Out with the old...

In February I reviewed the Purple Sprouting Broccoli. It looked sad and weak as the wind battered stems lay across the ground. The plants looked worse because the pigeons had started to strip off the old leaves a few weeks before hand and they were now shielded underneath a force field of netting. However, I couldn’t help think that this was yet another brassica crop that was doomed to fail. After all, I was due to start harvesting it in a couple of weeks but there was nothing but old leaf. I gave it a late feed of poultry manure and let it be. I checked my planting schedule for ‘bed 21’ to find that the broccoli was to be replaced by Garlic at the end of March. Well, I’d give it as long as I could, but I wasn’t expecting much. By early March new leaf growth had started. Probably stimulated by the additional feeding and the milder weather the young greens where quite prolific in the centre and small broccoli heads were starting to develop. I didn’t really have time to let them develop any further. Once the central head is cut, the broccoli would start to produce side shoots and more greens. I cut the heads there and then, hoping that the few weeks remaining would be enough for another crop.


Purple Sprouting Broccoli

The young heads were very small, and not purple at all, but a pale creamy green. From the half dozen plants that I had harvested, I had enough for a meal for 3, plus enough greens for the same again. I walked down towards the house with my harvest – the last crop of 2004. Always one for trying my produce, I popped a leaf into my mouth. ‘No, this can’t be right!’ I thought as I chewed away, ‘ Spring greens are tough and bitter, but these are tender and sweet – like the heart of a good Savoy.’ I immediately tried one of the broccoli spears – ‘Unbelievable – sweet, creamy, subtle. Almost like.. asparagus!’. I couldn’t believe it – just a couple of weeks before hand I was considering consigning these to the compost heap as a bad bet. But now, after 11 months of cultivation I would have been satisfied if I didn’t get another harvest from them, this one cut had made it all worth while.

How best to show off this wonderful crop… Not really a difficult question. With Pauline around I was on for cooking a vegetarian dish anyway, and the best way to promote these would be in a broccoli and mushroom risotto.

I’ve taken 2 subsequent harvests from the sideshoots. These were purple and much more abundant. Although the flavour was nothing to rival that first cut, but still better than you can get from the supermarket. The bed has since been fed with a high nitrogen fertiliser and the plan changed to plant the garlic in a new location. The broccoli has been given a reprieve – potentially until the middle of May when it will be replaced with Celeriac, although I’ll be surprised if I get any more cropping past the end of April.


Broad Beans Flowering in April

My Broad Beans have obviously developed something of a cult following. As you can see, they are flowering away quite merrily and the majority have survived the mixed winter weather with a tolerable attrition rate. Hopefully, we should be on for a good crop in a couple of months.




Mushroom & Broccoli Risotto (serves 3)

This is an excellent way to use up those old mushrooms left over in the fridge – they have an excellent full flavour, but a dreadful texture. Alternatively, replace them with a packet of dried porcini, finely chopped and soaked for 15 mins in boiling water. Retain the liquid to use instead of some of the stock. Fresh broccoli only requires a minimum of cooking to retain the flavour and texture. When cooked, it should be dark green in colour and retain a degree of crunch.

1 onion, chopped
1 oz butter
1 leek, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
6-8 oz old mushrooms, cleaned
4 oz fresh mushrooms with a good flavour, e.g. shitake or brown chestnut, sliced
mixed herbs, bruised & chopped
9 oz Arborio Rice
1 glass dry white wine
1 ½ pt hot vegetable stock
8 oz fresh sprouting Broccoli spears
freshly ground black pepper to season


· Melt the butter in a large pan with a drop of oil, to prevent burning.
· Add the onions and sweat off until translucent.
· Add the garlic & leeks and cover, continuing to sweat gently.
· Place the old mushrooms in a food processor and chop very finely. Stir into the onion mix, along with the sliced shitake mushrooms and herbs. Season with some ground black pepper. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes with the lid on.
· Remove the lid and stir in the rice. Ensure that is it coated with the buttery mushroom liquor and cook gently for 2 minutes.
· Add the white wine and boil hard for 1 minute until all the alcohol has evaporated.
· Add about 1/3rd of the stock, bring to the boil stirring regularly, then turn down to a simmer.
· Regularly stir the rice, adding additional stock as necessary. Do not let the rice stick to the base of the pan.
· The rice will be almost cooked after approx 20 minutes. Add a little more stock and stir again. Place the broccoli on top of the rice and replace the lid. The broccoli will cook in 3 – 5 minutes in the steam. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking.


Add the Broccoli to the risotto

· Once cooked, the rice will retain a little bite – it shouldn’t be soft and fluffy. The risotto should be creamy in texture, but not wet. There should be no excess liquid in the pan.
· Season with ground black pepper and serve with a strong grated cheese.