Whether it’s a brief and sharp frosty spell or a relentless stormy period, the weather at this time of year is conducive to dishes that warm our cockles.
So what makes a cockle-warming dish? Obviously, it’s served hot. Salads are out of question, even stir fries don’t quite make the grade because in my opinion a winter warmer has to deliver in one aspect: liquid content.
That’s not to say that only soups come close to the mark, though they are obvious winners. Liquid content qualifiers can be saucy, creamy or cheesy (there you are: finding out that cheese is a liquid. bet you never knew?), anointed with gravy, swimming in butter or drowned in broth.
So it’s stews, casseroles and bakes as well as soups, preferably with some starchy content. Which means winter vegetables rule the pot, also because they are better suited to stewing and souping, and have a higher starch content.
I think the absolute top of the winter warming charts must be cassoulet, southern French dish of saucy beans with duck and sausage bits. It’s very clever, because the beans are high in protein and yet make us think we’re eating mainly starch. With a blanket of Parmesan and breadcrumbs on top of the pot, it ticks all the possible comfort boxes.
Closer to home, we have pies. They are a brilliant idea too, with pastry crust hiding saucy, rich content, warm and rewarding, whether it’s a classic steak and ale or chicken pie, or a vegetarian version of fennel and Taleggio cheese.
Next in line – gratins. Gorgeously creamy and cheesy, they make any vegetable appealing and transform your dinner of a boring chicken or fish into a wintry feast. You can gratiné squash, beetroot, fennel with potato, parsnips or celeriac, the more seasonal the better.
And then my favourite, the cheesy stuff. From cheese on toast (or baked scamorza, its posh version) through cauliflower cheese to spicy cheesy lentils, cheese in its melting, stringy form always makes me sigh with pleasure whilst eating as I can actually feel my brain getting a serotonin hit.
So let’s get cooking – and incidentally, a warm kitchen, delicious smells and a bustle of activity with a tasty meal at the end are guaranteed to make you happy!