By Lyn Funnell
I must admit that the British aren’t the greatest veg cooks, although we grow a large selection of really flavoursome vegetables.
Our generation was raised on over-boiled, tasteless vegetables, served with a few slices of meat and covered with gravy.
Post-war wives cooked what their mothers had cooked during the war, usually with no variations or imagination at all.
Even now, to a lot of the older generation ‘Size does matter.’ As long as the plate is piled high with soggy veg or frozen chips, they think they’re getting Value For Money.
But people are beginning to rebel as they travel abroad or visit restaurants and discover how versatile the humble vegetable can be. And vegetarians & vegans expect a variety to their diet.
So all you Sprout Haters, do try this dish and enjoy the sweet baby cabbages cooked like this!
Ingredients.
To serve 4 as a side dish or 2/3 as a meal. You really don’t need to worry about exact measurements. Rely on your tastebuds.
2ozs melted butter or marge, or oil
1 onion, chopped
250g/1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, chopped.
This might not seem like a lot, but it does when they’re chopped.
Seasoning
For the white sauce;
2 ozs melted butter or marge
1 heaped tblsp flour
½ pt milk + extra to thin the sauce down.
3ozs Duddleswell cheese
2ozs Brighton Blue cheese
You can use any cheese you like, but don’t use strong cheese that overpowers the dish.
Seasoning
For the crumble
3 slices of fresh bread, blitzed to crumbs
2 ozs Duddleswell cheese, added to the crumbs & blitzed
Melt the butter. Gently cook the onion for a couple of minutes.
Add the sprouts. Mix & heat through.
Tip into a baking dish. Season.
Make Lyn’s All-in-One White Sauce.
Melt the butter. Add the flour & milk & stir until smooth & thickening.
Add the cheeses. Taste. Add more cheese if you like.
Add seasoning.
If the sauce gets very thick, add more milk or milk & cream, to thin down to a thick pouring consistency.
Pour on top of the sprouts & mix well.
Top with the crumble mix.
Bake in the oven at approx. 180 for 20-30 minutes until crispy & golden.
Serve on its own or as a side dish with a main meal.
NB You don’t have to tell anyone the recipe until they’ve tried it & said how tasty it is!