Cold comfort food

Renowned chef and restaurateur José Pizarro shares the winter salads – at once warming and refreshing – that bring his kitchen to life in the depths of January. Photographs by Jorge Monedero

José Pizarro’s winter salads

When I cook, I am often reminded of my mother’s meals at home in my village of Talaván, near the beautiful Moorish town of Cáceres in Extremadura, south-west Spain. Many people think that Spain is nice and warm in winter, but it is not in the little pocket of the country I come from. The temperature can drop down to -3C, which of course dictates what can be grown and what can be eaten. My dad, who had a farm for his whole life, needed plenty of energy to get through the winter. In fact, we all needed comforting, warming food to cope with the cold.

In our house, when I was growing up, that meant big bowls of white bean, lentil or even kid stew. Now, living in London, where I run my restaurants, I still crave them – especially my current favourite, lentils with chorizo, finished with a drizzle of sherry vinegar and some crumblings of soft cheese over the top. But in winter I want tastes that dazzle, too. There’s nothing I like better than stew with a plate of fresh salad. I’ve reworked the combination in the recipe above, adding pan-fried squid for good measure.

Winter is a fabulous season for citrus fruits, and we are lucky that they are so versatile. I use them all the time at my restaurants, where they frequently star in winter salads. Peeled

and sliced oranges, with a splash of olive oil, are a lovely garnish for any stew. And right now at Pizarro we’re serving a salad of grilled red chicory, fried goat’s cheese and clementines. It’s so, so good. Then there’s tart apple and beetroot with sweet scallops; and slices of duck breast, rich and comforting against bitter watercress: hearty treatments for ingredients with crunch and contrast.

Waking up in this weather, looking out at the rain and the white skies with a strong cup of coffee – with the promise of the season’s bright leaves for lunch – makes me as happy as when I get my hands on the first asparagus of the year. That feeling of excitement is hard to beat.

From top Squid, chorizo, kale and white bean salad; the new José Pizarro restaurant in the City

Clockwise from above Grilled red chicory, fried goat’s cheese and clementine salad; salad of seared duck breast with watercress and pomegranate (recipes overleaf); José Pizarro at work

From top Pan-fried scallops with raw beetroot, apple and hazelnut salad; guests line the bar at José Pizarro