If you’re anything like me, you’ll be guilty of making a tiny barely audible squeak whenever you see bright, fresh, in-season PSB on the shelves of the greengrocer. I love how tender and easily cooked it is, in addition to its unique totally gorge colour.

This recipe is similar to the fricassee of chanterelles, posted a few months ago, but it has a much fresher spring vibe to it. The aniseed tones of the fennel really lift the dish from something which could feel super indulgent and rich to a much lighter winter meal.

I serve this usually with boiled new potatoes but it works beautifully well with tagliatelle too. Either way, make sure you have a nice hunk of bread at the ready to soak up all the excess juices. Trust me, you won’t want to waste a drip.

Yield: 2

Fricassee of Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Ingredients

4 stems PSB, leaves split from florets and both reserved
40 g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
5 bulb shallots, quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of your knife and chopped roughly
50 g shredded fennel
Pinch salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegan white wine
110 g vegan cream
55 g water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

Bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Blanch the stems of PSB in the boiling water for 2 minutes max. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
In large deep frying pan over medium heat, add the butter and the olive oil. Bring to temperature until the butter is melted. Add the shallots and fry for a minute or two until turning translucent. Add the garlic and fennel. Season. Cook for a further two minutes, stirring regularly, until the fennel starts to turn translucent.
Add the white wine and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated (a few minutes). Add the cream, water and the PSB stems and leaves. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the PSB is cooked through.
Once the PSB is cooked but still nice and bright in colour, turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and stir through the oregano.
Check for seasoning and then serve with either fresh pasta or boiled new potatoes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g