Seasonal Winter Produce, Thoughts on this month December, and a little Eggplant Caponata Recipe.
- Abigail Schmitt
- Dec 4, 2024
- 7 min read
December is already flying by without my consent, but the falling snow is more than welcome to keep it coming for the winter season here in Golden. I'm holding out for a very white Christmas and New Year here in BC, which will mean good skiing and happy people all around. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I prefer for the holidays be relaxed, and as stress-free as possible, so holiday travel will be held to a minimum. Hosting for holidays is my favorite this time of year, with extra time for cooking and celebrating. I'm excited to test a Mushroom Wellington recipe and to perfect my whole roast duck. I'm thinking about a peking duck style, but with juniper plum sauce. Yum.
Keep reading for winter seasonal produce, citrus favs and my Tuscan Eggplant Caponata Recipe. If you make it to the end, my (positive) thoughts on December, my daily habits for a healthy lifestyle, and where my head is at lately. Cheers!
December comes with delicious seasonal produce, and the big one is citrus. I love to eat as much as I can during these months, and you'll see it on nearly all of my menu choices. Blood orange, yuzu, grapefruit, mandarin, preserved lemon, Buddha's hand, and kumquats are my favorites. Some are more common than others, but of course it depends on where you live. Here are some easy ways to use citrus this season:
Grapefruit or Pomelo for breakfasts (save and blanch the pith and peels to make syrups!)
Mandarins and clementines for snacks
Blood oranges and cara cara oranges in salads
Navel oranges braised with dinner
Lime, Bergamot or Buddha's hand flavors for desserts
Any citrus rind or curl for drink garnishes
Kumquat-chili syrup is a hit in my recipe books
Navel oranges dehydrated slices or clove studded for DIY Christmas Decor or sliced for mulled wine
Nutritional benefits of citrus: Use it for the vitamin C and flavonoids, which can help reduce inflammation. They are great for calcium, potassium and lots of fiber when eaten whole, and helps absorb other nutrients like iron. Most vitamins and minerals need to have a soluble partner in order for our bodies to make use of them. Big energy bonus, citrus also have a low glycemic index, which means your blood sugar won't spike drastically from their good-energy sugars.
At the store or market: Pick out fruits that are generally soft all around but not mushy. Hard citrus means it probably won't ripen, and soft spots means that it could be rotting. Citrus is easy to keep at home after buying - keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks or on the countertop for easy access. Wash your fruits after bringing them home and before consuming, even if you're not eating the peel. Peel them with your fingers or a knife, and eat as much of the fruit as tastes good to you.
Produce Storage Pro Tips: My rule of thumb for storing fresh produce: take a look at how the grocery store does it. Are the oranges left out at room temp? Are your herbs kept chilled and spritzed with water to stay fresh? Potatoes and onions on the shelf? Try to mimic that same environment in your kitchen.
Other favorite winter produce that deserve the honorable mention:
Persimmon and Kiwi are hot, Pears and Cranberries are classics not to be overlooked
Sunchokes get their own bracket in my opinion - one of my absolute favorite winter produce options
Root vegetables like celeriac, beets, potatoes, carrots
Cruciferous root vegetables like rutabaga, parsnip, turnips, daikon and kohlrabi
Other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, brussel sprouts
Bitter greens like chicory, radicchio, endive
Squash, leeks and fennel stay seasonal all winter long too
Matsutake mushrooms and winter truffles!
Seasonal seafood is here too with lots of
Dungeness Crab
Scallops
Uni / Sea Urchin (East and West Coast)
Mussels, Clams, Oysters
Flounder/Sole
Shrimp (West coast)
I do want to encourage seafood consumption to be consumed with thoughtfulness and in moderation. It is a special occasion to serve seafood, and purchasing should always be done with concern for the animals' origin. Line caught fish is always best, next to line-caught is wild-caught fish and seafood. Farmed fish conditions is in constant debate. Most farmed fish are fed artificial food and the nutrients content is not high. Semi-submersible fish farming is on the rise, and could be considered sustainable and healthy. Tuna and Salmon are some of the most highly sought after fish across the world, and their high demand should give you a reason to try something else.
I am gathering more research to write on this whole topic, if you're interested please let me know!
Today as I went out for a ski tour, I ended up using my alone time to think about winter menus, and changes which I am very excited about. Persimmon and Golden Beet Carpaccio is high on that list, along with Shallot Tarte Tatin with Paté Mousse... Request a sneak peak of my Winter Menus or download below to get inspired (or hire me for a dinner, of course). Aside from these beautiful dishes, here is recent recipe for a favorite Sicilian dish: Eggplant caponata.
Most days, I will say that Italian food will forever and always be the best simple food
out there. Let me give you whiplash now and say that eggplant caponata is not all that simple, being that it has at least 15 different ingredients. That being said, the process for cooking is very simple. Caponata is a Sicilian dish, served as an antipasto, or starter course. It can be made well ahead of time and keeps very well in the refrigerator or as an accomplice to your charcuterie board (max 4 hours sitting out). It consists mainly of eggplant, roasted and marinated with raisins, pine nuts, herbs, olives, capers, onions, garlic, tomato and celery…jump to the recipe below for a traditional caponata, and stay tuned for a rendition for my First Course option, the Melanzana Mille Feuille.
Classic Eggplant Caponata: Makes 1 Quart or Serves 8-10
Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
Eggplant | 1 large | washed and cubed |
Yellow Onion | 1 large | Peeled and diced |
Celery | 2 ribs/stalks | washed and diced |
Garlic | 2 cloves | peeled and thinly sliced |
Tomato Paste | 3 tablespoons | |
Plum Tomatoes | 2 whole or 1 cup | peeled, seeded and diced (crushed/canned works too) |
Honey or Monkfruit sugar | 2 tablespoons | |
White Wine Vinegar | 1/2 cup | |
Golden Raisins | 1/3 cup | |
Green Olives | 1 cup | pitted and chopped |
Capers | 1/4 cup | rinsed and drained |
Basil | 1/2 cup | fresh, cleaned and picked and chopped |
Parsley | 2 tablespoons | fresh, washed, picked and chopped |
Pine Nuts (Macademia or Brazil) | 3 tablespoons | toasted golden brown |
Olive Oil | 3-5 tablespoons |
Instructions:
Salt eggplant cubes and preheat the oven to 425 F / 200 C. Salting will help prevent bitterness and steaming of the eggplant. When oven is preheated, dress the eggplant in olive oil and roast on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper until the eggplant is golden brown. Turn a couple times to make sure it is browning on all sides. The more color, the better the flavor! Add thyme and crushed garlic in it's hull to the sheet tray for added flavor. Set aside and let cool.
While the eggplant is cooking, start sauteeing your onion on medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and then celery, stirring as you cook. Less browning is better here, because the garlic can get bitter.
Add the tomato paste and sugar to the onion mixture in the pan, and let it cook to create a "fond" on the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the crushed fresh or canned tomatoes, cooking on low to reduce some of the moisture. Set aside and let cool.
While steps 1-3 are working, pour the white wine vinegar over the raisins, and and let marinate until the raisins are plump.
In a big bowl, mix your olives, capers, herbs and pine nuts together and set aside.
When your eggplant is finished, and onion-tomato mixture is cooled, mix everything together in the big bowl with the olives mixture, raisins and vinegar. Taste and season with fresh cracked black pepper, more olive oil, and salt as needed. Remember that the olives and capers are salty already!
Serve chilled on a crostini or in a bowl next to fresh bread or crackers. Perfect for parties or on a sandwich with leftover roast chicken or turkey! Save in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I haven't tried freezing it.
Final Thoughts...
November had me feeling and acting hard on myself, and I know a lot of y'all can agree with that. Each day felt like a marathon. I'm turning 30 soon, and I've got a lot of mixed feelings about that. December is slowly showing me all the ways that I have achieved my own happiness, in lifestyle, in health, in nature and also in choosing friendships that foster positivity. I wanted to share my current daily choices-become-habits that keep me going:
Daily yoga, or at least rolling out the mat and stretching first thing in the morning.
Planning workouts based on the weather. Make sure you get outside and enjoy the sun when it's out with a walk, run, hike, bike or ski...anything to get your body moving. I just bought a friend's old x-country ski setup for this year, and I'm determined to get out at least every week!
Time for journaling and drawing, in a physical book, just for myself
Making extra servings of dinner, and freeze it for a night when you need an easy dinner. It's not "leftovers" if you plan for it, right? Cool it down quickly to prevent bacteria growth and overcooking. Proper food cooling techniques in a professional kitchen still apply for at home to help keep food fresh and prevent mold and spoiling. Pro tip: label and date all your leftovers, especially the freezer boxes!
Healthy snacks at all times: a full fruit basket and hummus in the fridge at a minimum.
Less alcohol consumption. This is easier these days, but having more refreshing beverages available at home like bubbly water, herbal and fruit teas make it easier to not open a beer or have a cocktail.
Legs up the wall a simple "exercise" to let the blood flow out of your legs, this is such a great feeling after a long day
These are non-negotiable parts of our lives that are integrated parts of our healthy lifestyle. I think most of these things go without saying, life is better when we follow a healthy lifestyle. All these things are good for your whole wellbeing, so make it a habit. Listen to your body as you wake up, start the energy flowing through your and release anything blockages in your body and mind. Next addition on my list of things to be healthier, is less screen time...
Contrast and perspective are necessary to see progress, and while I thoroughly believe that progress in life should keep moving forward, I do need reminders to be gentle and patient with myself. Progress should be measured by the culmination of your whole, not by what you haven't achieved yet. Your potential is great, and determination is greater.
Thanks for reading, love to you all!
Cheers,
Abigail
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