Hi there!

Last week we had our first BBQ of the year, definitely risky business in March. We invited some friends round for super Saturday (for those who are not into rugby super Saturday is the last day of the six nations where all three matches take place on the same day) and had some drinks, some laughs and best of all some BBQ! Cooking for friends and family is something I’ve always loved, even before I knew how to cook properly, and is probably the reason why I became a chef in the first place. For me, there’s something so satisfying about cooking for everyone, it’s a great feeling to see loved ones enjoying themselves and tucking into some good honest cooking!

So, I thought I would include an extra recipe this week. My go to whenever I BBQ - Chimichurri.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a South American sauce that can be used as a marinade, during cooking or as a table condiment. I always make the green version (chimichurri verde) as this sauce uses my three favourite ingredients, loads of herbs, garlic and chilli!

• 120g olive oil

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ½ shallot, finely chopped

• 100g parsley, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-2 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

• 2 sprigs oregano, finely chopped or ½ tsp dried

• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Your Chimichurri is ready to use straight away but for best results leave at room temperature for a couple of hours before use.

Broccoli

This week we have the scourge of kid’s dinner plates everywhere! Broccoli. Broccoli is part of the Brassica family, which is a family of vegetables that also includes kale, cauliflower, cabbages and Brussels sprouts. It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region and was first cultivated in Italy more than 2,000 years ago. The word "broccoli" comes from the Italian word "broccolo," which means "cabbage sprout."

Nowadays Broccoli is grown all over the world. Here are the three main types available

• Calabrese broccoli, often referred to simply as "broccoli", is named after Calabria in Italy. It is the broccoli you will see most often in supermarkets, it has a large green head on a single stalk.

• Sprouting broccoli (white or purple). This is the type of Broccoli I most often grow as it has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks therefore giving me a higher yield.

• Tenderstem broccoli. Tenderstem is not actually Broccoli in the true sense.  First produced in Japan in 1993, Tenderstem broccoli is a hybrid of Chinese kale and broccoli. This hybrid produces similar stalks to sprouting Broccoli but without the risk of woody stems.

Broccoli can be eaten cooked or raw. It is one of the healthiest foods available and is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C, K, and A and also folate and potassium, which support a healthy immune system, strong bones, and cardiovascular health. Additionally, broccoli is high in antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids which protect the body against free radical damage and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

There are many varieties of sprouting broccoli, some early types are fast-growing and can be planted in the spring and harvested in the autumn, however, I grow the slow-growing variety as the plant will survive adverse weather and very low temperatures to produce a harvest the following spring when there is not much else available.

From March you can start Broccoli off indoors or alternatively you can direct sow outside from the end of April onwards. To grow Broccoli, fill a small pot with compost and plant two seeds together about 2cm (½ inch) deep. The seeds should germinate within a couple of weeks. Once germinated thin out the seedlings removing the smaller of the two so you have one seedling per pot. Keep well watered and in a sunny spot. Once the seedlings are 15cm (6 inch) tall with well established roots transfer them to their final growing spot. From then on keep well watered and feed weekly with general-purpose plant food.

The best way to store Broccoli is to remove any plastic packaging and place in the coolest part of the fridge where it will keep for several days. If you are growing and have a glut either store in the fridge for several days or alternatively, you can blanche the stalks in boiling water for two minutes then plunge them into an ice bath to cool. Once cool tightly wrap the broccoli in paper or place it in a ziplock bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

BBQ Broccoli

I thought I’d share with you the super simple way I serve broccoli in a restaurant setting or on the BBQ (yes, back to the BBQ). I think the char really adds to the depth of flavour of Broccoli and is great as a centrepiece in a vegetarian dish, in a salad or as an accompaniment to your main meal.

Makes: 4 servings

Cook time: Minutes once blanched and cooled

Ingredients:

• 200g purple sprouting or Tenderstem Broccoli

• 2 tbsp oil

• Salt

Instructions:

Bring a large pan of salted water up to a rolling boil. Add broccoli to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the pan and place in an ice bath, if you don’t have ice just place the broccoli in a bowl and gently run cold water over them until cool. Blanching will help preserve the colour of your broccoli when you go to char it and also breaks down the indigestible plant cell wall allowing easier absorption of the broccoli nutrients. Once cool the broccoli can be stored in a container in the fridge for a couple of days. To char, place a cast iron skillet (or a frying pan) on a high heat and make sure it’s super hot ( at this point you may want to open a window as it can get quite smokey!). Add the broccoli, the salt and the oil to a bowl and toss together. Once the pan is super hot place the broccoli in the pan individually and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes, I know it’s tempting to touch or move the broccoli while in the pan but RESIST, do not move them until they are ready to be turned over! Once charred on one side turn over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken, sesame & broccoli noodles

This recipe is a great mid-week tea that my kids love (shocking I know!) and with a little bit of preparation can be a quick and easy one-pot wonder.

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced

• 3 tbsp oil

• 150g broccoli, evenly chopped

• ½ onion, finely sliced

• 150g dried egg noodles or 300g fresh egg noodles

• 1 tbsp light soya sauce

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2cm (½ inch) ginger, minced

• ½ chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• sesame seeds

Instructions

A little pre-prep first… Soak the noodles in a bowl of cold water for at least 2 hours before cooking. This will rehydrate the noodles, meaning no need to boil and they will have a firmer texture after cooking, if using fresh noodles skip this step. Combine the dark soya sauce, honey, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and chilli together in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or a large frying pan on a high heat. Once the oil is up to temperature add the chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Then add the broccoli and onion and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add your noodles and the sauce mixture and cook for a couple more minutes stirring occasionally. Once the chicken, broccoli and noodles are well coated in the sauce take off the heat and garnish with the sesame oil (I never cook with sesame oil as it has a much lower burning point than other oils) and a good pinch of sesame seeds, serve immediately. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend, please share The Cook’s Newsletter with family and friends. We’d also love to see your creations! Use #thecooksnewsletter on your socials.

The Cook’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a subscriber or premium Cook’s Newsletter member.

Happy cooking!

Chef Stu