January Feature

Broccoli

After enduring a heritage of overcooked offerings, the days of cooked-until-limp broccoli seem to be over. Crisp, stir-fried, lightly blanched or steamed florets have an appealing fresh flavour and color.  Raw broccoli is the best for getting all the vegetable has to offer. The more you cook it the more you lose so take it easy with the heat and put it in a bath of ice water after steaming to stop the cooking process.

 If the stems are mature, pare off a thin layer of outer skin with a vegetable knife to reveal the soft core. Thinly slice or grate into your salads for an extra flavour and nutrient boost.

TOP TIPS

• Cook broccoli soon after buying, it loses its texture after 3-4 days, even when stored loosely wrapped, in the fridge.
• Besides making a colourful side dish when served on its own, broccoli is also good in stir-fries, soups and bakes, working particularly well with pasta.
• When served raw, the florets make crunchy dunks for dips.
• Flavoured oils are a fantastic way to enhance the flavour instead of butter and salt. A bit of grated Parmesan cheese and lemon juice goes a long way too.