Darina Allen: Delve into the versatile, curious world of winter vegetables with these recipes

Have you heard of my relatively new find, a vegetable called oca?

Roast oca tubers are particularly delicious with roast duck goose or pork or added to a winter salad.

This year we grew several ‘new’ winter vegetables, For the curious, creative cook and home gardener, winter vegetables are particularly useful.

We love all the kales, romanesco, leeks, and my favourite winter tuber, Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus). It’s the knobbly rhizome that keeps on giving. In the US, they are referred to as sunchokes.
Every year, I wax lyrical about them, encourage you to plant some and I’m so enthusiastic that I have even offered to give a little bagful for free to get you started.