Purple Sprouting Broccoli dip/spread...

We have finally found the right time of year to sow seeds for broccoli, purple sprouting in this case - late summer and no earlier! It gets too hot here from spring onwards and the plants always seemed to bolt or just not fair very well at other times of the year, but this year we have a veritable bonanza of the gorgeous purple tops and the sheep and cows are loving the leaf as a change from soggy grass.

Our winter harvest has been fantastic and we have been trying to find a variety of ways to have PSB in our meals. I have made quiches, muffins, sautéed and steamed but today I tried something a little different, I made a spread/dip/hummus out of the tops by throwing in anything we had to hand really and I must say it's blimmin' delicious!

So I used a good bunch of PSB tops - enough to feed a family of 4, I steamed them until tender then put them in a processor and blitzed them with a clove of garlic, a handful of toasted nuts (pinenuts and non salted cashews are what I had in the house but I am sure walnuts would be fabulous), 2 Tbsp of olive oil (more to taste), 2 Tbsp jumbo rolled oats, juice of one lemon - you could add toasted cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, tahini, anything that takes your fancy really.

Gorgeous on freshly made bread from the oven.....