What should you be cooking in December?

Christmas is on its way and there are plenty of traditional ingredients to look out for this month

Fruit and Vegetables: Apples (Bramley, Cox, Granny Smiths), Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower and Cape broccoli, Celeriac, Celery, Chestnuts, Chicory, Chilli peppers, Cranberries, Jerusalem artichokes, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Oranges (Seville), Parsnips, Pears, Potatoes, Squash, Swede, Sweet potato, Turnips (winter), Watercress

Meat and Game: Chicken, Duck, Goose, Guinea fowl, Lamb (Autumn, British), Partridge, Pheasant, Pork, Quail, Rabbit, Venison

Fish and Shellfish: Crab (spider), Haddock, Herring, Mackerel, Mussels (farmed), Salmon (Atlantic farmed), Sardines, Sole (Dover and lemon), Trout (rainbow)

Fish recommendations are a guide only; please check current information with the Marine Conservation Society, Good Fish Guide

Click on the ingredient name for more information and see below for Delia’s recipes using what is available this month

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Spiced Sauteed Red Cabbage

I have always adored red cabbage cooked long and slow, but it's also extremely good cooked fast so that it ...

I have always adored red cabbage cooked long and slow, but it's also extremely good cooked fast so that it retains some bite and crunchiness. Using cranberries rath...

12 minutes - 20 minutes

to cook

Star-shaped Biscuits

These edible tree decorations are guaranteed to charm your guests at Christmas. They'd also be a good wa...

These edible tree decorations are guaranteed to charm your guests at Christmas. They'd also be a good way of keeping the children amused in the school holidays as t...

10 minutes - 15 minutes

to cook

Steak and Onions in Guinness

If you long for a thick, juicy grilled steak and can’t afford it, try this recipe with braising steak – it’...

If you long for a thick, juicy grilled steak and can’t afford it, try this recipe with braising steak – it’s every bit as good. The Delia Online Cookery School: Wat...

2 hours 30 minutes - 3 hours

to cook

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

You can make all sorts of stuffings if you follow the basic recipe – you could use cooked lentils or other ...

You can make all sorts of stuffings if you follow the basic recipe – you could use cooked lentils or other chopped nuts or whatever ingredients happen to be handy.

Vegetarian

Terrine of Venison

This is just about the easiest terrine in the world to make because you can buy the venison and the pork re...

This is just about the easiest terrine in the world to make because you can buy the venison and the pork ready minced. The result is a lovely, rough country p...

The Fastest Mince Pies Ever

Until you actually make these you’ll never appreciate just how easy and fast they are. You can freeze th...

Until you actually make these you’ll never appreciate just how easy and fast they are. You can freeze them and re-heat in a hot oven straight from the freezer. See ...

10 minutes - 12 minutes

to cook

Tomato, Apple and Celery Cream Soup

This is one of John Tovey's famous soups, as served at his hotel, the Miller Howe, in the English Lakes, an...

This is one of John Tovey's famous soups, as served at his hotel, the Miller Howe, in the English Lakes, and it demonstrates his own method of sweating vegetables for ...

1 hour 10 minutes

to cook

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

This is a recipe I have been cooking for years. It's great because it can be made a day or two bef...

This is a recipe I have been cooking for years. It's great because it can be made a day or two before and gently reheated with no last-minute bother. It...

2 hours - 2 hours 30 minutes

to cook

Vegetarian

Traditional Mince Pies

I will always cherish fond memories of my mother's and my grandmother's cooling trays piled high with fresh...

I will always cherish fond memories of my mother's and my grandmother's cooling trays piled high with freshly baked mince pies on Christmas Eve, ready to be packed int...

25 minutes - 30 minutes

to cook

Traditional Roast Turkey

Cooking a turkey for the first time at Christmas, when in-laws and other guests are probably milling around...

Cooking a turkey for the first time at Christmas, when in-laws and other guests are probably milling around, can be quite a traumatic experience. I think the secret...

3 hours 40 minutes - 4 hours 10 minutes

to cook

Turkey Escalopes

This is one of the fastest recipes ever, yet absolutely five star. Because the flavour is so good you ca...

This is one of the fastest recipes ever, yet absolutely five star. Because the flavour is so good you can't believe it all happens as quickly as it does. For this r...

Turkey Feuilletes

This is good, homely, comfort food but, served in individual portions, it's elegant enough to serve at a su...

This is good, homely, comfort food but, served in individual portions, it's elegant enough to serve at a supper party. It's also incredibly easy to make using a she...

20 minutes - 25 minutes

to cook

Turkey Flan with Leeks and Cheese

This can be made with a combination of leftover turkey or chicken and pieces of cheese You could also ad...

This can be made with a combination of leftover turkey or chicken and pieces of cheese You could also add some chopped pieces of ham if there is some left over. Hav...

25 minutes - 30 minutes

to cook

Turkey Saltimbocca

This is a variation on the famous Italian recipe made with thin escalopes of veal – but turkey is usually e...

This is a variation on the famous Italian recipe made with thin escalopes of veal – but turkey is usually easier to find. However, you can ring the changes by using...

A picture of Delia's Venison Sausages Braised in White Wine with Caramelised Chestnuts recipe

Braised Venison Sausages

You could make this with any kind of good quality sausages, but venison seems more festive. Needless to ...

You could make this with any kind of good quality sausages, but venison seems more festive. Needless to say, a pile of fluffy mashed potato or Puree of Potato and C...

Wild Mushroom and Walnut Soup

Walnuts are at their best at Christmas time and, together with some dried wild mushrooms, can be used to ma...

Walnuts are at their best at Christmas time and, together with some dried wild mushrooms, can be used to make an unusual soup for a dinner party or a warming lunch or ...

Vegetarian

What should you be cooking in December?

Spiced Sauteed Red Cabbage

Star-shaped Biscuits

Steak and Onions in Guinness

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Terrine of Venison

The Fastest Mince Pies Ever

Tomato, Apple and Celery Cream Soup

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

Traditional Mince Pies

Traditional Roast Turkey

Turkey Escalopes

Turkey Feuilletes

Turkey Flan with Leeks and Cheese

Turkey Saltimbocca

Braised Venison Sausages

Wild Mushroom and Walnut Soup

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