Italian style Purple sprouting broccoli.

I always remember a rather big man who uses to sell purple sprouting broccoli to one of the hotel I use to work at.  All the time it was growing, he used to come with a box, get paid cash and go.  No one really knew how it had come to be, this arrangement but that was how it was.  The funny thing was it was rumoured that he had “done time” what for know one knew, but the gossip was for murder.  So even when he came with a box and we did not need it we took it all the same. And for that very same reason I never asked my self.

Purple sprouting broccoli is one of the over look and not so sort after vegetables but I do not know why.  It grows very fast has a good crop and is very flavourful as well, and it is right in season now.  I have done this with a Italian flavour to the recipe but it would work just as well if you used a Asian flavour profile to this dish.  Use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds with noodles on I think it would taste just as good.

1 onion,

1 organic garlic clove

2 rashers of pancetta or smoked bacon

2 sprigs of rosemary 

2 sprigs of lemon thyme

1 tsp chopped flat leaf parsley

4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

285g/10oz purple sprouting broccoli

450g/1lb cooked pasta

½ lemon, juice only

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lump of fresh Parmesan cheese

A little white wine

First cook your pasta but once it is cooked, do not get rid of all the water, hold some back.  Then in a frying pan that you can cover with a lid start to fry of your bacon.

While the pasta and bacon cook finely chopped you onion and garlic and get it in to a frying pan with the bacon.  Add the rosemary and lemon thyme and let every thing cook until the onions are soft.  Then add the broccoli and the white wine and cover the pan for about five minutes or so.  The broccoli dose not takes ling to cook and it will just steam with every thing in the pan.

Remove the lid and add the cooked pasta, olive oil and lemon juice and toss every thing together. If it look a little dry add some of the water from the pasta cooking. Then cover with the lid for another 2 minutes.

Finally season with salt and pepper and serve in a bowl, shave some Parmesan over the top and you have a very satisfying dish.