7 FOODS TO EAT NOW

I have always loved eating according to seasonality. Don't underestimate the most common foods, because if used creatively they can turn a mundane dish into something special. And getting them fresh from the garden makes it even more special.

Here are the 7 ingredients that for me mark the transition into winter, cold and smelling of earth and rain.

Cabbage is a very important ingredient in Tuscan cuisine, but today it is also very popular in the rest of Italy. Delicious tasting (in my opinion) and crunchy, it is an alkaline food with antioxidant properties, making it a real panacea for our body, especially in the cold season. I like to include it in soups and first courses, such as gnocchi (perhaps combined with pine nuts), but it is also excellent as a side dish.

Artichokes are elegant and versatile vegetables: they are rich in fibre and can also help the liver to purify itself (in fact, they are recommended to cleanse the blood and detoxify the body in general). They have an unmistakable flavour and can be a perfect appetiser because they regulate hunger (try them raw with lemon and oil, thinly sliced). They are best eaten raw, in salads or in pinzimonio, to take full advantage of their antioxidant properties, but also baked, to serve as a side dish, or as a condiment for pasta.

I recommend buying them internal, for their freshness. I know it may seem tedious to cut them, but preparing them for consumption is not that complicated:

remove the outer leaves, peel the stalk (but don't throw it away, it's the tastiest part) and then cut off the head with the thorns and peel the heart to remove the hardest part.

Persimmons are another autumn product, however less obvious, as they may look fascinating but are not used as frequently as other products of this season. They are a very ancient fruit, originating in Asia and now widely available in Italy. They are very sweet and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Being very high in sugar, they are very caloric. I use them for breakfast at this time of year: I remove the peel and add the pulp to my oat porridge: the result is a nutritious and energetic breakfast.

Sautéed, fried, incorporated into delicious creams: mushrooms lend themselves to so many preparations and are true protagonists of autumn.

Recipes with mushrooms are a riot of aromas and flavour: they immediately bring to mind the colours of autumn. They give a real boost to the dish and are often not an ingredient to be added but become the main ingredient of the dish. Obviously they should be enhanced with the right combinations, enhanced by the best textures and enjoyed in their dense and precious flavour.

They are excellent with escalopes, in omelettes, as a topping for tagliatelle, fregola, polenta and risottos, breaded and fried, with meat and fish.

They are very fragile and soak easily in water, so washing them under running water is not recommended. They should first be cleaned with a brush to remove excess soil and the stem and cap should be scraped with a small knife to remove any damaged parts. Once the stem has been removed, the most hidden part of the cap must also be cleaned with a small brush. If the mushrooms remain dirty after these operations, they can be rubbed with a cloth soaked in water, but must then be dried immediately. The water must never be absorbed by the mushroom. To check for parasites, you can cut them in half.

The pomegranate helps the heart to function properly and the body to fight free radicals. It has a bright and beautiful colour (be careful because it stains a lot!), its taste is sour and pungent. It can add a great touch of elegance to dishes (such as in salads, but also in chicken or fish).

It can be a bit tricky to cut (which is why many people prefer to buy it in trays with the kernels already shelled), but let me recommend an easy way to shell it: take the whole fruit and cut it in half, then hold it in one hand and place it under a large bowl. Use a wooden ladle to hit the cap of the fruit hard all over the surface: the kernels will fall right off into the bowl.

Chestnuts are such a short-lived food that it is best to take advantage of them now! November is their month and they are perfect in combination with other autumn ingredients (like a risotto with mushrooms, pumpkin and chestnuts). But they are also delicious on their own, as a dessert, made in the classic pan with holes (caldarroste), or in the recipe for Tuscan castagnaccio (my grandmother Anna used to make it for me) whose aroma remains one of my favourite things of autumn.

My love for chickpeas will never end! They are incredibly versatile in their simplicity and are able to 'solve' a meal in no time and give the body a truly remarkable vegetable protein boost. They are very easy to use: you can make soup or puree them in no time. Chickpeas can be bought ready-made or dried. Of course I recommend the second option but you have to remember to soak them for at least 8 hours before using them.

Chickpeas are never missing in my pantry, as I love to use them every week to make my own chickpea hummus.

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