage into short, finely shredded pieces.