I think Aussie jangly guitar maestros The Church said it best: it’s “so hard, finding inspiration”. But strangely, that’s never the situation when it comes to writing about food. Everywhere you look in our restaurants and cafes, and every time we travel somewhere – or even wander the aisles of the supermarket – culinary muses abound. And the greatest inspiration comes with the passing of the months, as new ingredients come into season. This week, I’m not only taking inspiration from current fruit and veg but also from the delicious. slow-cooking “mook” (that’s a cross between a book and a magazine), which is out now.

APPLES

While we tend to start seeing red delicious around now, ignore them in favour of the pink lady. These are great, crisp eating apples that also hold together well when cooked, making them ideal for apple pies or a tarte tatin. Or pair them in a crumble with the new season’s rhubarb, which you should start seeing in the shops about now. Fuji apples should also be in season depending on where in Australia you are, and they’re almost as good. You’re welcome to disagree with me here, though.

CABBAGE

Once upon a time, cabbage only got invited to my house to party in a slaw or act as a steamed or butter-fried companion for bangers and mash. Now I’m cooking it slowly. There is a special joy in roasting it whole or sliced into wedges, not least because the edges will char so deliciously. You could roast wedges of cabbage until soft and tanned in spots, after first tossing them in olive oil or melted butter with cumin, salt and pepper. However, I think you get a better, more evenly cooked result by microwaving your cabbage first; aim for 5-7 minutes for wedges that have been lightly splashed with water and covered with a microwave- safe lid or plastic wrap.

CELERIAC

One of my favourite veg, celeriac can be a little pricey, but you’re buying something pretty unique as it’s known for its hypocotyl (the bulbous part) rather than its stem or leaves. I like to dice it to fry in butter or grate it into milk to cook for the creamiest celeriac soup. It also works wonderfully as a mash to serve with roast pork (you can throw in some grated pear for sweetness). But for something even slower, try Guillaume Brahimi’s celeriac and gruyere gratin (pictured above), which is baked with a thyme and garlic cream. You can always add some slices of potato to stretch (and cheapen) the recipe.

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MANDARINS

Despite having zero stats on hand to back me up (which seldom happens round this way), I’d reckon more than 80 per cent of mandarins are eaten freshly peeled. They’re seldom cooked and only occasionally poached. You’ll more often come across mandarins baked into cakes such as Phoebe Wood’s mandarin and white chocolate mud cake with a mandarin syrup, or in Yotam Ottolenghi’s upside-down date cake with mandarin marmalade spiced with cinnamon and star anise. 

ROOT VEG & TUBERS

So many root veggies and tubers that are suitable for stewing, braising and slowly roasting are arriving now, like kumara (orange sweet potatoes), parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, beetroot, carrots and potatoes. You could roast them all up with a few heads of garlic and some quartered red onion to then serve with crumbled feta, chopped parsley and a creamy dressing made from that roasted garlic. Instead, I’d suggest pairing these with something a little greener when roasting, like wedges of fennel alongside your carrots, halved brussels sprouts with the parsnips, or chestnuts with your roasted Jerusalem artichokes.

SILVERBEET

Would we appreciate this underrated green joy of winter more if it went by the UK and US name of Swiss chard? While quick options are to shred, fry and toss with lemon juice as a side dish, or throw it through pasta with some salty cheese or pancetta, there’s a real slow pleasure in using silverbeet baked in a filo feta pie with dill, mint and ricotta.

WITLOF

While this leafy bulb (also known as a Belgian endive) is magnificent in salads – bringing both a wonderful juicy crunch and some welcome bitterness – it’s far rarer slow-cooked, when its caramel-ly finish is great alongside roast lamb or beef. To caramelise your witlof, follow the thinking of chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone: cut the witlof in half lengthwise and fry cut-side down (and covered) in hot olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add butter, honey and mustard seeds and cook for six minutes, shaking occasionally.

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