Issue #05 March 2023
Hello & welcome back to A Bit More Seasoning, the March issue!
This is the fifth issue of ABMS…whatttt?! Time flies when you’re having fun (or eating!)! I’m very very grateful to everyone who has stuck around & also a big massive hello to anyone new!
So what’s been happening? Last month I worked on my very first ‘proper’ food job where I recipe developed, styled & shot a story for someone that wasn’t myself! You can find my super easy, one cup pancake recipe for Joseph Joseph here!
Food wise, we are in bit of a funny place right now, a lot of the winter crops are coming to an end & the spring harvest hasn’t started yet so it’s very much about making the most of what we do have & enjoying the last of those big hearty winter vegetables likes swede & celeriac but also getting to enjoy some fleeting favourites like Yorkshire forced rhubarb & wild garlic.
In the past few weeks, the news has been full of stories about a lack of imported fresh foods like tomatoes, cucumbers & lettuce. This is being blamed on multiple factors such as climate change, Brexit & the war in Ukraine. In my opinion, the reason we are this far up shit creek without a paddle is that as a country, we have simply not taken enough responsibility or put enough importance on producing our own food & this situation highlights just how heavily reliant the UK is on imported foods - I know A Bit More Seasoning is only reaching a few, but one of the main driving forces behind me bringing this together every month, is so we are all just a little more informed & aware of the amazing produce the UK has to offer & that where we can, we all try to support the incredible network of farmers, fishermen, butchers & all other food producers that work their asses off to feed us.
Rant over, onto the food…
What’s at its best this month…
Hero Ingredient Purple Sprouting Broccoli
So first things first…why is it purple!?
The purple colour on the florets comes from a high content of anthocyanins…a what now?! Anthocyanins is a water soluble pigment & high levels present in berries, fruit & vegetables can result in purple, blue, red or even black colouring.
Purple sprouting broccoli is a super hardy variety which can survive & thrive in cold weather. It can be cold resistant all the way down to -9° which is why it is harvested & at its best right now.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that all broccoli is created equal, because it’s not! Purple Sprouting Broccoli has an early harvesting season, however the more common Calabrese broccoli, the big bushy green one, won’t be ready for harvesting until late summer & don’t expect to see tenderstem until June at the earliest.
I think that broccoli is a pretty underrated vegetable, too often not given much thought & just boiled as a side, which can be fine, however there is so much more you can do with these green stems & they can very much take centre stage of any meal.
Roasted, griddled or done on the BBQ are my favourite ways of eating broccoli & hitting it with some extreme heat really transforms what could be quite a bland vegetable into something with a lot more depth & flavour.
Broccoli is also a very good flavour carrier & works amazingly with a whole host of big flavours like chilli & cumin or soy, lime & sesame.
Recipe 01
Roasted broccoli & salsa
This recipe is really two for the price of one! The salsa alone would work very well with loads of dishes all throughout the year, think griddle chicken or fish or on most seasonal green veggies – I think it would also be a lovely veggie main if you served it with some smokey aubergines.
The roasted broccoli is also great by itself as a side & you can get creative with toppings such as sesame & soy sauce or keep it simple with some sautéed garlic.
Here I have combined the two to make a surprisingly bright winter dish. Using jarred roasted red peppers means we can enjoy these year round instead of having to wait until the end of summer, when peppers in the UK are at their best.
Ingredients
For the broccoli
200g purple sprouting broccoli
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
50g sliced almonds – toasted
For the salsa
3 roasted red peppers – diced
½ red onion – very finely diced
1 handful fresh parsley – finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp pomegranate molasses
½ lemon – juiced
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees
Toast the sliced almonds slowly in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden brown – this will take about 7-10 minutes & keep an eye on them as soon as they start to colour to avoid burning.
Trim about 1-2cm off the bottom of the broccoli stalks (save these in the freezer for making stock).
Add the broccoli to a large pan of well salted, boiling water & cook for 1 minute. Remove from the water & immediately drain under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Dry the broccoli with some kitchen roll & add to a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, the chilli flakes & a good pinch of sea salt.
Cook the broccoli in the oven for 15 minutes (remember that smaller/thinner pieces will cook quicker so remove these from the oven if they are burning).
Whilst the broccoli is cooking, make the salsa. Combine the raw red onion, roasted peppers, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses & lemon juice in a bowl & mix well. Season to taste.
Assemble the dish by placing the broccoli on a plate or serving platter, pile the salsa on top & then sprinkle with the toasted almonds & enjoy.
Recipe 02
Broccoli & Stilton pasta bake
Comfort eating at its very best is probably the only way to describe a pasta bake! This dish is going to keep you warm & cosy until the nights start getting a bit lighter.
The words pasta bake don’t really fill me with excitement, but luckily the words blue cheese, creamy & crispy definitely do! There are a lot of very good textures going on here, thanks to the crispy parmesan & breadcrumb topping & the smooth creamy cheese sauce.
Because this is a very creamy & cheesy dish, it definitely needs a big citrusy salad to cut through the richness & the dressing I have shared with you is my go-to favourite all year round.
Ingredients
For the pasta bake
200g purple sprouting broccoli – cut into 2 inch pieces
180g dried pasta (I used rigatoni)
75g stilton – broken into small pieces
30g strong cheddar – grated
400ml milk
25g butter
25g flour
85g breadcrumbs
20g parmesan – grated
For the salad
Butterhead salad leaves
1 lemon - juiced
50ml extra virgin olive oil
Handful fresh chives - finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Method
Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, when the butter is fully melted, add the flour & mix to combine, cooking for about 1 minute.
Take the pan off the heat & start to add the milk a little at a time, mixing to make a paste, keep adding the milk & mixing off the heat until you have added at least half the milk – you should now have a thick & smooth mixture in the pan.
Return the pan to the heat & add the remaining milk. Keep stirring whilst the sauce thickens, this should take about 5-10 minutes.
Whilst your sauce is thickening, put a pan of salted boiling water on & par-boil the pasta for 5 minutes then add the broccoli to the same pan & cook for 1 minute. Drain & set aside.
When the sauce has started to thicken, add the stilton, cheddar & some black pepper & stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce - give it a taste & season with salt
Add the pasta & broccoli to the sauce & mix well until everything is coated in sauce then transfer this to an ovenproof dish.
In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs & parmesan.
Top the pasta with the breadcrumb mix & cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Remove the pasta bake from the oven & allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Whilst the pasta is resting, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, chives & salt & pepper in a small bowl and mix well.
Dress the salad just before you serve.
Like a lot of people, I have been horrified & deeply saddened by the devastating earthquakes that have hit Turkey & Syria in the past few weeks.
If you are in a position to, please do consider donating funds to one of the following organisations who are on the ground supporting the people who need it most.
Thank you x