What To Cook With This November

Which seasonal fruits and veggies should we be cooking with this month? Bettina Campolucci Bordi shares her November seasonal cooking guide, including a recipe to get you excited for party season.

Bettina’s November Seasonal Cooking Guide

Hello November, a month where the leaves curl up on the sidewalks and the gorgeous hues of autumn are everywhere. I felt so lucky that October was the warm month we were all hoping for, however it is undeniable that its lingering warmth is gone. My summer wardrobe is well and truly packed away and I am eagerly preparing for winter’s colder and cosier weather. November always feels like a transition, time to slow down and cosy up slightly. It’s also the start of party season, leading up to the main event in December. 

The abundance of British produce continues with a wonderful display of root vegetables and brassicas – carrots, parsnips, turnips and swedes are at their best, perfect for hearty soups and roasts. Leafy greens like kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts bring stunning greens to November’s table, while pumpkins, squashes, and beetroots add a pop of colour. 

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My favourite way of cooking roots and the heavy hitters such as cabbage is to roast slowly and low until the natural sugars come out and we get a caramelised outer layer. Apples and pears remain plentiful, their natural sweetness becoming even sweeter as the season progresses, making them ideal for warming crumbles and pies. 

For foragers, November offers sloes, rosehips, and hawthorn berries, perfect for making syrups, jams, and even festive liqueurs like sloe gin. All of these remind me of my formative years spent in Sweden pickling and jamming with my grandmother. It’s also the tail end of the fungi season, with the last of the wild mushrooms still dotting woodlands for those lucky enough to find them. 

One of my absolute seasonal favourites has to be the humble chestnut. With its earthy sweetness and creamy texture, chestnuts are ideal for everything from soups to stuffings. They’re wonderfully roasted and enjoyed on their own, or added to festive dishes for that classic flavour. Try them mixed with Brussels sprouts or add them to a warming risotto. And for a sweet twist, blend chestnuts into chocolate desserts for a rich, nutty depth.

Below I share a festive recipe that is perfect on a party platter. Minimum effort, maximum pleasure and it will look like you spent all day in the kitchen. What is not to like?

Fruits & Vegetables In Season This November

• Apples – late-season apples are still widely available and many can be stored or enjoyed fresh
• Pears – still abundant, particularly varieties that ripen later in the season
• Autumn-fruiting raspberries – these may still be around in early November, but they’re nearing the end of their season
• Plums and damsons – may be available as stored or preserved varieties
• Beetroot – stores well and is available fresh
• Broccoli – can still be found fresh, especially winter hardy varieties
• Cabbage – a staple winter crop, especially green, red, and Savoy cabbage
• Carrots – available from both new harvests and stored roots
• Cauliflower – can still be freshly harvested in November
• Celery – available from outdoor or polytunnel-grown crops
• Chard – hardy and often available fresh in winter months
• Fennel – early November can still bring some outdoor fennel before winter frosts
• Spinach – winter-hardy and available fresh
• Brussels sprouts – November is the peak for sprouts

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Recipe: Chestnut Party Bites

Get ready to dazzle your guests with these chestnut party bites, a recipe that’s set to be the talk of your next gathering. Perfect for holiday parties or as elegant appetisers, these party bites showcase the hearty texture and rich taste of chestnuts in a way that’s sure to impress your guests. Their yummy taste will remind you why chestnuts are a festive favourite. So I urge you to get baking and fill your kitchen with the aroma of these exquisite, easy-to-make treats, and serve them up at your next get together.

Makes 8-10 bites

Ingredients:

• 320g (approx) sheet of puff pastry, shop bought
• 2 tbsp oats

For the filling:

• 1 onion or shallot, roughly chopped
• 1 smoked garlic clove (or regular if you can’t find smoked)
• 180g packet of whole chestnuts
• Handful cavolo nero, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• olive oil for frying

For the topping:

• Olive oil for brushing 
• Handful of nigella seeds, for topping

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
2. In a medium sized frying pan, heat some olive oil and fry the onions for a couple of minutes.  Then add the chestnuts and the rest of the filling ingredients to the pan, give it a good stir and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Then add the oats into a blender along with all the ingredients from the frying pan and gently pulse to combine the ingredients into a sticky mixture, being careful not to blend too smooth as you still want to keep some bite and texture.  
3. Empty into a bowl and set aside to cool. Place the puff pastry onto a flat surface and add the filling along the long edge of one side of the puff pastry, leaving a small gap between the filling and the edge of the pastry.  Fold the empty half of the pastry sheet over the filling to meet the other side and push down with a fork to close. Slice into small bite sized pieces and place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper (or simply lift the baking paper that the puff pastry already comes on, onto the baking tray). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with nigella seeds, then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until nice and golden.  
4. Remove from the oven and serve warm or cold, with your choice of sauce or condiment!

Find out more at bettinaskitchen.com