The first broccoli of the year, comes into season late February / early March. This purple sprouting broccoli is rich in goodness and extremely tasty too...

• Broccoli and goats cheese tart
• Cheese crumb broccoli

Purple sprouting broccoli & goats cheese tart

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry.
• 2 goats cheeses.
• 150ml (1/4 pint) double cream.
• 150ml / (1/4 pint) milk.
• 2 eggs.
• 250g (9oz) purple sprouting broccoli.
• Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste.

Method:

• Roll out the pastry and line a 20cm/8in flan ring. Bake blind in a medium hot oven.
• Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender. Refresh in iced water.
• Trim the stalks and some of the outside leaves from the broccoli, and then liquidize in a blender with the milk, cream and eggs.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Cut the goats' cheese into cubes and place into the pastry case, along with the purple broccoli.
• Pour over the egg mixture, and bake the tart in a medium oven for about 25 minutes, or until the tart has set.
• Serve warm with some salad leaves and crusty bread.

Cheese Crumb Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Broccoli, cut into small pieces, stalks peeled and thinly sliced.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter.
• 1 slice wholewheat bread, ground in a food processor.
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves.
• 2 oz grated hard cheese.
• Freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

• Cook the broccoli in lightly salted boiling water until crisp-tender, approx. 2 to 4 minutes, then drain.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and thyme, toast until golden, and then remove from heat.
• Add the cheese, broccoli, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss.
• Serve!