Purple sprouting?

Alfietinker

We picked our first crop last week, not having had it before and I found it had a slightly stronger taste. I must admit I wouldn't pay the prices I've seen it for sale for though.

WestonDave

Good fresh purple sprouting has a sweetness and flavour to it that is never matched in normal stuff, but it is one of the more sensitive to storage after cutting and loses its extra taste very quickly. If you can grow your own or get it from a local farmers market or market gardener then give it a try - personally the supermarket stuff is risky unless its sell by date is a long time off and you can eat it that day.

rosieben

Love it, almost as good as asparagus. Get it from a farm shop if you can - my local Morrisons were selling it about 3 weeks ago and it was from North Africa!! Its in season now though - its a fairly short season - so you can buy British!

Little_miss_neat

I love it - it's my fave vegetable!! I get so excited when it's in season and it's great to eat something British. Kids won't touch it though and stick with the normal broccoli - all the more for me!

malamala

I love these purple sprouting broccoli too! I love eating the stems (even normal broccolli) as I found them sweeter and more favourable than the leaves.

katieowl_2

Me too...I love it! Ours will be ready very soooooon. I can happily eat it for weeks - never tire of it. Like the Olive Oil, Anchovy, Garlic and chilli dressing for it too. Yum.

NekoZombie

Hiya

Purple sprouting is what broccoli looked liked before it was cultivated for mass market. IMHO they pretty much taste similar, but purple sprouting is obviously seasonal and prettier. I'd recommend when you're cooking it that you bring a pan of salted water to the boil and then add the purple sprouting to the boiling water. It won't take longer than a minute to cook, and you can then toss it in some butter or olive oil.

pollys

We've just had this for tea from the farm shop, we steam it, it doesn't take too long, the children like it just plain but I like it with a cheese sauce.

Sharra

We are growing this in the garden (we got the plants from freecycle) - I just wanted to check that you do eat the whole thing, leaves n all, not just the sprouting bits?

Gingham_Ribbon

I wonder how much the price difference is narrowed when taking into account that you eat the whole of the purple stuff? Unless you're really good with using up the rest of the broccoli, I'd imagine weight for weight, by the time you've cut off the main stalk and leaves there might not be as much in it?