Purple Sprouting Broccoli
March 19th, 2007 by Scott |
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Purple Sprouting Broccoli is truly one of the Kings of vegetables, and when in season is worthy of being eaten all on its own as a main course – with nothing more complicated then some melted butter to dip it into.
I like to steam mine over my wok for around 5 minutes, depending on how fresh it is – the fresher, the less time I steam it for. It’s served “whole”, leaves, stems and all.
If the stems seem quite “fat” near the base, split them to around half way so that they steam at the same speed as the rest.
Here’s my favourite 3 things to dip it in…
- Butter (unsalted) melted with a couple of chopped up garlic cloves
- Mayonnaise. Simple huh?
- Stilton melted into double cream for a nice cheesy sauce.
But feel free to play around and have fun. The season for PSB is so short (mid February to mid April) it just has to be enjoyed as much as possible while you still can.
What are you waiting for?
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Tags: purple sprouting broccoli, purple sprouting brocolli, recipe, vegetables
Filed under: Fruit & Veg.
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I feel a Saturday trip to Borough Market coming on. The PSB is not the only veg I’m thinking about buying right now. The rhubarb is starting to look better and I definitely want to capture some beetroot while it’s still around. While I’m there it will definitely be time for another purchase of ostrich burgers.
I saw these at M&S yesterday but i already bought leeks and spinach for a side dish for dinner last night.
Must get some while they’re in season.
prior to this i have no idea what PSB is… must go to M&S to check it out… (hi scott *wave wave*)
Trig: Rhubarb is looking just gorgeous, you’re right. It’s deserving of similar minimalist treatment – dipping into a jar of sugar
Mae: Nothing wrong with leeks and spinach. I’m a spinach lover, myself.
Lil: Much like broccoli only much, much better…(hi Lil!)
I love PSB (but wouldn’t want to get it confused with the band of the same initials) and find it is best served, steam with some hot butter and mashed potato. Lucky for me, my grandparents grow it so I get a glut of it each year!
Freya: That reminds me of something actually…A perfect dip for this is a creamed (i.e. puréed with a little cream) vegetable such as cauliflower…Yum yum!
Could I leave my “normal” broccoli, as-is, for it to sprout purple ?
So pretty!
I vote for the stilton sauce…yum.
tigerfish: Unfortunately not – PSB is a different variety altogether.
peabody: Me too! My fave, whether used as a dip or dribbled over a fillet steak….very versatile!
I have never seen these in any store. They look beautiful, I almost wouldn’t want to eat them.
Monika Korngut: Haha, that’d be the ultimate evolutionary mistake wouldn’t it? So beautiful no-one will grow or eat you. Oops!
I’ve not had it or even heard of it!
Anything with melted butter is good, though. I’ll look at the market tomorrow. Maybe it doesn’t grow here…
Oh my, that looks gorgeous. I’ll keep my eye out for sure. I also love your dipping ideas- with a veggie that gorgeous, simple is best. Yum.
Katie: Ah, they’re delicious. I’m not sure how well PSB grows in other climates, but I’m going to hazard a guess that anything similar to the UK should work.
bazu: Simple is always best when you want the flavours to stand out instead of mixing together. Why hide something this delicious….
How about tza-tziky (or how ever you wrote it…)? I mean greek sauce with yoghurt, garlick & cucumber. It’s great as a dip for vegetables as well as sauce for grilled meat
Voidan: Great idea – I’m dissapointed not to have thought of it. You’re right, it would make an excellent dip, and healthy too.
Excellent suggestions for eating a succulent and beautiful food! I love your photo, you really captured the intense purpleness.
Ari (Baking and Books): Ah, I’d love to take credit, but unfortunately on the rare occasion one of my photos turns out quite well, it’s more to do with the subject matter then any personal skill I may have. Oh well – I’ll keep trying!
Delicious photo! I love it!
Bea: Wow! If Bea says that one of my photos looks good, I must have done something right for once! Your photos are always so beautiful, whereas mine are very hit and miss. More miss, to be honest
how timely! I just made a quiche with smoked haddock and PSB tonight. Wonderful. Sad that it loses its colour when blanched. It tastes great all the same, though.
johanna: I love quiches! I can never master the art of pastry though. Far to precise!
A wonderful photo of a wonderful vegetable! I’ve been buying large quantities of psb each week at Bury St Edmunds market and eating it with everything. Yes, delicious steamed and eaten with butter or mayonnaise, but also good chopped up and thrown in with pasta towards the end of cooking before adding some tomato or carbonara sauce. The great thing about seasonal food is that just as you’re beginning to get a little fed up with it, it’s over for another year. Still, I’m looking forward to another couple of weeks of psb.
Nick: You’re absolutely right with the seasonality points. I indulge on rhubarb (for example) so much in season that I feel sick on it – but by the time it comes around again I swear it’s the best thing in the world. PSB is no exception!
Purple Sprouting Broccoli:Photo…
Purple Sprouting Broccoli is truly one of the Kings of vegetables, and when in season is worthy of being eaten all on its own as a main course – with nothing more complicated then some melted butter to dip it into….
I came across this article on topgrubs.com and I have to say I am very impressed with your blog! Lots of original content along with great pictures.
Can anyone please tell me where I can get the Purple Sprouting Broccoli from? I have checked my local markets and they seem to know nothing about this.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Zack,
Although your comment sounds like an ad for topgrubs.com, I’ve got no real problem with that…
PSB is very common in the UK at this time of year, but I’m unsure about it’s availability globally. There’s no reason why it couldn’t be grown from seed in any similar climate, though.
It IS the king of vegetables. So regal in purple.
Just needs an ermine jacket and it’s good to go.
I feel like it would be supurb over pasta sauted in butter, garlic and parm. yum.
vanessa: The pasta seems to be a recurring theme. Note to self: be more original.
I’ve never seen this here
You’re so lucky, Scott ! My my, they looked too preety for me to take a bite on 
MeltingWok: Surely that would be a massive evolutionary fault on behalf of PSB – so pretty you can’t perpetuate!