And what better month is there than January to see all the colourful citrus fruit now arriving in our local shops and supermarkets; just what we need after all the rich food most of us will have consumed over the holiday period. It's the month to titillate the palate with zesty fruit desserts and light supper dishes to refresh our jaded appetites before winter really sets in and we have to insulate our bodies with warming soups and spicy casserole dishes.

Now is the time to stock up on the wide selection of winter vegetables available in local shops and farmers' markets. Seville oranges will start to arrive in a few weeks, heralding the marmalade making season. Try using some of the grated Seville zest and juice in your soups and sauces, you will be surprised how it adds flavour and piquancy to dishes.

Beef and lamb are both plentiful and cheap this month, but with all the meat and poultry you may have eaten over the Christmas period you will probably yearn for something that is just that little bit different, yet substantial and light. This black pudding gratin fits the bill and needs no more than a green vegetable to accompany it.

POTATO AND BLACK PUDDING GRATIN

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients: 1 kg (2¼ lb) potatoes, peeled. 350g (12oz) black pudding skinned. 300ml (½ pt) light chicken stock. Method: Cut the potatoes and black pudding into thick slices. Place half of the potatoes in a gratin dish. Season well. Place the black pudding on top and finish with remaining potatoes. Pour over stock and season again. Bake at 160C, 325F, Gas Mark 3 for about 1½ hours until tender and golden brown.

SALMON AND CAPER FLAN

This flan is light and easy to assemble, can be served for supper or a main meal with a jacket potato and salad.

Serves 4.
Ingredients: 225g (8oz) ready-made short crust pastry. 2 tbsp olive oil. 1 medium can tinned salmon. 1 dsp capers. 3 large eggs, beaten. 150ml (¼ pint) milk. 150ml ( ¼ pint) double cream. A little parsley, chopped. 6 spring onions, finely chopped. Method: Roll out pastry and use to line an 18cm (7 inch) deep-fluted loose bottom quiche tin. Prick base and chill for 25 minutes. Heat oil and fry spring onions for 5 minutes. Beat together eggs, cream and milk. Season to taste. Preheat oven to 200C, 400F, Gas Mark 6. Scatter onions over pastry base, spread the flaked salmon evenly on top and cook for approximately 45-50minutes, until the quiche is risen and firm to the touch.

RHUBARB must have a mention this month, it's one of my favourites at this time of the year, I've already spotted the slender pink satin stems in our local farm shop, just waiting to be made into a sweet buttery crumble or tart.

And food fads may come and go, but on a cold winter's day there's nothing to beat the comfort and luxury of a steaming 'hot pud'. Winter puddings don't necessarily have to be heavy either, you can serve a simple homemade ice-cream or sorbet with a steamed pudding, instead of heavy custards or creams, which gives a delicious hot-cold taste, like summer and winter combined. So this month let's brighten up those grey days with some hot winter puds.


RHUBARB AND STRAWBERRY BAKEWELL TART

This makes a delicious pudding, served with a little natural yoghurt on top.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients: 110g (4 oz) plain flour. 50g (2 oz) wholemeal flour. 40g (1½ oz) butter. 40g (1½ oz) white Flora margarine or Trex. About 2 tbsp water. Filling: 110g (4oz) butter. 110g (4 oz) castor sugar. 110g (4 oz) semolina. 1 egg beaten. 1 tbsp strawberry jam; 110g (4 oz) rhubarb, chopped.
Method: For the pastry, measure the flours into a bowl, then rub in fats until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Bind together with the water to give a stiff dough. Wrap in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, then roll out on a lightly floured surface. Use to line a 20cm (8 inch) flan tin, prick the base well and return to the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas Mark 6 and put a baking sheet in it. For the filling: Measure the butter, sugar, semolina and egg into a bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended. Spread the strawberry jam over the base of the flan and arrange the rhubarb on top. Spoon the semolina mixture over the rhubarb and spread over evenly. Bake in the oven on the tray for about 35 minutes until golden brown and the pastry is cooked. Serve hot or cold.

HOT LEMON SOUFFLE

An easy little pudding that doesn't use much in the way of ingredients, and has surprising results!

Serves 2-3.

Cream together 25g (1 oz) butter, 1 teacup caster sugar and 2 tbsp self-raising flour.
Stir in 2 beaten egg yolks, rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 teacup of milk. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the 2 eggs. Pour into an ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated oven 150-170C, 300-325F, Gas Mark 2/3 for 40 minutes. The pudding separates into two layers – a spongy cake on top and a bottom layer of creamy lemon sauce. (Double the quantities for a larger pudding).

SEVILLE MARMALADE

The Seville orange season is a short one, so keep a sharp look-out for them in the shops when they start to arrive at the end of January and carry on into February. If you don't want to make a large quantity of marmalade in one go, then it's useful to freeze some oranges and make another batch later on.

Yields 2¼ kg (5lb)

Ingredients: 700g (1½ lb) Seville oranges. Juice of 1 large lemon. 1½ litres (2 pints) water. 1.35kg (3lb) granulated sugar. Method: Wash and put the fruit whole and unpeeled into a large saucepan or preserving pan. Pour on 1½ litres (2 pints) boiling water and simmer gently with the lid on until the fruit is tender. When the fruit is cooked and tender cut in half, remove pips and finely cut up the fruit, carefully retaining all the juice. Return pips to the water in which the fruit was cooked and boil for 5 minutes to extract more pectin. Strain pips from liquid and return the sliced fruit and lemon juice to the preserving pan. Reduce heat, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached, testing a little on a saucer. Pot into warm jars and seal.







To round off this month's seasonal dishes we have a steamed pudding. If you have made some Seville marmalade then do use it in this recipe, it gives the pudding that extra tangy flavour.

MARMALADE PUDDING

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 2 eggs at room temperature. 2 tbsp marmalade (preferably homemade). 110g (4 oz) unsalted butter. 110g (4 oz) caster sugar. 110g (4 oz) white breadcrumbs. 1 tbsp self-raising flour. ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda. Method: Cut two rounds of greaseproof paper, one to fit the bottom of a pudding basin and one for the top. Place a tbsp of marmalade onto the paper at the base of the basin. Beat butter and sugar until thick and light. Then beat eggs and add marmalade gradually to the beaten eggs. Fold in breadcrumbs, flour and bicarbonate. Place mixture into prepared pudding basin. Cover with larger circle of paper, and cover again with a large piece of tinfoil. Tie down firmly. Place in a large saucepan with boiling water to a depth of 1/3rd. Steam for approximately 3-4 hours, checking water level from time to time.
Delicious served with a hot whisky marmalade sauce made with 3 tbsp marmalade, 2 tbsp whisky and hot water to taste.

Next month, to celebrate Pancake Day, we will have sweet and savoury pancakes, and nourishing soups and casseroles to ward off those winter chills.

Evelyn's latest book, Another step into My Kitchen, published by Lavenham Press, is available from local bookshops.