November seasonal update

From seasonal fruit, to vegetables and game, take a look at our seasonal update to decide what to put on your menus this month

What is the best way to eat Celeriac?

Celeriac is known for it's versatility and it's ability to elevate dishes from salads, slaws and sauces effortlessly. 

As well as being a key component in a lot of our favourite dishes, celeriac can also be consumed raw offering a great crunch and texture when consumed. 

Earlier this year we visited Executive Chef Ollie Bridgwater at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House the home of Michelin-starred restaurant SOURCE. Watch Ollie prepare scallop lasagna, celeriac, truffle and Shirata kombu on The Staff Canteen.

>>> Read Ollie’s full interview here

Celeriac Recipes

Check out Romy Gill MBE's Tandoori Quail with Celeriac Puree recipe!

Why not try Stuart Ralston’s Salt Baked Celeriac, Burnt Apple, Curds and Buttermilk

What are the benefits of eating Carrots?

Packed with Vitamin A, carrots are often associated with helping us mantain healthy vision, but they also have countless other benefits.

Studies has shown that carrots balance blood sugar, help with weight management, as well as lower the risks of cancer.

They are also credited for helping regulate blood pressure, reducing heart disease, improving immunity, and boosting brain health.

Member Scott Williams shared an image of his dish - orange cured chalk stream trout, heritage carrots, keta (left).  Orson Vergnaud, executive chef of Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay also uses heritage carrots in his orange cured chalk stream trout, heritage carrots, keta (right)

Carrot Recipes

Have you tried Richard Stevens', chef owner of Restaurant Jericho, garden carrot with Langar honey recipe?

Or why not try Sean Noonan's Carrot cake, carrot purée, carrot crisp, candied baby carrot, whipped leagrams nanny’s goats curd, walnut granola crumb 

Is a mallard duck good to eat?

Mallard often provide a good amount of meat, requiring little preparation, making it a brilliant ingredient to have on the menu. 

Mallard is described as having a coarse texture with a slightly gamey taste, and is excellent fried or grilled.

 Watch this video of chef/owner Richard Stevens from Restaurant Jericho as he creates his Mallard with beetroot mole and sour cream dish.

>>> Read more about Richard here

What are benefits of almonds?

A firm favourite amongst chefs and nutritionists, almonds lower blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels.

Almonds can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss and are close to perfect as a food can get.

Mark Poynton, a long-standing member of The Staff Canteen, chef/owner of MJP at The Shepherds, shared his recipe for apricot and almond Battenberg, apricot sorbet and Amaretto foamby (Photography by Rob Whitrow)

Is turbot fish good to eat?

Turbot is a large flat fish prized for its firm white flesh and subtle, refined flavour.

Turbot is often cooked carefully with selected ingredients and is always guaranteed to result in a fine meal for chefs and diners alike. 

Robin Read from The Counter by Robin Read in Tunbridge Wells recently joined us on The Staff Canteen Live stage at UCFF (Universal Cookery & Food Festival) where he prepared a fantastic dish of baked turbot, leek and potato agnolotti, chives and caviar.

>>> get Robin’s recipe here

Turbot Recipes

Smash November out the park with Theo Clench's, Executive Chef of Cycene, Slow-cooked turbot, lettuce sauce, fish bone caramel recipe!

Why not try two Michelin-starred chef Mark Birchall’s recipe for Cornish turbot cooked in brown butter, garden courgette, shrimp and nasturtium sauce or watch the video…

What does monkfish taste like?

Monkfish is an incredibly sought-after fish, valued for its firm, lean, bright-white flesh.

 Monkfish has a mild, sweet flavour, without the "fishy" taste many people associate with when eating fish, and is often paired with roasted root vegetables, salads, potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms. 

Monkfish Recipes

Try this superb South Coast Monkfish recipe by Thomas Stephens, Chef Patron of Dilsk, Brighton!

Or Monkfish with a sauce made from Solway brown shrimp by Michelin-starred chef Paul Leonard, from Forest Side.

What's the benefit of eating pumpkin?

Pumpkins are rich in potassium and are associated with regulating blood pressure and lowering the risk for heart attacks and strokes. 

Pumpkins also contain vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants, which can help prevent heart disease.

Pumpkin Recipes

Check out this Roasted Pumpkin, Blueberries and Spiced Lentils recipe from Love Fresh Berries!

Are Apples Healthy?

Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre, apples are one of the healthiest fruits available in the UK. 

Apples have been associated with lowering cholesterol, protecting against diabetes, preventing obesity, and protecting against heart disease whilst being beneficial for bone health. 

Have you tried this Apple and Celeriac Tart Tatin recipe by Thomas Stephens, Chef Patron of Dilsk, Brighton?

Where to get oysters 

Of all the produce Britain can be proud of, oysters ranks very high indeed. In season from September through to April - all of the months with an R in them - high quality, sustainable native oysters can be found up and down the country. 

The best-known locations are Essex, Kent, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, the west of Scotland and Ireland, and each region is known for their particular characteristics. 

The most prized are those from the Pyefleet fishery in Colchester, where oysters were bred as early as the Roman era.

Rock oysters were introduced in Europe three decades ago to boost stocks. They take half as long to grow to an edible size (two years, as opposed to four for natives) and are available year-round, but tend to be less flavoursome and firm than native oysters. 

Why not try Gary Foulkes' recipe for mackerel tartare, oyster, green apple, shiso, or watch 3-Michelin star Azurmendi chef Eneko Atxa create a recipe of Oyster tartar and oyster gelee?

In 2018 Tom Brown shared his Fish Supper with The Staff Canteen - this was Tom's fish dish that he prepared on the South West heat of Great British Menu. 

When is pollock in season?

Pollock is part of the cod family however Pollock is not as abundant as cod, but is caught using the same methods such as line caught or mid-water trawl. Can be available all year round from fisheries in Scotland and South West England.

Pollock is available year round, with best availability from September to March.

Watch as Chef de Cuisine Evens Lopez, from Anne-Sophie Pic's two Michelin-starred restaurant La Dame De Pic London, creates a Cornish Ikejime Pollock—cooked over embers with blackcurrant sage beurre blanc and ASP© Absinthe Pepper and Beans Pluriell.

When are cranberries in season?

Cranberries are a staple of British Christmas foods, and for good reason: this is when they are most abundant. Both sweet and acidic, they can be eaten fresh, but their slight bitterness means that they are better cooked or dried and incorporated. Because they are so versatile, they can be incorporated into sweet and savoury dishes. 

 We all know the classic sauce, cakes, breads and puddings, but why not try this cherry and cranberry parfait with pistachio biscotti recipe? 

 Better still, treat yourself to a video of Michelin-starred chef Nathan Eades making maple glazed roast venison with stuffed cabbage, celeriac, cranberries:

Do beware: though mustard cress is different to mustard, it does contain the substance that causes allergic reactions to mustard.

When is venison season?

The season for wild venison starts at the end of October, but venison is also farmed throughout the year. Venison in Britain means the meat from deer, although in other countries, it can include antelope, moose, elk and other animals of the same family. Various cooking techniques apply to the different cuts of the meat.

 Watch Ricki Weston, executive chef of Whatley Manor as he prepares a venison with black pudding recipe.

Are you using any of these seasonal ingredients in your menus? Upload your pics and recipes to our Chef+ mobile app!