Five Winter Warmers for the Big Chill
Updated: 30 November, 2023
Five Winter Warmers for the Big Chill
Updated: 30 November, 2023
As the big chill has descended on us, it's the kind of weather that beckons for comforting, home cooked meals. This biting cold only serves to enhance indulging in hearty dishes, perfect for your restaurant menus or weekly home-cooked meals.
We’ve handpicked these winter warmers using the finest produce from JJ Foodservice. From velvety soups showcasing seasonal vegetables, to slow-cooked meaty marvels and comforting desserts, savour the richness of winter’s offerings one recipe at a time.
Seasonal Vegetable Soup
From hearty tomato to leek and potato, seasonal root veg, French onion, or creamy cauliflower – the possibilities for winter soups are endless!
Not only are soups a culinary delight, but they also offer excellent value for money. Whether you’re looking to feed the family, add seasonal specials to your restaurant menu, or simply batch-cook to last the winter, soups are the answer to it all.
Our sun-ripened, fresh Vine Tomatoes are firm, hearty and flavoursome, perfect for roasting with fragrant basil leaves, garlic, and caramelized onions.
Roasted Butternut Squash is a comforting root vegetable, ideal for warming soups. Pair with zesty fresh ginger, fragrant garlic and freshly ground black pepper.
Hearty Italian Sausage Stew
Elevate your winter meals with this hearty stew, featuring premium Italian pork sausages delicately seasoned with salt and pepper. Packed full of flavour and fresh vegetables, this wholesome, nourishing meal is goodness in a bowl.
To make it:
  • Dice 1 brown onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick into small cubes
  • Crush four cloves of garlic, and roughly chop a big handful of fresh kale
  • Cut one pack of traditional Italian sausages into bite sized pieces
  • In a large pot, heat a good glug of olive oil and cook the sausages on a medium-high heat until browned
  • Remove the sausages from the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook the diced vegetables and garlic until softened
  • Once softened, add 800g of tinned cherry tomatoes, 500ml of vegetable stock, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon of oregano, and ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes to the pan. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes
  • Add in one tin of your choice of beans – we suggest cannellini or butter beans, along with the chopped kale and cooked sausages, then simmer for a further five minutes
  • Spoon into your serving bowl and serve alongside some crusty bread
Slow-Cooked Moroccan Lamb Stew
The warming flavours of this slow-cooked stew will be sure to heat your tastebuds on a cold winter's day!
This rich, hearty dish is a symphony of sweet and savoury flavours, perfectly complemented by the incredibly tender slow-cooked lamb neck fillet.
To make the dish:
  • In a heavy-based pan, add a good glug of olive oil, along with 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped celery stick
  • Sauté for around 10 minutes until the veg has softened, then add in 3 cloves of chopped garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes more then transfer to a plate and set aside
  • Back in the pan, add another glug of olive oil, then add in 1kg of cubed lamb neck fillet and cook until browned. Return the veg to the pan, along with a handful of fresh mint leaves, 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout, and around a 2cm piece of peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring well. Add in a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, along with 750ml of vegetable stock
  • Cover the pan with foil and reduce the heat – cook gently for around an hour
  • After an hour, add in two, peeled sweet potatoes that have been cut into chunks, then cook for another 20-30 minutes
  • Once the sauce has reduced and the meat is tender, it is ready. If it is too thick, loosen with a splash of water
  • Top with some fresh mint and serve alongside crusty bread
Complement this rich dish with a fruity red wine, like our Cotes du Rhone Victor Berard, or Primi Soli Merlot.
Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble
There’s nothing like a hot pudding with lashings of custard to warm you up after a meal. This winter crumble combines the sweet, juicy flavours of apples and pears with a hint of spiced cinnamon and nutmeg, creating a symphony of tastes that’s perfect for the season.
For the filling:
  • Pre-heat your oven to 175°C
  • Simply peel, core and slice 4 apples and 3 pears. Combine them in a bowl with 50g of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • Toss together until the fruit is evenly coated, the transfer to a baking dish and spread evenly
For the crumble topping:
  • In a separate bowl, combine 100g of oats with 50g of plain flour, 50g brown sugar, 50g of cold, diced unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt
  • Using your fingers, rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form
  • Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit in a baking dish, and bake in the pre-heated oven for around 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown, and the fruit is bubbling
  • Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly
  • Serve a big scoop alongside some hot custard or vanilla ice cream
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
Level up your hot chocolate with the enchanting flavours of orange zest, ginger, cloves and cinnamon – an indulgent festive twist perfect on your drinks menu.
Enhance the experience even further by adding a dash of Monin’s gingerbread syrup to your coffees and serve in our red ripple wall takeaway hot cups!
You will need:
To make:
  • In a saucepan, stir together the milk, cream, orange zest and spices, and bring to a simmer over a low heat
  • Once simmering, remove from the heat. Into a jug, pour the milk through a sieve, to discard the clove and orange zest
  • Place the milk back into the pan and add in one heaped tablespoon of hot chocolate powder, and vanilla extract
  • Place back on the hob on a low heat, and stir until the powder has incorporated into the milk
  • Remove from the heat and pour into a mug or takeaway cup to serve. Top with whipped cream and a mini gingerbread biscuit!
Please note – all our JJ Blog Recipes are put together by our JJ Foodies – members of staff who are passionate about food and excited about sharing their favourite culinary recipes. We are not professional chefs but eager home cooks who are keen to share the recipes that have been successful in our homes. Please always check cooking instructions.