Vegetable gardens in some regions may still look like Narnia — new life suspended under ice and snow — but something is growing; something colourful, crisp and good for you: purple sprouting broccoli (PSB).
Compared with the densely packed green heads of standard broccoli, PSB is more “free range”, the flower heads loosely packed and the leaves well spread. Look for tender, crisp stems, rather than large, floppy ones.
Keep the cooking simple and the flavours compatible. Steam or boil for about six minutes, or cut into small pieces and stir-fry for three minutes.
PSB goes well with bacon, anchovies and garlic; with chilli, olive oil and pasta; with hollandaise or balsamic vinegar; and with soy, ginger and Chinese rice wine.
In the cookbook: Slow-braised purple sprouting broccoli with lemon, garlic and onion, from Sophie Grigson’s Country Kitchen, Headline, £16.99 On the menu: Wok-fried purple sprouting broccoli, £4, as a side dish at The Grocer on Warwick, 21 Warwick St, W1 (020-7437 7776).