December

What to cook, eat and enjoy

Happy December! Welcome to edition #12 of a 12-month series celebrating the seasons. Can you believe it’s been a year of seasonal newsletters? I can’t. But here we are — December.

This is a rather long post, so feel free to view via the website or app if the email cuts out. Oh, and this post is free for all subscribers, but if you’re enjoying it, why not consider supporting my work by becoming a paid subscriber?

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As winter approaches, I feel a deep need for comfort and sustenance — a pull toward the kitchen where warmth and familiarity offer a place to hunker down, a space to feel wholly centered. For cooks though, this season can be a whirlwind. If you work in hospitality, you’re likely running on fumes, surviving on little sleep. And if you’re not, chances are you’re still juggling all the elements that constitute the rhythm of seasonal entertaining at this time of year. But hopefully, whatever your pace, you’ll find a few quiet moments to retreat to the kitchen and cook something soothing and delicious, just for yourself.

Before taking a look at the produce available during this celebratory month of December, a little heads up - The Christmas Menu series is on its way, stay tuned.

Persimmons — Persimmons are something of an enigma. Visually eye-catching this fruit often leaves even the most skilled cooks pondering the best way to unlock their true potential. The soft amber flesh - redolent of autumn sunlight - once ripe, transforms into a custard-like texture: smooth, lush, and delicately honeyed. Certain varieties carry the faintest trace of warm spices such as cinnamon or clove, adding depth without overwhelming. From the jelly-like ripeness of Hachiya and the crispness of Fuyu and Jiro, to the spiced tenderness of the elusive Chocolate Persimmon (Tsurunoko), each variety, whether eaten fresh or cooked, brings its own distinct character.

I like to keep things simple like using persimmons in a burrata salad. Slices of ripe fruit tossed in a bright pomegranate vinaigrette (pomegranate molasses, olive oil, lemon, and salt), layered with creamy burrata, and finished with a little balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of sea salt — this throw-together dish is a simple yet elegant celebration of the season.

As a snack I also like to indulge in a dried persimmon with a dollop of mascarpone, a little honeycomb and a cup of herbal tea. Try it.

Quince - Certain bakes have a way of staying with you, quietly but insistently, long after the last crumb has vanished. My spiced almond cake paired with saffron and nutmeg poached quince, without question, is a favorite sweet treat of the highest order. Inspired by the Swedish Tosca cake, my version pairs a tender, aromatic and spicy sponge with a buttery almond topping that caramelizes into a crispy caramel layer. Unassuming in its appearance, it conceals a multitude of secrets — chiefly, that it might just be one of the most delicious things you’ll taste this season.

Oh, and did I mention how easy the recipe is?

Spiced Almond Cake By A Good Table

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Ingredients

For the cake

125g all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp kosher salt

100g unsalted butter, melted

60ml milk

1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

100g marzipan, grated (using the large hole side of a box grater)

125g sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

For the topping

100g unsalted butter, melted

50g caster sugar (light brown also a good option)

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tbsp milk

100g marzipan, grated

100g flaked almonds

Pinch of salt

Method

For the cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 8-9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, and using an electric mixer, whisk together the cooled melted butter, grated marzipan and sugar until well combined. Then, add in the milk and vanilla, and mix.

4. Follow this by adding one egg at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated. Then, gradually add the sifted dry ingredients. Do not over mix in order to keep the cake light and airy.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out reasonably clean.

For the topping

1. While the cake bakes, combine the butter, sugar, flour and milk in a saucepan over low-medium heat.

2. Stir constantly whilst the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking for a few minutes until it thickens.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the grated marzipan and sliced almonds, ensuring that everything is well mixed and the marzipan evenly distributed.

Assemble

1. Once the cake is baked, carefully remove it from the oven. Gently spread the almond topping over the hot cake using a heat proof spatula.

2. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C then return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 10-18 minutes, or until the topping is golden and bubbly.

3. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Run a knife around the outside whilst it is still slightly warm. Once cooled, carefully release the sides of the springform pan.

I serve the cake with poached quince and a dollop of vanilla salted Chantilly cream. You can find the recipe for the poached quince here.

A thing of beauty

Blood orange - Citrus season is upon us, and with it, my annual ritual of making a whimsical blood orange caramel. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the unadulterated rich flavor of blood oranges. To make this dessert, simply simmer the juice of a blood orange together with a touch of light brown or caster sugar and a generous splash of heavy cream. Stir until slightly thickened. The wonderful outcome of such minimal effort will be a silky, citrus caramel that’s delightful drizzled over porridge or rice pudding, or, as I like it best, poured over slices of blood orange.

Grapefruit - something for the brunch table. Grapefruit + brown sugar + a kitchen blow torch = grapefruit brûlée.

Clementines - Sweet, vibrant, and wonderfully fragrant, clementines never fail to excite me. One of my favorite pairings is whole clementines cooked alongside chicken thighs with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cracked black pepper — it's a combination that embodies Christmas. But the real magic happens when I use them in my flourless chocolate cake. The trick is to boil two clementines (a method I learnt from Nigella Lawson), purée them, and fold the fragrant, deeply flavored puree into the cake batter. The result is a subtle citrus note that perfectly balances the richness of the chocolate, creating a flavor that's both unexpected and comforting.

There’s a whole two clementines in this cake!

As for a cocktail? Try my no-measurement, clementine gin fizz: Stir together clementine juice, gin and simple lemon syrup then top with prosecco. Garnish with a little clementine zest twist. Lovely.

Brussels sprouts

'Tis the season for Brussels sprouts. But before you roll your eyes (yes, I see you, my fellow Brits, forever scarred by childhood school dinners and those sad, mushy sprouts at Christmas) — hear me out. Brussels sprouts have undergone a transformation. Gone are the days of grey, overboiled sprouts; now they’re golden, caramelized treasures, pan-fried with bacon and, occasionally, a few chestnuts. Trust me, those crispy edges release a nutty, deeply savory flavor that you won’t forget.

I’ve certainly found my groove with Brussels sprouts, and there’s no shortage of recipes to explore. One of my favorites? A Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with green tahini and pumpkin crumb — you can find that below.

Another recipe idea…

Pomegranates — Call it the Ottolenghi effect, but around this time, each year, pomegranate arils seem to find their way into salads, sides, and mains alike. It’s no wonder, really. Their vibrant sweetness and sharp tang, not to mention that jewel-like beauty, do indeed tend to elevate any dish. In fact, my current lunch fixation on those long recipe testing days is a pomegranate and feta salad: tender baby spinach, crumbly feta, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, pomegranate arils, good extra virgin olive oil and a scattering of pan-fried pine nuts. Simple.

As for cocktails, my pomegranate spritz is delightfully enhanced by cranberry and pomegranate ice cubes. This addition not only provides a touch of whimsy and novelty, but also elevates the drink with a subtle burst of flavor that whispers Christmas Day.

To create the ice cubes you will need: 80g of fresh cranberries, 350ml of pomegranate or cranberry juice, 40ml lemon simple syrup, 1-2 clementines chopped into small pieces and a few small sprigs of rosemary.

Evenly distribute the clementines, fresh cranberries and rosemary between the sections of an ice cube tray. Then, mix the pomegranate or cranberry juice with the lemon simple syrup and fill each individual section. After freezing them overnight, I pop 1–2 cubes into a glass and top with bubbly. Guests love them. Any extras can stay in the freezer for up to three months.

Pumpkins - Autumn may be slipping away, but, as we approach December there’s still time to savor the rich complexity of pumpkin. In fact, I’ve got a recipe that feels equally at home on the Christmas table as it does on the kitchen island for a quiet Sunday night supper.

Too delicious to contain

And so to the recipe - just imagine: a pumpkin, split, collapsing under the bubbling weight of bacon, Gruyère, cream, shallots, and herbs. What a vision of unctuous delight; I have this romantic notion of a weary 18th-century French farmer, having spent the day working the land, sitting down to this dish alongside a glass or three of something deeply thirst quenching. Comforting without pretension, rich with seasonal ingredients, yet simple in its preparation, this is the kind of food that makes you want to roll up your sleeves, dig in, and then curl up and enjoy a guilt-free snooze. So, if eating like a 18th century French farmer after a long day in the fields sounds appealing to you, simply try the recipe below.

Pumpkin sourced from Heckfield home farm

Stuffed Pumpkin

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Stuffed Pumpkin

Ingredients

1 large pumpkin

Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

450 g stale sourdough bread, thinly sliced and cut into chunks

250 g cheese (such as: Gruyère, Emmental, or cheddar), cut into rough chunks

3 fat garlic cloves, split (germ removed) and coarsely chopped

150g bacon lardons, cooked until crisp then drained and chopped

350-450 g (4-6 large) sage sausages, cooked and crumbled

50 g sliced shallots

15 g fresh thyme

100ml dry white wine

A handful of sage leaves

200ml heavy cream

100ml chicken stock

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Thyme and rosemary, roughly chopped (optional, but in my opinion, the more herbs the better)

Method

Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a baking sheet with a lip or a Dutch oven slightly larger than the pumpkin.

Cut a cap off the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle and then scoop out the seeds and strings. Season the inside with salt and pepper and then brush with a little oil.

(Note: Be careful with this process - you want to cut the pumpkin, not hamper your own dexterity!)

In a skillet, cook the sage sausages over medium heat until browned. Then, setting the pan aside, remove the sausages and cut/crumble into pieces. Next, replace the pan on the heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy and golden. Once cooked, drain the bacon and combine it with the crumbled sausage meat. In the same pan, sauté the shallots and garlic until softened. The aromas will make you want to grab a spoon and dive straight in, but it’s worth the wait…

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread, cheese, sautéed garlic and shallots, bacon and crumbled sausage, along with the thyme and any other herbs you wish to add. Season confidently with salt and pepper. Pour in the cream, wine and stock then add the nutmeg. Mix to combine and finally pack it into the pumpkin. If you have extra filling, that’s okay. Set it aside and cook in a ramekin for a snack.

Place the cap back on and bake for approx. 1 hour 45 mins - 2 hours, checking after 90 minutes. Remove the cap for the last 15-20 minutes to reduce excess liquid and allow the filling to brown and caramelize.

Carefully transfer the pumpkin to a platter or take it to the table as it is. And don’t be alarmed, if the pumpkin collapses, it only adds to its romantic charm.

Cranberries

Cranberries are often relegated to the role of a seasonal garnish or sauce, but their sharp, tangy flavor deserves to be explored. Fresh, they offer a bright, natural acidity that can elevate both sweet and savory dishes. I highly recommend you try my sugared cranberries - they taste like sour candy, in the best way. Recipe below.

And speaking of sugar, lately, I’ve been thinking about cranberries in desserts. I have a simple recipe for a spiced torte here. It's one of those highly customizable recipes. I've tried it with figs, oranges and persimmons, but I imagine it would be delightful topped with those sugared cranberries.

And if you’re feeling inspired, Martha Stewart has a recipe for a cranberry tart that looks perfect for Christmas Day. You can find it here: Martha Stewart’s Cranberry Tart.

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That’s all for this year’s Seasonal newsletter. Christmas recipes are on their way, and speaking of festive recipes, what sort of creations would you like to see me sharing over the next month? Don’t hesitate to comment below.