P
Dorsets
L E N T Y
The Vital Ingredient:
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Perfect with pasta, stunning in stir-fries, for Tom East, this
versatile vegetable is up there with asparagus as the seasonal treat
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8
rom chefs to veg growers and home cooks, everyone loves purple sprouting
broccoli. Just as we’re getting tired of going back to our roots, these beautiful
slender spears show up, bringing new life and colour to the veg patch and plate.
In the same way that the arrival of snowdrops in the garden suggest that spring
is on the way, so purple sprouting broccoli points to brighter days ahead.
It has taken a long time for PSB to be loved. Certainly in the UK, at least. While the
Romans cultivated this member of the cabbage family, it has only really taken off in the
UK in the last 30 years. But as any allotment holder will tell you, it is a vegetable that’s
worth waiting for. Given that its seeds are sown in pots in March or April, much of the
plot will have been harvested by the time it’s ready to eat in the following February.
What’s more, like that other foodie favourite, asparagus, the season is relatively short.
Purple sprouting broccoli is a cut and come again plant, but by April, it’s past it - just as
we’re preparing for the arrival of that other tasty green stem.
A short season is not the only thing purple sprouting broccoli shares with asparagus.
It is best eaten as fresh as possible, ideally on the day it is bought or picked, and it can
have woody ends which need to be binned. Your eyes may be drawn to its striking purple
flower buds, but you also need to check the stems - you’re looking for dark coloured,
snappy stalks with tender leaves. Don’t buy if it bends.
Seeing as it can survive cold winters, PSB is hardier than asparagus and can handle
really bold flavours, including anchovies, chillies and bacon. A bundle of 3-4 inch steamed
stems, tossed in melted butter and lemon juice, is also delicious and lets you savour its
sweet, earthy flavours in just 3-4 minutes. Prepared in this way it can go with almost any
fish dish and as a side dish for many meats.
The thick of it
While it’s best to pick slender
stems, thicker ones can still be
eaten. You just need to cut them
in half to ensure that they cook
at the same time as the florets.
Eat your leaves
You may be tempted to tidy up the stems
by trimming the leaves away. Don’t! As
long as they’re not tough, they can be
eaten along with the stem and the purple
florets. The only thing to discard is the
really woody stems.
www.menu-dorset.co.uk
Purple reign: the
colourful cousin in the
broccoli family is a
foodie favourite
Prefer a punchier dressing? Slice up
a couple of cloves of garlic and a chilli and
heat with a little sesame oil and butter
for a couple of minutes before adding the
steamed broccoli to the pan with some
soy sauce.
Moving on from side-dishes, but sticking with Asian flavou