IN SEASON


Riverford’s Guy Singh-Watson grows an abundance of seasonal organic UK veg, and there is plenty to harvest at this time of year – including succulent sprouts. Sprouts are the most bitter of the edible brassicas (cabbage, caulifl ower, swede and broccoli); but bitter can be good provided it is not combined with the abuse of overcooking. It is the harnessing of this bitterness that gets sprouts singing through a dish: contrast it with the sweetness of chestnuts; pair it with the acidity of balsamic vinegar, the richness of honey and the toasty crunch of pine nuts; or balance it with cream and bacon in an oozy gratin.


S Brussels Sprouts


prouts are usually at their best from November to January and we concentrate our harvest then. Growing a cosmetically


perfect organic sprout is nigh on impossible – even aſt er being picked through by hand, our sprouts are never perfect, but the slower growth does make them taste better! Don’t be put off by a few tatty outer leaves: it’s pretty hard to avoid these without a barrage of fungicides and pesticides; peel them off and you’ll fi nd that the sprout within is just fi ne.”


STORAGE Sprouts on the stalk will keep


somewhere cool for a couple of weeks. Off the stalk, they are still good for a week or so.


PREP Remove any ragged or tough outer leaves. Trim the base if long or discoloured. Unless they are huge, there’s no need to score a cross in them to speed up cooking – it may make them a little mushy.


COOKING Sprouts are surprisingly versatile and apart from steaming or frying, they can be fried, roasted and even eaten raw. Try this recipe to discover a new dimension to this seasonal star.


26 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER


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