January

January is often referred to as the most depressing month of the year. It’s not hard to see why. Christmas creeps up on us earlier each year, with shops determined to fill us up on mince pies and Baileys before the Guy Fawkes’ fireworks have fallen from the skies. After months of build up, culminating in a hedonistic couple of weeks of seasonal celebrations, going cold turkey (groan) in January can be a shock to the system. 

Whilst our bodies are recovering from the influx of rich foods, our wallets also need a rest from the pounding (Groan Part II) they took paying out for endless gifts. Having a restful month means that more time can be spent in the kitchen elevating simple ingredients to something special. Warm salads are my top January pick. It’s a way of satisfying oneself with warming food without resorting to stodge.

Warm salads are a saviour in a cold, austere month. Roasting vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli brings out their sweetness and nuttiness, providing an excellent base for a tasty meal. Add some pulses such as chickpeas or fava beans as an alternative to meat. 

Warm Tuna Niçoise Salad

"Veganuary" is the latest New Year's food fad but I would never advise going completely meat-free for a whole month. The onus is on cuts of meat that a relatively cheap to buy and that benefit from long, slow cooking. The butcher’s counter at Waitrose is great for this. They stock a selection of “forgotten cuts” that include things like oxtail, lamb breast, pigs cheek and beef skin.  There is no better way to work up an appetite than the aroma of a delicious dinner wafting through the house for hours on end.

Pork Shoulder Goulash

                                                                 

Dry January is also sensible. It saves money but also gives the liver some respite, having been over-worked with bucks fizz and mulled wine. I find abstaining from alcohol an absolute bore and the mere thought of a ‘dry’ weekend an awful one, so the quest is to find a non-alcoholic drink that doesn't feel like a deprivation. Orange blossom can elevate a lime cordial to something classy and moreish. Pubs - take note: exciting, virgin drinks are more in demand than ever before but orange juice and coke don’t cut it anymore. 

There are also plenty of ingredients lurking in one’s cupboard that can be used for some restorative beauty sessions. When chucked into a hot bath, an old stocking filled with oats will soften and brighten skin that has been treated harshly by the cold winter weather. Any cooking oil mixed with salt and a few drops of lemon juice will slough away dead skin cells and improve circulation. Epsom salts (or Magnesium Sulfate) are my favourite bath time treat. I buy 25kg sacks off Amazon and add two large mugfuls to my bath once a week. It is the easiest way to get more magnesium into our diet, because it is absorbed throw the skin. Toxins are also removed during reverse osmosis and the goodness of the salts are drawn in. 

Burns’ Night is surely a highlight of January. My Burns’ Night menu hasn't changed in the few years I’ve been doing it and true to form my starter and dessert will be the same as usual. A cullen skink made from arbroath smokies and a cranachan, Scotland’s (superior) answer to the Eton Mess.The one change this year is that I’ll be attempting to make my own Haggis. Give your butcher plenty of notice to ensure that you have all the components to make the haggis because a sheep's stomach is a difficult item to procure, even in Waitrose. 

So it's not all doom and gloom! There's plenty of opportunity to make your January as delicious as your Christmas, albeit in slightly different ways.

Happy New Year!