Posts Tagged ‘broccoli’
« Older EntriesSpicy Singapore noodles with prawn stuffed courgettes and sweet chilli sauce
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Ingredients
For the noodles
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 green courgette, julienned
1 tsp ground turmeric
200g/7oz rice noodles, cooked according to packet instructions
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 red chilli, chopped
1 small handful broccoli florets
For the prawn stuffed courgettes
1 yellow courgette, cut into three equal thick rounds
2 king prawns, de-veined, peeled, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
dash sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
For the chilli sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp white wine vinegar
splash water
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the noodles, heat the vegetable oil in a wok, add the courgette and ground turmeric and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the courgette is tender. Add the cooked rice noodles and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the soy sauce, chilli and broccoli and fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. For the stuffed courgettes, scoop the seeds out of the courgette rounds and discard. Place the hollowed out courgette rounds on a baking sheet.
4. Season the chopped prawns with salt and freshly ground black pepper and soy sauce, mix well and press spoonfuls of the prawn mix into the middle of each courgette round. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle over the sesame seeds, then bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the prawns are cooked through and the courgette is tender.
5. For the chilli sauce, place all of the chilli sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer gently for five minutes, adding enough water as necessary to make a pouring consistency.
6. To serve, pile the noodles onto two serving plates, place the stuffed courgettes around the sides of the plate and drizzle over the chilli sauce.
Tags: broccoli, courgette, garlic, honey, red chilli, yellow courgette
Posted in All Recipes, Meal Suggestions | No Comments »
Green garden veg pie
Monday, April 12th, 2010
Ingredients
* 50g butter
* 2 tsp mustard powder
* 600ml milk
* 200g mature cheddar , grated
* 2 large potatoes , sliced into rounds
* 1 head broccoli , cut into little florets
* 200g peas
* small bunch chives , snipped
* 50g flour
* 1 head cauliflower , cut into little florets
Method
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 min. Gradually stir in the milk until smooth with no lumps, then keep stirring until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens to a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat, then stir in all but a handful of the grated cheese.
2. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the potato slices for 5 mins, tip in the broccoli and cauliflower for another 3 mins, then finally add the peas for 1 more min. Drain all the veg and pat dry. Reserve enough potato slices to cover the top of the finished dish, then gently stir the rest of the vegetables into the sauce with the chives.
3. Tip into a deep ovenproof dish, arrange over the reserved potato slices, then sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Bake for 20-25 mins until the topping is golden and crisp, then serve straight from the dish.
Tags: broccoli, cauliflower, chives, peas, potato
Posted in Meal Suggestions | No Comments »
Broccoli Cooking Tips
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
• Broccoli is best when quickly steamed or stir-fried. Overcooking enhances its strong flavor and aroma, dulls the color, and leaches out nutrients. It should be cooked a minimum amount of time until tender, but still crisp.
• If you plan on using the stalks and florets in the same dish, begin cooking the stalks 1 to 2 minutes before adding the florets. The stalks take longer to cook.
• Most cooks prefer to peel away the tough exterior of larger stalks over 1 inch in diameter.
• To cook broccoli florets, trim them to uniform size to promote even cooking.
• Although raw broccoli is often served as crudites with dip, a quick blanching will both tenderize and reduce the strong flavor.
• About 7 minutes is optimum steaming time for broccoli. Remove the lid several times during steaming to release steam which helps the broccoli retain its bright green color.
• Do not wash broccoli until just before you prepare it.
• Broccoli, broccolini, broccoflower, and cauliflower may be used interchangeably in many recipes.
• Lemon juice and mustard seeds can liven up cooked broccoli. Do not add acid until the cooking is complete.
• If you only need the florets for a dish, do not toss the stems. Peel, blanch for two minutes, and freeze up to three months for use in soups and stews.
Tags: broccoli
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Apple Butterscotch Crumble Tart
Sunday, December 6th, 2009
ingredients
serves 6 – 8
225 g (8 oz) rich sweet shortcrust pastry
175 g (6 oz) self-raising flour (or half wholemeal and half white self-raising flour)
55 g (2 oz) oats
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
115 g (4 oz) demerara sugar
140 g (5 oz) cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
115 g (4 oz) butter
115 g (4 oz) light soft brown sugar
900 g (2 lb) eating apples (preferably Cox’s Orange Pippins), peeled, cored and thinly sliced
finely grated zest of 1 orange
85 g (3 oz) raisins
a little demerara sugar, to sprinkle (optional)
method
1. Line a deep 23cm (9 in) tart tin with the pastry and pre-bake or bake blind. Pre-heat the oven to 190‚°C (375‚°F) Gas 5.
2. Prepare the crumble first, as it turns out more crunchy if it can enjoy a few minutes’ rest in the freezer before cooking.
Mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Rub in the butter for just a minute or two until partly absorbed and the mixture is beginning to stick. Place the bowl in the freezer until you have made the filling.
3. Melt the butter and soft brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a low heat. Add the apple slices. Cover and cook them in the buttery sauce for a few minutes – just enough to enable the apples to soften, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the orange zest and raisins, stir to mix, then pour the mixture into the pre-baked pastry case.
5. Cover the buttery apples with the crumble mixture. If you wish, you can sprinkle with a little demerara sugar.
6. Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until brown and the fruit juices are oozing up around the edges.
Serve hot or warm with good dairy ice cream or creme fraiche.
Tags: broccoli, oats, raisins
Posted in Pudding and desserts | No Comments »
Roasted broccoli and garlic soup
Saturday, December 5th, 2009
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
150g/5½oz broccoli
300ml/½ pint chicken or vegetable stock, hot
2 tbsp double cream
drizzle of sesame oil to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.
2. Chop the broccoli and divide into stalks and heads. Add the broccoli stalks and fry for 4-5 minutes.
3. Season and add the hot chicken stock and broccoli heads. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
4. Stir in the cream and process with a hand-held blender.
5. Serve in a bowl, drizzled with sesame oil.
Tags: broccoli, garlic
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Sweet carrot tarte tatin with chilli broccoli florets and broccoli puree
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Ingredients
For the broccoli florets
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ head broccoli
1 pinch chilli flakes
For the broccoli purée
½ head broccoli
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the carrot tarte tatin
25g/1oz butter
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 sheet ready-made shortcrust pastry
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the broccoli florets, heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the broccoli and chilli flakes for 4-5 minutes, or until the broccoli is just tender.
3. For the broccoli purée, boil the broccoli for 4-5 minutes, or until tender, then drain and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place into a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. For the tarte tatin, melt the butter in an ovenproof frying pan and add the carrot and sugar, stirring until the sugar has melted.
5. Roll the pastry out into a circle large enough to fit over the frying pan, then place over the pan and trim the edges. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp.
6. To serve, turn the carrot tarte tatin out onto a serving plate. Spoon the broccoli purée and stir-fried broccoli florets alongside.
Tags: broccoli, carrot
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Broccoli gratin
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
ingredients
serves 4
900 g (2 lb) broccoli florets
50 g (2 oz) butter
2 onions, chopped
50 g (2 oz) plain flour
600 ml (1 pt) milk
200 g (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, cubed
100 g (4 oz) blue cheese, crumbled
2 red peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
salt and pepper
100 g (4 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
method
1. Preheat oven 200‚°C/400‚°F/gas 6. Put broccoli in a pan of lightly salted boiling water and cook until just tender, about 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan, add onion and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until softened
3. Stir in flour, remove from heat and gradually add the milk, stirring until blended.
4. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously until thickened. Stir in the mozzarella, blue cheese, red pepper and seasoning. Add broccoli and stir well to coat.
5. Divide between four individual dishes, top with grated cheese and place in a preheated oven for 10 -15 mins.
If you have a steamer, use it to cook the broccoli. Steamed vegetables have a better flavour and are more nutritious.
Tags: broccoli, pepper
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Broccoli Puree
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
ingredients
2 3/4 lb (1.2 kg) sprouting broccoli or calabrese
3 shallots or 1 medium-sized mild red onion
1/2 clove garlic
1 1/2 oz (40 g) butter
approx. 4 fl oz (120 ml) chicken stock
nutmeg
1 oz (30 g) grated Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese
5 fl oz (150 ml) double or soured cream
salt and pepper
method
1. Trim and prepare the broccoli, discarding all the larger, older stalks. Cut off the budding flower heads or small florets; chop the stalks coarsely.
2. Peel the onion and chop it finely together with the garlic; fry these gently in 1/2 oz (15 g) of the butter until soft, add the chopped small stems and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour in the stock, cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes or until the stalks are very tender and the liquid has completely evaporated.
4. Reduce to a puree in the food processor, adding a pinch each of salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
5. Boil the florets in salted water until just tender, turn into a colander or sieve and refresh under running cold water. Drain well before chopping finely.
6. Heat the puree just before you plan to serve it, stirring in the chopped florets. Draw aside from the heat when hot, stir in 1 oz (25 g) butter, the grated cheese, a little more salt and pepper if needed and the cream.
Tags: broccoli, garlic, shallot
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Broccoli with Breadcrumbs
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
ingredients
serves 6
1 kg (2 1/4 lb) broccoli
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp soft breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tbsp grated smoked provolone cheese
salt and pepper
method
1. Discard the stems of the broccoli (they can be used for a soup) and divide the florets.
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, immerse the broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Drain and keep the broccoli warm. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a non-stick pan, add the breadcrumbs and garlic and fry, stirring continuously, until barely golden.
4. Arrange the broccoli on a platter, sprinkle over the remaining oil, the pepper, grated cheese and finally the breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
Tags: broccoli, garlic
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Individual Broccoli Flans
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
ingredients
serves 4
150 g (5 oz) plain flour
salt and freshly milled white pepper
2 tablespoons cold water
75 g (3 oz) butter
450 g (1 lb) broccoli
pinch each of dried thyme and basil
2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
4 tablespoons vegetable stock, or water
150 ml (1/4 pint) double cream
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
method
1. Sift the flour on to a worktop and make a well in the centre. Sprinkle the seasoning and water into the well. Cut up the 75 g (3 oz) butter and scatter around the edge. Mix these ingredients quickly together to make a dough and cut the dough into four equal portions. Roll each piece to fit an individual flan dish, 8 – 10 cm (3 – 4 in). in diameter. Lightly grease the cases and line them with pastry.
2. Cover the broccoli with salted water and boil for 15 minutes. Bake the flan cases blind on the middle shelf of a moderately hot oven (200‚°C, 400‚°F, gas 6) for 15 minutes. Drain the broccoli and leave it to cool, then puree the broccoli in the blender.
3. Season to taste and add the thyme and basil. Dissolve the gelatine in a little hot water in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Heat the stock. Add the gelatine to the stock, then stir the stock into the pureed broccoli.
4. Whip the cream until stiff, fold it into the broccoli mixture and then fill the flan cases with the mixture. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, fold in the Parmesan and top each flan with meringue. Bake in a hot oven (230‚°C, 450‚°F, gas 
for two minutes, until golden.
Tags: broccoli
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