Sausage With Chilli And Purple Sprouting Broccoli

I tried something today that was absolutely mind blowing.  A recipe where there are just two main ingredients, the rest spices but the taste sensation when they are all put together is simply mouthwatering.  I was dubious I have to admit, but I am so glad that my OCD doesn't let me skip recipes and I have to work my way through the entire book, because in all honesty, I probably would have just skipped past this at first glance.

I served it up with some deliciously smooth mash and a nice chunk of Irish Soda Bread which I had baked earlier in the day.

The recipe comes from Cooking For Real Life by Joanna Weinberg.

Sausage With Chilli And Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

scant teaspoon dried chilli flakes

3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, bashed

650g good-quality pork sausagemeat (or sausages, squeezed out of their skins)

600g purple sprouting broccoli, chopped a little

juice of 1 lemon

flaky salt

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chilli, garlic and fennel seeds until the garlic is golden and all is fragrant.

Crumble in the sausagemeat, turning it well in the mixture, and breaking it up to form mince.  Then leave it to cook so that the bottom becomes golden and well coloured.  Turn the meat and break it up again and cook on the other side until well coloured.

Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli for 1 minute in boiling, salted water, then drain.  When, and only when, the meat is well coloured, add the broccoli, turning it well to coat in the oil.  Add the lemon juice, partly cover and leave to cook for 5 minutes, stirring and turning from time to time.  The broccoli will still be fairly crunchy but this adds to its appeal.

Stir again to check everything is evenly cooked, scrunch over salt, then divide between plates and eat immediately, with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche and plenty of good bread.

Enjoy x