Winter delights

The joys of changing seasons are the treats that each season brings. From the tropical fruits of summer to root vegetables and tangy citrus of winter, the fresh produce of each season makes it a joy to source and cook with whats cheap and available. I’ve always loved mandarins: bright and juicy, sweet and some slightly tart, seedless and thick skinned or hard to peel thin skinned varieties, I love them all. Mandarins are great as a snack, made into curd as a filling for a tart or pie and in a preserve or marmalade they are a treat. I had never illustrated them before and their glossy pock marked skin were a challenge, but I loved the result and decided to use them in an unusual way. I was recipe testing for my monthly low cost meals for seniors class at Beehive Industries and decided in using them in a warm salad, combined with crunchy toasted crushed almonds, thinly shaved fresh fennel, salty grilled halloumi cheese and a tangy sweet dressing made with the zest and juice with a splash of good white balsamic vinegar and some extra virgin olive oil and peppery rocket – a great lunch on a sunny winters day. A lovely combination of tastes, textures and flavours !
Check out the recipe for this quick and easy winter delight.