Seasonal Foods in Britain and Ireland
By Elaine Lemm, About.com Guide to British & Irish Food
One of the biggest trends in British and Irish foods is to eat seasonal foods. Eating seasonal foods is healthier as the food is fresher. It is also more environmentally friendly as the foods are often local and not been flown in from other countries.
- Winter Starters and Side Dishes
- Winter Main Course Dishes - British Comfort Foods
- Winter Desserts and Puddings
Winter Starters and Side Dishes
Make the most of seasonal foods with nourishing soups and hearty side dishes. Soups are not only easy to make, they are usually quite cheap and nutritious with the addition of beans, pulses or grains.
- Brussels Sprouts with Juniper and Apples
- Bubble and Squeak Recipe
- Cauliflower, Broccoli and Mustard Soup
- Cheese and Leek Soufflé
- Cock-a-Leekie Soup
- Cullen Skink - Scottish Smoked Haddock Chowder
- Irish Colcannon
- Irish Soda Bread
- Pick Me Up Spinach Soup
- Pork Pie - Mini Pork Pie Recipe
- Red Cabbage and Apples
- Scottish Rumbledethumps
- Smoked Haddock Chowder
- Vegetable and Bean Soup
- Welsh Laver Cakes
- Yorkshire Puddings
Winter Main Course Dishes - British Comfort Foods
Winter dishes more often are long-slow cooked foods, the comfort foods of the British kitchen. Make use of cheaper cuts of meat that require longer cooking, or meats in season such as game. British and Irish winter vegetables tend to be the roots which make delicious additions to slow cooked casseroles and stews.
- Beef Stew and Dumplings
- Beef Wellington
- Chick Pea Curry
- Chicken Tikka Masala Curry
- Cottage Pie
- Grilled Barnsley Chop
- Haggis, Tatties and Neeps
- Roast Beef
- Roast, Glazed Ham
- Shepherds Pie
- Steak and Kidney Pudding
- Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
- Vegetable Biryani
- Venison Pie
Winter Desserts and Puddings
There's a big difference between puddings and desserts; desserts speak of light and frivolous confections and associated with summer, but puddings are warm and comforting, solid and approachable and definitely a winter food.
Puddings have been the backbone of British food for centuries, even the French extol their virtues - sacre bleu. The lightest of puddings may have the diet police screaming arrest, but if the meal is balanced - a light starter, and not too many carbs with main course - there's always room for a delicious pud.
