Pomegranate

Originating in Asia, the pomegranate tree is mentioned in the Old Testament and has been a symbol of religious significance for centuries in many countries. Now cultivated in the warm climates of South America, the Middle East, the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean, the fruit is available in Britain from early to mid-winter. About the size of a large orange, it has a leathery skin with a blush of yellow and red. Inside there is spongy pith filled with seeds, which are, in turn, surrounded by a juicy, ruby red pulp. Eating a pomegranate can be a lengthy process as each pip has to be individually extracted, the juicy pulp eaten and the pips discarded (although they can be eaten if you find this too fiddly). The easiest way to extract the juice is by crushing the seeds through a sieve with the back of a ladle. This can be used to flavour mousse, fool, ice cream or sorbet. Grenadine is pomegranate syrup; it is great in drinks and is a good addition to the cocktail cabinet.

Celery

The green or yellow varieties of celery are available all year round and are plentiful in summer but it's the frost-hardy white celery that is available only in winter. Celery should have crisp long stems attached to a sound base and the leaves should be vibrant and green. The stalks need to be cut away from the base and washed thoroughly. It's a most useful winter vegetable, which, at a time when fresh herbs are scarce, can also be used to garnish and flavour dishes. Serve trimmed stalks raw with cheese (no festive Stilton should be served without them), or chopped into salads for a refreshing crispness. Chopped celery can also be used to flavour stuffing, soups, sauces and stews or within a bouquet garni for a stock. Whole young stalks can be steamed or boiled; indeed in the 1930s, no banquet would be complete without braised celery and, unlike today, warming celery soup was very fashionable.

Red cabbage

A member of the brassica family, red cabbage has been cultivated in Britain since the Middle Ages. For many years, the British have shredded it and relegated it to the pickling jar, missing out on its finer qualities. It's packed with vitamin C and can be eaten raw in salads, dressed in sweet and sour vinaigrette and, where brief cooking is usually the rule for cabbage, red cabbage is an exception, benefiting from long, slow cooking. The best method is to shred the cabbage finely and braise it for two to three hours with the addition of a little oil, spices, vinegar or wine, apple, stock and brown sugar to achieve a sticky, caramelised result. This rich braised cabbage is a traditional accompaniment to game dishes, roast pork and duck.

January

Scallops

There are some gravel seabeds that provide the ideal natural conditions for growing scallops. One such is found on the Isle of Man, where there is archaeological evidence of ancient scallop shells, 2,000 to 3,000 years old, off the island shores. These days, the scallops here are harvested by dredging. Another scallop-growing area is on Scotland's west coast where, in the 19th century, a fishing industry developed; later, in the 1950s, a dredge-and-dive scallop industry began. Later still, in the 1970s, the area was developed for scallop farming. The king, or great, scallop and the queen scallop have a creamy, white muscle with a bright orange roe. The young princess scallop also has a creamy, white muscle but has no roe. Scallops can be expensive, depending on their size, because they take between two to five years to mature. A wild scallop can live for up to 20 years but these are not usually as good for eating, because the muscle often becomes tough.

Pears

There are more than 5,000 varieties of pear grown throughout the world. They come in different shapes and sizes, and vary in sweetness and texture, and so can be used in different ways. Most are eating pears and, depending on the variety, vary in juiciness and perfume. Cooking pears are usually sold as such and tend to be less juicy when ripe. These pears benefit from poaching in syrup or being baked whole or in pies. Some varieties, which are tart, small and firm, are grown to make perry, an alcoholic pear drink. Perry went out of fashion a few years ago but is now enjoying a revival in pubs and bars. It's good to drink but also to cook with, as in Pears Poached in Spiced Perry and other dishes.

Carrots

It's thought that the wild carrot originated in central Asia and was first used as a medicine rather than a vegetable. It wasn't always orange but came in a variety of colours: creamy yellow, lilac and purple. The carrot is a member of the parsley family and is related to the parsnip, celery and fennel. Eaten raw or briefly cooked, carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, carotene and potassium. The old wives' tale that eating carrots boosts eyesight has some foundation of truth, as carotene converts to vitamin A when consumed, which is essential for the well being of the eyes. Choose firm, well-coloured carrots and avoid those that are flabby with wilted green tops. Go for small carrots if you can, as they are tenderer than large ones and need very little cooking.

Turnips

For centuries in Britain, the turnip was grown primarily as cattle fodder, which is why it hasn't enjoyed much reverence. By contrast, the French have cultivated small, sweet varieties. The turnip's poor culinary reputation hasn't been helped by its being frequently overcooked and pulped or puréed. Fortunately, there is a growing demand for different varieties of small, young turnips and the vegetable is now becoming as popular as other root vegetables. Try cooking them whole and roasted, pan-fried or baked.

Halibut

The halibut is a huge flat fish that can grow to lengths of four metres or more and weigh more than 20 kilos. These large fish are sold as steaks or fillet pieces but small halibut, called chicken halibut, which weigh up to about two kilos, can be bought whole. A white fish with a good flavour, it needs careful cooking because the flesh dries out easily. Pan fry in butter and olive oil, or poach wrapped in foil, to keep in the juices.

Guinea Fowl

Native to West Africa, the guinea fowl has graced British kitchens for hundreds of years. It is a small bird, wild or bred, and it needs careful attention when cooking because the flesh tends to dry out easily. The flavour is similar to that of chicken but it has a hint of gaminess, which means it goes well with flavours such as chestnuts, apples, herbs, bacon, cider or brandy. When roasting, the bird needs to be basted at intervals with butter, or covered with pork or bacon fat to keep the meat tender and moist. Casseroling is a perfect cooking method for guinea fowl as the slow cooking in liquid ensures sweet and tender meat in a flavoursome sauce.

Mussels

Often regarded as poor man's shellfish, mussels are cheap and plentiful. In the wild, they grow on coastline rocks and stones but they are also farmed off suitable coastal waters. Scottish waters are perfect for mussels to grow and, indeed, mussels were collected and eaten by Scottish peasants. It was common for fishwives to sell them as street food, setting up stalls selling mussels in saucers with a little cooking broth. If you do collect your own mussels, make sure the waters are unpolluted and avoid hunting for them in the warmer weather as mussels are only in season where there is an 'r' in the month.

Cabbage

Cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables; there is evidence that cabbage was part of the Chinese diet thousands of years ago. Today, there are many varieties that are harvested at various times of the year and winter brings the Savoy, white, green and red cabbages. Raw, cooked or preserved, the cabbage plays an important role in the cuisines of the Orient and Europe, west and east. This vegetable is packed with vitamins, is high in iron and potassium, and very low in calories. Cabbage is excellent shredded and eaten raw in salads. When cooked, the briefest cooking methods, such as steaming or stir-frying, are best. Apart from red cabbage, which breaks the rule and benefits from long cooking, overcooked cabbage releases sulphur, which reminds many of school dinners and is the reason why, for most of us, cabbage was not a childhood favourite.

Chicory is a member of the lettuce family. It comes in red and white varieties and is available during the winter months. Chicory is propagated by growing the roots in warm, moist peat or sand and leaving the white, fleshy leaves to develop in darkness. Once picked and exposed to light, the leaves start to become bitter, so they should be stored wrapped in paper to keep out the light and eaten as soon after picking as possible. Chicory can be eaten raw or cooked: the leaves are excellent eaten fresh in a salad, tossed in a little vinaigrette, or stir-fried and served as a vegetable side dish or simply as a dish on its own. Whole heads of chicory can be baked, poached or griddled and served with pheasant, chicken or bacon.