A recipe for broccoli with mint butter

For the last month, there have only been two things worth picking in the veg garden: the purple sprouting broccoli and the mint. Both are rampant. The mint is advancing on the broad bean bed, and there is so much broccoli that we’ve stopped protecting it from the pigeons as there’s plenty for all of us.

I thought I’d try combining the broccoli and the mint in a dish. First, I carried out several experiments with mint pesto which didn’t work at all; the mint’s flavour just didn’t transfer into the oil. There was also an attempt at a warm tabbouleh-style salad. Finally I hit on a far more obvious and easy way to bring the two ingredients together...

Purple sprouting broccoli and mint butter



Broccoli with mint butter (Serves 2)

10 spears of purple sprouting broccoli
30g unsalted butter, softened
1tbs mint, chopped
½ tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Two hours before you want to eat, cream the butter with the back of a spoon until it’s really soft. Add the chopped mint and mix until evenly distributed. I found a pallet knife worked best for this. Then mix the lemon juice in slowly.

Taste the mixture, then add a little salt, taste again, and add a little more salt or lemon juice until the flavours are well-balanced. Put the mixture in the fridge for two hours so the flavour of the mint can infuse.



10 minutes before you want to eat, start cooking the broccoli. Either boil it in a normal pan or, if you have one, steam it for two to five minutes in an asparagus steamer until the stalks and the flowers are done. We have one and it produced perfectly cooked broccoli.

Toss the broccoli in the mint butter and serve.

Purple sprouting broccoli ready to be steamed