Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Hadrian Cheese Flan

Mar 28 2008 By Mark Burnett, Wallington

Photograph courtesy of www.thinkvegetables.co.uk

MARK Burnett, catering manager at the Wallington estate in Northumberland, talks about purple sprouting broccoli in the latest In Season column in association with the National Trust, and devises a tempting Journal Taste North East England Campaign flan for readers to try.

This recipe supporting The Journal's buy local, use local, eat local campaign, will be available to eat at the tea room at Wallington between March 29 and April 11.
 
Did you know that the word 'broccoli' means little sprouts in Italian? This delicious and colourful vegetable is related to the cabbage and cauliflower and is thought to prevent cancer and may reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

It is an extremely flavoursome vegetable and is particularly delicious at this time of year. Purple sprouting broccoli is at its best between February and April.
 
As well as the recipe provided, Purple Sprouting Broccoli is extremely tasty on its own (dipped in butter), and is also great in soups and stir fries. Remember too that the leaves are edible so do not need to be removed.
 
Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Hadrian Cheese Flan

Ingredients
500ml cream
8 eggs
250g cooked sprouting broccoli
50g Hadrian cheese
100g plain flour
100g self-raising flour
50g vegetable shortening  
 
Method  
Rub together fats and flour. Bind with cold water. Line a flan tin with this pastry.  Mix cream and eggs together.  Place broccoli in flan dish.  Cover with cream and egg mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 180ºC, 350F, gas mark 4 or until golden and firm to the touch.