Sparky the Cat loves steamed purple sprouting broccoli.
Lucky us! There is still some purple sprouting broccoli to be had. If you haven’t had it yet, now is your last chance, and if you’ve been munching on it for weeks then you are probably relieved to see it’s still here.
Purple sprouting broccoli is at it’s best between February and April and there are multiple ways to prepare it. Trim any woody stem ends or tough leaves with a knife. Divide into small, individual florets, each with a short stem, and diagonally slice the thicker stems. Rinse under cold water. Broccoli boils or steams in 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of floret. In stir-fries, cook it for a couple of minutes, until tender. It can also be roasted, as the heads become tender and sweet and the leaves crisp up like kale chips. Typically in a 400 degree oven stems will be fork tender after 20 minutes. It provides all of the nutritional benefits of broccoli with some added variety of phytonutrients associated with its purple color.
Food writer Rose Elliot, author of New Complete Vegetarian, is a keen advocate of purple sprouting broccoli and offers the following serving suggestions: “Think asparagus—break the stems where they become tough, or run a potato peeler down the lower stems so you’re left with the tender center. Cook them in a pan with a little boiling water and the lid on, so they are half boiled, half steamed, for 4-6 minutes, until they are tender but not soggy. I love them with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon.”
Pasta with Purple Sprouting Broccoli
2¼ lb purple sprouting broccoli
2 medium-sized fresh red chilies (not too hot)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small tin of anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
Good quality olive oil
12 oz pasta (fusilli, oriecchiette, penne rigate or conchiglie work bet)
4 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan or hard Pecorino cheese
Salt and pepper
Boil a large pan of water with a little salt. Trim the outer leaves and woody stalks from the broccoli. Wash the good bits and chop into ½ inch pieces. Cut the chili in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and pith. Chop the chili flesh, the garlic and the anchovies finely.
In another large pan, warm four tablespoons of olive oil over a medium flame and add the chili, garlic and anchovies. Gently fry these for a minute or so and add the broccoli, season with a little salt and pepper, then continue to cook gently while the pasta boils.
Drop the pasta in the boiling water and stir immediately. Cook until just tender with a little bit of resistance to the bite (al dente).
When the pasta has nearly finished cooking, transfer a small ladle of the cooking water to the broccoli and continue to cook over a high heat until tender.
When cooked, drain the pasta. Add another two tablespoons of oil and the cheese to the broccoli. Toss with the drained pasta and serve immediately.
We thank BBC.com for this recipe.