Eat your greens!

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

As a child I can distinctly remember the narrow extent of my vegetable consumption - it was exclusively limited to potato, peas (frozen, naturally) and sweetcorn (also frozen).  The mere thought of anything else containing chlorophyll inspired me with infant-like fear.  

It was not until I went to university that I began to garner a desire to broaden my leguminous horizons.  As I found myself fostering and nurturing my love for cooking I decided to at least try some new things to eat.  One by one I began striking each sprout, shoot and root off my list of contraband cuisine.

I pretty much eat every available vegetable these days - though I still harbour some malice towards Brussels sprouts, turnips (unless they are pickled) and parsnips.  I will eat the aforementioned vegetables, but not without some premeditated preparation (often called tomato ketchup).

I think it is time I also declared my absolute revulsion towards anything of a fungal nature.  I simply will not and can not eat mushrooms.  I hate them and avoid them at all costs. 


I made a sausage casserole last night.  Quite a simple one, using onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, chicken stock, paprika and cannelini beans.  The method for this little beauty you will find on an earlier post in the Spanish section.  

Sausage Casserole

I decided to serve it with some nice crusty bread, and some purple sprouting broccoli.   There is something infinitely ameliorating about any kind of casserole with crusty bread.


Broccoli is a very healthy vegetable, and I always feel especially good about myself after I have eaten it.  I do, however, hope that you only steam yours?  Did you know that after just 4 minutes of boiling a piece of broccoli you have already depleted 20-30% of the anti-cancer chemical diindolymethane?  You can also microwave or stir-fry it without the same deleterious effect that boiling has.  


I am of the opinion that all members of the brassica family need to be dressed in some way or other.  Broccoli is no exception to this rule and last night I happily dowsed it in a mustard-fueled vinaigrette.

Life, and cooking are tangibly inter-twined.  And as is often the case after cooking something comforting like this I need to vary the scene a little.  Tonight, I fear (for my girlfriend) that I need to create something fiery.  I feel a curry on the horizon...