British seasonal food in February – what to eat now
Here’s a comprehensive guide to the best British seasonal food in February. The highlights include forced rhubarb, purple sprouting broccoli, sea bass and shellfish.
British home grown produce tends to be hearty and filling this month, with lots of greens and root vegetables which lend themselves to soups, stews, casseroles and healthy side dishes.
There are also a few treats in the imported fruit section, including fresh bittersweet Seville oranges if you’re interested in making your own marmalade.
Fruit in season in February
This month we mostly rely on imported fruits in the UK, especially tropical ones, but look out for fresh tender stalks of homegrown forced rhubarb too.
British seasonal fruit: February
Apples (from store)
Rhubarb (forced)
Best imported fruit: February
Blood oranges
Passion fruit
Persimmon
Pineapple (Caribbean)
Pomegranate
Seville oranges
Recommended seasonal fruit books
Vegetables in season in February
Seasonal staples in February include winter cabbages and winter cauliflower.
If you want to change things up, look out for purple sprouting broccoli, celeriac or Jerusalem artichokes.
British seasonal veg: February
Brussels sprouts & sprout tops (last few)
Cabbage (Savoy, other winter)
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Chard
Chicory
Jerusalem artichokes
Kale
Leeks
Parsnips
Purple sprouting broccoli
Salsify
Scorzonera
You can also find:
- Crops grown under cover (endive, lamb’s lettuce and other winter salad).
- Crops that can store or stand (beetroot, swede, turnip, winter radish, winter squash).
Available most months in good condition: broccoli, button mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, maincrop potatoes, onions, rocket.
Recommended veg cookbooks
FREE!!
UK fruit and veg calendar
Herbs in season in February
- Winter savory
Always available:
- Chives, coriander, parsley grown under cover.
- Older leaves of hardy perennials like bay, rosemary, sage, thyme.
Fish in season in February
The fish in season in February are similar to those on offer in January, in particular white ‘meaty’ fish such as haddock, hake, pollock, coley and (less sustainably) cod and wild sea bass.
Other abundant seasonal treats include monkfish, cuttlefish and most shellfish.
Fish stocks can vary from year to year, affected by overfishing, conservation efforts, and unusual weather for the season. Here’s a rough guide to what’s available.
Sustainable British fish: February
Brill
Clams
Cockles
Crab (spider)
Dab
Gurnard (grey, red)
Haddock
Hake
Herring / sild
European lobster
Mackerel
Monkfish
Mussels
Oyster (native, Pacific)
Plaice
Pollock
Pouting/bib
Prawns (Northern)
Sardines / European pilchard
Sea bass
Sea bream
Sole (Dover, lemon)
Sprat / whitebait
Trout (farmed rainbow)
Turbot (wild)
[To the best of my knowledge the list above excludes critically endangered fish, but this can change at short notice. Visit The Good Fish Guide from the Marine Conservation Society for latest lists.]
You should also still be able to source most of the following from a responsible fishmonger:
Less sustainable UK fish: February
Cod (line caught)
Razor clams
Langoustines/scampi
Red mullet
Scallops (king, queen)
Whelks
In good condition almost all year: herring, farmed sea bream and turbot, farmed rainbow trout, megrim sole, sustainably-fished monkfish, rope-grown mussels, prawns.
Recommended fish & shellfish books
Meat, poultry & game in season in February
Not a big month for game, but these two are available:
UK meat, poultry & game: February
Hare
Venison (all types except for roe bucks)
Available year-round in good condition: beef, chicken, pork, rabbit, farmed venison, woodpigeon.
Recommended meat, poultry & game books
FREE!!
UK fruit and veg calendar
Cheese in season in February
Many quality cheeses are seasonal. It depends on the animals being milked, their grazing and reproductive cycles, the way specific cheeses are made, and their time to mature.
February is the last winter month in the seasonal cheese cycle. You can find hard and long-aged goat and sheep cheeses, Alpine cheeses, vintage Cheddars and other British hard cheeses, and the long-matured (6+ months) blue cheeses.
It’s all change from next month, but here’s some inspiration for your February cheeseboard:
Best British cheeses: February
Mature blue cheeses (Stilton, Crozier Blue etc)
Extra mature farmhouse Cheddar
Imported February cheese
Comté
Gouda
Gruyère
Remember: many quality mature cheeses are available year-round, especially the harder cheeses.
Recommended cheese books
Enjoying this post? You may also like:
- British seasonal food in January
- British seasonal food in March
- Grow your own fruit & veg on a budget
- What to sow & do in a February kitchen garden
Our favourite British seasonal food in February
Need some inspiration for a Valentine’s Day menu? Take your pick from oysters, sea bass, scallops or crab. For dessert, try some imported tropical fruit such as passion fruit or fresh pineapple.
I’m also looking forward to adding purple sprouting broccoli to my shopping list this month for stir fries, side dishes, quiches and omelettes. We love it with garlic, sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce, or simply steamed with a little chilli butter.
A Savoy cabbage braised with beans and veggie sausages might be on the midweek menu, or perhaps a roasted cauliflower with garam masala and cumin seeds. If the skies are cold and grey we’ll treat ourselves to some forced rhubarb too, or a few blood oranges for a splash of imported colour.
Recommended general seasonal books for inspiration
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Which seasonal ingredients will you be buying and cooking this February?
Let us know in the comments below.
I like plenty of stews and casseroles. Not keen on game but venison, chicken, rabbit and all British fish is good. Vegetables are abundant at this time of year including all root veg, swede, turnips, leeks and brassicas. A bit of spice like a of bowl chili con carne topped with soured cream, delish!!!
Hi James, you can’t beat a good casserole, that’s for sure. Same for stews and soups, lovely and warming when it’s cold outside.