A friend told me recently, that in tough times make sure you have Brussels Sprouts. They will survive at the bottom of your fridge through everything.
Here’s how you cook them
To save on the typing, from now on I’m going to call Brussels Sprouts, BS.
I like to peel off any leaves for the outside that are past their best.
You can either cut a cross in the bottom of each BS or cut each BS in half vertically.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Blanc your BS in the boiling water for 2 minutes. I do less time, not more, as I like my BS still crispy. Not grey and soggy.
Dice a couple of strips of bacon and one onion.
Heat a frying pan. Add a spoonful of butter. Melt.
Add the bacon and onion to the frypan. Fry off until the bacon is crisp, and the onion cooked.
Throw in the BS. Fry off until they start to brown.
To finish the BS off, pour in ½ cup of white wine. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and the chef’s secret ingredient, sugar.
On this day, I’ve served mine with a rack of Wattlebank park farm lamb
Stay safe and keep cooking!
Over the last few months, I have spent many hours in the kitchen garden weeding, planting and mulching. The one thing is though, the weeds never seem to go away. So, I have come up with a way to deal with them – Eat them!
There is always an assortment of greens growing wild in my kitchen garden – kale, nasturtiums, rocket and this year self-seeded red leaf lettuce has lined the patch around the citrus tree all by itself. I am always cooking blanched and braised green. I do love mine braised with white wine, seasoned with a little salt and pepper and finished with some cream.
I'm going to get back out in the garden and see what weediness I can find.
Braised Warrigal greens with Oyster Sauce
Warrigal greens (Tetragonia Tetragonioides) is a native ground cover found in Australia, New Zealand, and eastern Asia. A little while ago, I visited an urban farm in Melbourne, their nursery was selling very small plants for $20.00 each. Mine just grows wild from a cutting someone gave me and has a spread of about two square metres.
We pick this leafy green in my harvest lunches and serve alongside beef dishes. It turns out I like it boiled and dressed with oyster sauce - just like you would find greens served at the local Chinese restaurant.
To cook your Warrigal greens
- Pick as many as you would like to serve. Warrigal greens will not shrink down like spinach so only take what you will need.
- Pluck leaves away from stems and wash very well.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add Warrigal Green and boil for two minutes. Drain.
- Place in serving dish and drizzle over the oyster sauce.
