Due to the hot weather, broccoli farmers in Scotland this year have experienced a glut, which no one wants to eat. My father was a farmer and was amongst the first farmers to try growing this strange new crop – then called Calabrese. I remember one summer being fed Calabrese almost every day as it was slow to sell in the shops and we didn’t want it to go to waste. Here is one of the recipes I remember my Mother making – I think it came originally from a cookery demonstration at The Highland Show.
Serves 4
1 head of broccoli – about 300g
A good handful pumpkin seeds – about 60g
A good handful sunflower seeds – about 60g
1/2 small red onion or 2 spring onions very thinly sliced
Dressing
50ml salad oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
good pinch of mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut the florettes off the broccoli stalk, so that they are in pieces of about 1cm square. Use the stalk as well, cutting it into dice.
- Toast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a dry pan until golden brown.
- Mix the onion with the broccoli and seeds, pour over the dressing.
- Allow to stand for about 30 min to let the flavours mingle.
