At last, Purple sprouting broccoli, a much-loved green vegetable is starting to appear and should continue to be available into April. Freshly boiled for a few minutes, it needs no adornment except perhaps a little butter or extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Use it as your green vegetable to eat with all manner of dishes from roast meats and poultry to grilled or baked fish or fish pie. Or make it the basis of a meal, adding a few nuts, cheese and a salad dressing like the one shown below.
To prepare it, remove any large, damaged leaves, slice off the thick, woody ends of the stalks and discard them. Wash what remains in cold water and drain. Bring a large pan of water to boil, add the broccoli, bring back to the boil and then let it all bubble away for 3 minutes until just tender. Drain it and use it as you like – it’s special.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Roast Walnuts, Mushrooms and Cheese
For 4
Approx. 600g Broccoli – prepared and cooked as above
A little cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
A few mushrooms – cleaned and sliced
A handful of roasted walnuts, lightly crushed (optional)
200g cheese – crumbled Stilton or grated Old Winchester would be good
For the dressing
6 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 heaped teaspoon of made English mustard
1 teaspoon of runny honey
A pinch of sea salt flakes
Fry the mushrooms over medium heat in a little oil in a frying pan large enough to hold all the broccoli.
Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together (or shaking them together in a jar with a lid).
When the mushrooms are starting to brown, add the prepared and cooked broccoli to the pan and warm it through for two or three minutes.
Add the walnuts, if using.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dressing then scatter the cheese over the top and serve warm or at room temperature.
