This endlessly versatile veg has surpassed its reputation as merely a side cloaked in cheese sauce and now comes in all shapes and sizes; as rice, steaks and even pizza bases. Treat cauliflower as you would a piece of meat with spices and marinades to boost its naturally mild flavour. Roasting it whole makes for an impressive centrepiece or blitz into a silky-smooth soup for a comforting lunch.

With a short season running until mid-February, now is the time to kick-start the preserving year and try your hand at marmalade making. This Spanish citrus fruit naturally contains lots of pectin in its thick, bitter-sweet rind, which gives marmalade its signature set. Look out for oranges with plump, firm skin for best results.

At its best in the winter months, this humble root veg has a celery-like, nutty flavour beneath its knobbly exterior. Try swapping the more traditional potato for celeriac in mash, gratins and stews. Its texture produces velvety soups and purées or try it raw and thinly sliced in slaws and remoulades. Whilst celeriac has a long shelf life, it hollows out with age so choose one that feels heavy for its size.

Once a game bird, guinea fowls are now domesticated, and their small size makes them a great roast option for two. Their flavour is similar to chicken but with a gamier tasting flesh and about half the amount of fat. As a result, ideally pair with bacon or Parma ham to prevent drying out.

Part of the thrifty turnip family, swede has a distinctive, sweet tasting flesh and a slightly purple-green skin. Cook with swedes in much the same way as other root vegetables in comforting classics such as stews, mash and cheesy gratins. Known as ‘neeps’ in Scotland, celebrate Burns Night towards the end of the month with some haggis and a side of neeps and tatties.