SEASONAL
FR ESH START
Welcome in the new year with bright, inspiring recipes from Esther Clark, plus learn about growing leeks with tips from Emma Crawforth of BBC Gardeners’ World
Stylist MAX ROBINSON
photographs DANIELLE WOOD
The beginning of a new year brings us a fresh batch of seasonal delights. Citrus comes into its own this month, bitter chicory leaves are ready and sweet leeks begin to pop out of the ground. Now’s the time to refresh your cooking routine.
Ruby red grapefruit doesn’t just make a healthy breakfast – it’s also a welcome addition in both sweet and savoury dishes. Try baking grapefruit into a polenta cake or adding the juice to cocktails. Or, try a bright salad with notes of tamarind, sesame and fish sauce (p110). The tart grapefruit pairs so well with creamy avocado, sweet prawns and the salty, umami-rich dressing. Look out for other citrus fruits, including Italian lemons and Seville and blood oranges, all at their peak in January.
The humble leek is also ready for harvesting during the cooler months. These green-topped shoots can be whizzed into creamy soups with celeriac and mustard, or baked into a gratin with cheese sauce to serve alongside a roast dinner. Leeks turns deliciously sweet when fried until soft, making them the ideal addition to our tart on page 110 which combines caramelised leeks with salty manchego cheese and smoky chorizo.