February can be cold, wet and blustery and as we all know too well this year, it can be very wintery. It is therefore understandable that February isn’t the best month for freshly grown ingredients. However hardy root vegetables such as Parsnips and Celeriac are of good quality this month.

Celeriac is a knobbly root vegetable which belongs to the celery family. Celeriac has a mild nutty flavour and is slightly sweeter than its more common relative. To prepare Celeriac, scrub well and remove or peel the hard brown outer ski to reveal a creamy white flesh. It is delicious eaten either raw or cooked. Have a go at making Celeriac Remoulade: finely slice the celeriac and then cut into very thin strips (‘julienne’). Mix together with a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise, a good squeeze of lemon juice, a little wholegrain mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Celeriac remoulade is lovely with salad, on toast or even with fish.

Halibut is a large flat fish that can grow to a staggering 4 metres long and can weigh up to 20kg. Halibut has a beautiful sweet, delicate white flesh which needs careful attention when cooking as to not overcook it. February is a great month to find fresh halibut from British waters. Pan fried Halibut with braised oxtail, puy lentils and red wine is a delicious warming dish for this months wintery days.

Chicory is a lovely salad leaf that is propagated by growing their roots in warm moist soil leaving their white leaves to develop whilst in covered darkness. Once exposed to light, chicory leaves will become bitter and it is therefore beneficial to eat chicory as fresh as possible. A blue cheese and walnut salad is the perfect combination to help balance the slight bitterness of chicory.

Other ingredients that are good this month are Kale, Guinea Fowl, Mussels and Oysters. Just in time for Valentines Day, oysters are renowned for being an aphrodisiac due to their high zinc levels.

Andrew

Ferguson Catering