They may divide the dinner table, but it wouldn’t be Christmas without Brussels sprouts, and nowadays there is much more to this festive veg than boiling them to oblivion. Try shredding and sautéing sprouts in butter with chestnuts, roasting them until crisp, or eat them raw in a winter salad.

Another traditional side at Christmas, this winter root has a nutty, sweet flavour that intensifies with roasting. Parsnips also work wonders in creamy gratins, hearty salads and velvety soups, especially when paired with curry spices. For a twist on classic mash, swap half the potatoes for parsnips and stir through some thyme leaves to finish.

Crimson in colour, beetroot is very versatile and can be enjoyed raw in salads or slaws, boiled, roasted or pickled pink. Its earthy sweetness pairs especially well with salty or sour ingredients like goats’ cheese, oily fish and orange. One more surprising pairing is chocolate; try grating raw beetroot into a batch of brownies for a dense, moist texture.

Tangy, tart and strongly scented, passion fruits are one of our more exotic winter foods and add a burst of flavour to cakes and desserts. For peak ripeness, choose fruit which is deeply wrinkled with dark purple skins. Inside, the fragrant juice and cluster of sweet, yellowy green seeds are delicious in pavlovas, soufflés, tarts and more. They also contain high levels of vitamin A and C.

Bring some zingy citrus colour and flavour to the cold and dark winter months with clementines. They are the smallest of the mandarin orange family with a sweet, juicy flavour and less acidity than other citrus fruits. Enjoy on their own, or use in cranberry sauce, roasted carrots, mince pies and cocktails.