Anna Shepherd's Holiday Broccoli

Anna Shepherd is a friend of mine and the Yoga Brunch Club and she is about to release her first book Love Vegetables, which is overflowing with recipes that champion veg. We are lucky enough to have a sneak peek into some of the really amazing recipes that Anna has created, with this amazing Holiday Broccoli, where you marinate the broccoli and then grill for a delicious charred taste.

You can pre-order Love Vegetables now.

Photography Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton

“This smoky broccoli is inspired by a dish I ate at The Pot Luck Club in Cape Town. I think the broccoli must have been cooked over a wood fire, and it was the best thing I’d eaten all holiday. Marinating the broccoli in yoghurt tenderises it before cooking, and tempers its bitter sulfurous character, too. I serve rice noodles alongside to make a complete meal.” Anna Shepherd

TIMINGS: 45 MINUTES

SERVES 4

For the broccoli

100g (3½oz/scant ½ cup) Greek yoghurt

1 garlic clove

1 tsp curry powder

500g (1lb 2oz) broccoli

Salt

For the spicy peanut sauce

2 banana shallots, roughly chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

4cm (1½in) piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves

6 lime leaves

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp medium curry powder

1 tbsp soy sauce

5 tbsp smooth peanut butter

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp honey

Juice of 1 lime

For the noodles

200g (7oz) rice noodles

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp black sesame seeds

To serve

Toasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

Mix the yoghurt, garlic and curry powder together in a large mixing bowl, then season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cut the broccoli into generous bite-sized florets. Peel the stalk, then cut it into rough 2cm (¾in) cubes. Transfer the broccoli to the bowl with the yoghurt mixture and toss to combine. The broccoli can be marinated up to 6 hours in advance, or at least while you get on with the rest.

Blitz the shallots, chillies, ginger, garlic and lime leaves together with a pinch of salt in a food processor until a paste forms. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over a medium–low heat and scrape the chilli and shallot mixture into the pan. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes, until the mixture seems to firm up, having lost some of its liquid, and is intensely fragrant. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, adding 100ml (3½oz/scant ½ cup) of warm water to loosen the mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Spread the broccoli out on a large roasting tray in an even layer. Cook under the grill for 10–12 minutes, removing the tray every couple of minutes to turn the broccoli so that it cooks evenly. Remove from the grill when the broccoli is tender and charred in places.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain, and while still warm transfer to a mixing bowl and toss in the sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds to coat.

To serve, divide the noodles between warm bowls and top with broccoli. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of sauce over the top and sprinkle with toasted peanuts and coriander. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

You’ll end up with more peanut sauce than you need, and although I could eat it by the spoonful, it’s better deployed to liven up dishes down the line (it will keep covered in the fridge for up to a month). Try it drizzled over grilled chicken, tossed through a rice salad with fresh herbs and spring onions (scallions), or alongside steamed greens.

Love Vegetables by Anna Shepherd, £20 White Lion Publishing, available to pre-order now.