Veg Of The Month

The Veg of the Month this time has to go to the Broccoli. It is the ultimate winter crop and always goes down well at meal times. Well at least in does in the McGregor household. What is even better is the fact that broccoli is go good for you, but keep that quiet the kids don’t know that just yet. Broccoli contains Vitamins C, K and A and generates roughly 10% of your daily protein and calcium.

How to grow Broccoli

1. Plant approximately 65-75cm apart

2. Burying any stretched stems and gently firming the soil around the roots well with your fingers.

3. Water well and continue to maintain watering in dry spells.

4. Stake each plant

5. On exposed sites, broccoli is likely to become top heavy, so stake each plant with a strong cane if necessary and earth up around the base. Remember to firm with the heel to prevent root damage that can be caused by wind rock.

6. Remove weeds as they appear with hand trowel.

7. This prevents weeds competing with the broccoli plants, which can also cause diseases and encourage pests. Pests will become less of a problem once the plant is established in your plot.

Top tips

A must try recipe

If you are a fan of French cuisine, then you will love this Broccoli Quiche. It takes 40 minutes to cook, but is well worth the wait. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 round unsweetened pie crust                                                  2 cups small broccoli florets

1 onion, peeled and chopped                                                     1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup shredded cheese                                                              4 eggs

11/2 cups crème fraîche                                                             pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper

Method:

1. I have always preferred to cheat when it comes to pastry and crusts. So if you like the pre-made pastry crusts, place in a tart pan and prick the base about 20 times with a fork.  Otherwise make your own pastry using this pastry recipe from Delia.

2. Place the crust in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6).

3. Remove the crust from the freezer and place in the oven for about 12 minutes. Cool for a further 10 minutes and turn down the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5).

4. Steam the broccoli in the microwave (helps lock in the flavour) for about 3 minutes

5. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Cook until soft.

6. Evenly spread the broccoli and onions on the crust and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

7. In a bowl whisk the rest of the ingredients together until blended and pour over the vegetables in the crust.

8. Oven bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy,

Mr McGregor