Plough Monday was traditionally the first Monday after Twelfth Night, marking the end of the holidays for farm workers and the start of the English agricultural year. The idea behind this steamed suet pudding filled with sausagemeat and bacon was to fill the farmers’ bellies on their return from the fields. For a deeper, golden colour on your cooked pud, brush with melted butter and give it a blast in a hot oven
Recipe by Nadine Brown
Made popular by everyone’s favourite Swedish furniture company, these creamy meatballs are a staple comfort food in frosty Nordic nations – and are a perfect winter supper here, too
Recipe by Spencer Lengsfield
Cauliflower cheese, but in soup form. Roasting the cauliflower makes it extra delicious, especially with the addition of a whole bulb of roasted garlic
Swapping peas and lettuce for kale and turnips turns this classic spring lamb dish into a winter-worthy winner. Try adding pearl barley for a heartier stew
Ajvar is a southeastern European relish made up of roast peppers and aubergine. It adds a hint of smokiness and helps create a luscious sauce for this fibre-rich stew
Grapes are a popular addition to savoury recipes in Italy. Here, simmered with chicken in an aromatic sauce, they become plumper, juicier, and offer a burst of sweetness. You can use green grapes too, but they will be a little less sweet
Lion’s mane mushrooms are known for their meaty, seafood-like texture, perfect for bulking out a comforting plant-based soup like this one
We’ve put a seasonal spin on the Italian bread salad with a colourful medley of root veg. Crumbled feta is a delicious addition if you don’t need it to be vegan
Recipe by Abigail Spooner
Chestnuts add an earthy sweetness to this velvety root veg soup, finished with a crunchy bacon crumb. Use leftover roasted carrots and parsnips from your Christmas dinner or roast the veg from scratch
