It would be nice, wouldn’t it, to jet off on a winter-long jaunt around the world, following the sunshine and generally enjoying a life unencumbered by dark mornings, sleet lashing your face and huge winter coats. And although we offer great deals on holidays to all manner of destinations, we just can’t magic a holiday budget out of thin air. What we can do, is bring you the taste of food from sunnier places – sunshine food if you will.
So when the winter is getting you down, how about splashing out of a sunny feast – and we’ve got some great ideas to get you started. And if it all gets too much, sign up for our Real Deals, where we collect the best deals on the market each week. Which always includes the cheapest sun we can find!
Mediterranean
Satisfy your craving for something warm and comforting, but bring the Mediterranean influence with a twist on the usual mash, something and gravy. Polenta with roasted vegetables and parmesan crisps is a bright and cheerful dish, packed with colour and flavour, which is what Mediterranean cooking is all about. Get the recipe here.
African
Such a vast continent has a whole range of cuisines we could use to help bring the sunshine – I’m particularly partial to a Moroccan tagine to help me through the winter months. But it’s popularity over here with us Brits means we need something a little more exotic to really mix up the daily dinner routine. Now, it takes a little planning to make great Sosaties, as the lamb needs to marinade for a couple of days. But once you’ve done that, these curry-marinated lamb and apricot kebabs will take you right to South Africa in a couple of bites.
Australian
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure barbecues might be the national obsession over in Australia. And don’t let the lack of sun, or the lack of light outside stop you – as long as your barbecue has a lid the food will be snug as a bug cooking away. You might think I’m a little mad, but I’ve seen (and tasted) barbecuing in the snow in January, and it really hits the spot. The easiest thing to make so that you can spend most of your time inside are things that take a while and don’t need too much attention like this Cinnamon Lamb or Fish Parcels.
Caribbean
Everyone has those days when you just want to curl up on the sofa with a blanket, a few films and some comforting soup, and the Caribbean is an unlikely source of many great soup recipes. You’d think that in hot countries there would be no need for such comfort! Think spice, bold flavours and bright colours – like this Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup .
Mexican
Fajitas, tacos, chilli con carne and more – there are so many dishes that hail from Mexico that have become almost everyday here in the UK, so it’s time to mix things up a little bit. Stews are great for when you come in from the cold as you throw it all together and then wait for the heat to do its magic. Even better is that cheap cuts of meat work great as the long cooking time makes them lovely and tender, which means more pennies in the holiday fund. Not sure about using the traditional bison meat? Neither are we – beef will work just as well! We would definitely use the tequila in this Mexican Bison Stew though!
Brazilian
It’s all too easy to do the same things with those trusty bits of chicken you buy every week, but how about adding some Brazilian flavours into the mix? This Chicken with Coconut Milk does just that, so you can fill your kitchen with smells that make you think of the sunshine. Want dessert? How about a Passionfruit Mousse?
