If I was a mean spirited, deceitful, dastardly type of person who regularly fabricated the truth and hackled in the face of the repercussions of my unlawful actions, I would tell you that that green goddess like limbs of purple sprouting broccoli that you can see in the picture were attained from my vegetable patch.
But I cannot lie, currently my poor food growing garden is not looking at her best, no unable to resist vines of sweet baby peas, no ever growing barrages of golden courgettes, only the bare, unhealthy looking raspberry canes and some low growing hibernating strawberries lay in wait for when the days come longer and the soil begins to warm up their slumbering roots.
Purple sprouting broccoli (or its street name PSB) should be flourishing the shelves of our green grocers and overflowing in the stalls of our local markets for now is the time between February and April that it is at its most striking best. Cut from thick stemmed mother plants the flourishing florets taste best when either steamed , stir fried or boiled but refrain from the temptation to overcook as you will obtain nothing but a soggy mess, err on the side of caution and slightly undercook them so they maintain their vivid colouring and regal like stance.
When something is in season I do have the ability (if it’s at all possible) to completely abuse it and over – use the particular subject until I am almost pleading for it to be no longer obtainable and PSB is no objection, if there was a way for me to include it in my morning muesli I would find it but somehow the thought of some floating green bits bobbing around in between my toasted oats and dried fruit just doesn’t fill me full of desire.
After playing bystander to many a main meal I decided that PSB should take centre stage as an important meal by itself. Any kind of sauce or dressing would have been sufficient but I wanted something equally as grand to partner the taste and nutritious winter brassica.
Hollandaise sauce, a king amongst the many condiments available, is often perceived to be much trickier to make than what it really is. I myself have made this recipe countless of times (eggs benedict being my husband’s favourite breakfast treat) and found that it has never once let me down. All the buttery beautiful sauce needs is a little care and attention, so while your cancer preventing, vitamin c filled broccoli is quite merrily steaming away take a deep breath, relax and gently stir up a lusciously rich citrus enhanced dressing that will flavour your PSB with the required quality that it needs.
Accidentally we managed to consume all of the PSB that I had available in the house meaning that the broccoli, goats cheese and sundried tomato tart I had dreamt up could no longer be created.
Still feeling in a tarty mood I rummaged around a bit into the depths of my fridge and I managed to come up with something that was not only surprisingly easy to make but very tasty as well!
Purple sprouting broccoli and herby hollandaise sauce.
1 freshly picked bag of purple sprouting broccoli
2 free range egg yolks
1tbls of water
125g butter - diced
Half a lemon
1tbls freshly chopped herbs (I used parsley and chives)
To start with put your broccoli to steam for around 5 minutes, just so it is tender enough to bite through but still hard enough to give you a bit of crunch.
Whilst the broccoli is steaming place your egg yolks, water and butter into a heavy based saucepan on a very low heat. Keep whisking the mixture until the butter melts and starts to thicken (this may take some time but don’t take your eye off the ball!).
Once the mixture is beginning to thicken turn up you heat to medium and continue to whisk away quite vigorously until you have reached your required consistency.
Once the sauce is at your liking, add the herbs and squeeze in the lemon juice, giving it all on final mix before pouring on top of your delicately cooked purple sprouting broccoli.
Leek, mushroom and goats cheese tart
A pack of chilled ready rolled puff pastry
Knob of butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks cleaned and chopped
1 pack of chestnut mushrooms cleaned and halved
1 egg beaten
A nice healthy hunk of goats cheese (the soft one with the rind on the outside)
A small handful of toasted pine nuts
A few fresh basil leaves
Ten minutes before you want to make your tart, take the pastry out of the fridge and preheat your oven to 180oc
Gently heat the olive oil and the butter in a pan then add your leeks and mushrooms, continue to cook slowly until all the excess water from the vegetables has been reduced
Lay your ready rolled pastry sheet out onto a flat baking sheet then lightly score a border 1 inch from the edge all the way around the sheet
Brush the beaten egg all around the border taking care not to get any egg onto the middle of the tart and prick the base of your tart all over with a fork
Place in the oven for 10 – 12 mins until the outside border has risen nicely and it is golden brown in colour
Preheat your grill to high and spoon the mushroom and leeks all over the base of the tart, next tear up your goat’s cheese and liberally decorate the top of your tart. Place under the grill for a couple of minutes just to soften your goat’s cheese
Once cooked scatter over your toasted pinenuts and your fresh basil leaves, serve with some mixed leaves and a beetroot salad.
No comments:
Post a Comment