SO, Christmas is a distant memory, the January blues are over with, and it’s all down hill to spring! As we hit February and March, the urge for comfort food grows, and even the lengthening days don’t yet make up for feeling winter-weary. The options in terms of what comfort foods we can indulge in are endless, and while we might occasionally bring sunshine into our lives with foods our parents and grandparents wouldn’t have had at this time of year, remaining seasonal and local doesn’t mean boring or limited. These months are often referred to as the ‘lean season’, with the tradition of bleak and bitter winters meaning that fresh food growing in our fields would be scarce. Our milder southern climate and increasingly warmer winters have extended the growing season of a number of vegetables, including leeks, parsnips, chicory, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, rhubarb, potatoes, and several cruciferous veg like cauliflower, kale and purple sprouting broccoli. Cruciferous varieties are quite abundant even as we near the end of the winter in February and March. Kale might have become the very fashionable member of the cruciferous family, but it has been a winter staple for much longer, alongside its less glamorous cousins, purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflower. We may not think of cauliflower as a nutrient powerhouse. Apart from the cauliflower rice craze, it has tended to be overlooked in its own right while kale and broccoli have been trumpeted as the health stars. In reality all of these vegetables are potent sources of plant betacarotene, cancer-fighting sulphorophane and indoles, as well as vitamins C and E. The combined profiles in this issue’s recipe alone outstrip the RDA for C, E and betacarotene, while calcium, potassium, and a host of other nutrients also feature as their individual profiles combine to create awesome nourishment. Making local seasonal produce a main feature of meals gives us what our bodies need to stay healthy. It’s no accident that roots and hardy veg varieties are available when we need the most immune-boosting phytochemicals and starchy food! Use this time to get as creative as you can with what’s wonderful, comforting and growing around you right now. Soups, stews, mashes and hotpots are the ultimate ways to cram in lots of different ingredients and flavours. This issue’s recipe highlights a way of mixing and matching different available veg along with bright tomatoes and creamy mozzarella to produce an unctuous and luxurious gratin that can go with just about anything. Until spring is sprung, enjoy!
Winter veg, tomato and mozzarella gratin
INGREDIENTS: 2 leeks; half a caulifl ower, cut into small fl orets and steamed until tender; purple sprouting broccoli stems, steamed and halved lengthwise; 175g baby plum tomatoes, halved; 2 red onions, fi nely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, fi nely chopped; 300g mozzarella, sliced; fresh aromatic herbs of your choice e.g. basil, oregano, marjoram; fresh breadcrumbs to cover; seasoning; rapeseed oil and extra virgin olive oil METHOD: Fry the onions in rapeseed oil until golden, adding the garlic just before the end to avoid it burning. Season and set aside. Preheat the oven to 190 C fan/210 C. In a baking dish layer the steamed vegetables, onions and mozzarella, then top with the tomatoes and herbs, followed by a good layer of breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil to crisp up the breadcrumbs and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. To serve, dish up a sizzling scoop of gratin with a main meal or on sourdough topped with spinach or rocket leaves for a substantial lunch.
Naturally Nourishing is written by
nutritionist and “confi rmed foodie” Jane
Hutton. Visit her new website, www.
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