Whether you want to cut your food miles, support your local farmers, introduce more variety into your diet, or simply tune into the natural world, there are tonnes of benefits to seasonal eating. Don’t worry, you don’t have to live next to a farmer’s market either – sign up to a veg box scheme or see below for what’s in season right now and shop around at your local supermarket.
What’s in season in February? Purple sprouting broccoli and blood orange seasons are just beginning. Plus, there’s a bounty of hearty root veg, like turnips, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, and different varieties of potatoes. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale, too.
We’ve rounded up our top seasonal recipes to help you eat the seasons this February:
Celeriac Purée with Spiced Cauliflower and Quail’s Eggs
The celeriac purée works well as an alternative to hummus, topped with in-season cauliflower, almonds, and rich quail’s egg. Serve it as a starter or a main with hot pitas for scooping.
From the book
NOPI: The Cookbook
Over 120 recipes from Ottolenghi’s celebrated Soho restaurant
Inspiring vegetable dishes
Sophisticated recipes made accessible for home cooks
Meera Sodha’s Peanut Butter and Purple Sprouting Broccoli Pad Thai
Look out for bunches of purple sprouting broccoli with its delicate stems and vibrant purple heads to stir-fry into Meera Sodha’s vegan twist on a pad Thai. Alternatively, serve as a side with a citrussy chilli dressing à la Nigella.
Creamy Cheese, Brussels Sprout and Almond Gratin
Brussels sprouts aren’t just for Christmas, and with this creamy, cheesy gratin recipe you can transform them into seriously soothing comfort food, perfect for those cold February evenings.
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup (Potage de topinambours à la provençale)
Nutty Jerusalem artichokes are delicious simply roasted with rosemary and garlic, but this soup recipe is a step up – silky smooth and topped with a tomato, olive oil, and bacon garnish (leave out the bacon for a veggie alternative).
Shepherd’s Pie
A seriously sumptuous dinner of tender lamb shoulder, balsamic, rosemary and plenty of winter root veg, including turnips, celeriac, and carrots, all topped with creamy potato mash.
Iskender Chicken Kebab
Find out how to turn all that in-season kale into a hearty pickle. Store it in the fridge for a couple of weeks to add to salads, wraps, and this spiced chicken kebab with sweet tomato sauce.
Sweet Pea Fish Pie
Head to the farmer’s market this week and you’ll find potatoes of all different varieties. While it’s difficult to beat a perfect roast potato or Gizzi Erskine’s smoother-than-smooth mash, we don’t think there’s a better way to champion the humble spud than on a creamy fish pie. This is Jamie’s version with frozen sweet peas thrown into the topping for good measure.
Creative Crisps
Got peelings leftover from Sunday’s roast or half a bag of kale wilting in the back of the fridge? Turn your veg scraps into moreish crisps with this zero-waste recipe.
Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake with Almonds
February signals beautiful blood orange season, brought over from our European neighbours, Spain and Italy. With a bright, blood-red juice, these oranges look beautiful in a tart and lend incredible flavour to Alice Hart’s simple mousse-like sponge cake.
Baked Rhubarb with Sweet Labneh
Thanks to producers of forced rhubarb, the UK enjoys two opportunities to enjoy this sweet and sour fruit. Long before the spring season, the neon pink forced variety makes an appearance in the depths of winter, just when we need it most. Want to make the most of it while it’s here? Try Ottolenghi’s recipe which roasts rhubarb in muscat, citrus, and vanilla and serves it alongside delicious sweet labneh.
