What’s in season…February
Updated: 22 February, 2024
The cold winter month of February means a limited supply of fresh fruits and vegetables available. However, the ones that are in season make for hearty, winter warming meals packed full of goodness. Add them to your menus this February.
Parsnips
This root veg comes into season in January and February, where sweeter variations flourish in cold temperatures as their natural starches convert to sugar - perfect for winter warming soups and pies.
Top tips:
  • Store in the coldest part of the fridge like the vegetable drawer
  • Parsnips can be stored in the freezer for up to eight to 10 months if done so correctly. Peel the vegetable and cut into 1/2 inch cubes, then parboil or steam for a few minutes. Leave to cool and store in well-sealed containers
  • Don’t store parsnips near apples and pears - they can emit gases which give the parsnips a bitter taste!
Spiced Parsnip Soup
This soup is fragranced with aromatic flavours to heat you through the chilly winter months.
You will need:
To make the soup:
  • Peel and roughly chop the onion, garlic and ginger
  • In a large saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil with the knob of butter. Once hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger along with the garam masala
  • Fry for around 10 minutes on a medium heat, until the onions have softened
  • Add the parsnips to the onions, then pour in the milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then once boiling turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on
  • Check the parsnips after 30 minutes by sticking a knife through one of the chunks. If they have softened enough to blitz, remove the pan from the heat and using a hand/stick blender, whizz together the contents until smooth and creamy
  • Season to taste, then serve in your chosen bowls with some red chilli scattered on top and a drizzle of olive oil
Roasted Parsnip Curry with Chickpeas
This dish is perfect for vegans and those who fancy a hearty curry on a winter’s evening. Serve with warm naan bread to soak up all of the sauce.
You will need:
  • 4 large parsnips, cut into batons
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 coriander bunch (pick the leaves off the stalks, and very finely chop the stalks)
  • 3 tablespoons of curry paste
  • 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 2 limes (the juice of one lime, and the second lime cut into wedges for serving)
To make the curry:
  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°C
  • To a roasting tin, add your pre-cut parsnips with one tablespoon of oil, the cumin seeds, salt and pepper
  • Roast in a hot oven for 25-30 minutes, until the parsnips have softened
  • In a frying pan, heat one tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion and coriander stalks
  • Fry off for around 15 minutes, until the onions are super soft and caramelised, then stir in the curry paste
  • Cook for one minute, then add in the drained chickpeas and coconut milk
  • Simmer on the hob for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and coats the chickpeas
  • Pour in the lime juice and season to taste
  • Serve the curry on a bed of rice, and top with the roasted parsnips with a wedge of lime
Sweet Potato
Their distinct bright orange colour, sweet-spicy flavour, and creamy texture make these potatoes great in breakfast dishes, curries, soups, jacket potatoes and more! They make a great alternative to white potatoes and are high in antioxidants too.
Top tips:
  • Do not rinse sweet potatoes before storing - this will make them hold moisture leading to quicker spoiling, and affect the taste of the flesh
  • Store the potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, and ideally use them within a week of purchase
  • Use your senses to determine if the potato is okay to use - give it a sniff and a squeeze, if it’s firm and doesn’t smell suspicious, it will still be okay. However, if its mushy, discoloured with brown or black spots, mouldy or leaking juices, its time for the bin
Sweet Potato Burgers
These burgers are a perfect veggie menu option, bursting with flavour and super nutritious too!
Head over to BBC Good Food for the recipe and be sure to serve the burgers inside our Kara Vegan Brioche Buns, and some vegan mayo too!
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
This gnocchi dish with spinach and mushrooms is a simple, easy dinner recipe that’s perfect for cold evenings. This recipe serves two people.
What you will need:
To make the dish:
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C and roast your sweet potato for around 40 minutes, until it’s soft the whole way through
  • Remove the potato from the oven and leave aside for around 20 minutes to cool down
  • Peel the sweet potato skin and put the potato flesh into a bowl. Mash thoroughly until it is completely smooth
  • Add in the egg yolk, parmesan, salt and pepper, then mix
  • Gradually sieve the plain flour into the potato and mix with a spoon. Keep gradually adding the flour until a dough forms (make sure it’s workable but not too sticky)
  • Dust a dry worksurface with flour and put the mixture onto the surface. Roll it into a long sausage shape (roughly around 2.5cm in thickness)
  • Cut the gnocchi into 2.5cm sections, then roll each piece into a ball in your hands. Using the back of a fork, gently press down onto the piece to create small ridges
  • Boil a pan of salted water on the hob. Once boiling, in batches, gently add the gnocchi and cook until they are floating on the surface
  • Once floating, remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water
  • In a frying pan, heat the butter then add the onion and fry on low until soft. Add in the mushrooms, garlic and cooked gnocchi, and gently fry until the gnocchi begins to brown on the edges
  • Add a splash of the pasta water to the pan then add in the spinach
  • When the spinach starts to wilt, remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately with a grating of parmesan, salt and pepper
Shop the ingredients featured in these recipes here.