Bring on the brassicas and get back to basics with brocolli

As the weather gets cooler and daylight savings comes to an end, I’ve noticed comfort food is creeping back onto our family menu. Being prepared for those winter days when bad weather keeps everyone inside and hungry is essential.

The key to any good comfort food, whether it be stew, pie or quiche, is in the brassica. So this month we’re going to get back to basics and plant broccoli, plus, we’ll give you a great self-crusting smoked chicken, kumara and brocolli quiche recipe – easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser with family and friends.

So let’s get started.

Pick up your Awapuni sprouting brocolli seedlings from Bunnings, the Warehouse or your local supermarket when you’re next out. Alternatively, you can order your seedlings from www.awapuni.co.nz and have them delivered directly to your door.

First of all, brocolli likes to be planted in a new area of the garden each year. So remember to rotate your crops for optimum growth and quality.

At this time of year, soil preparation is key. Once you’ve chosen the perfect spot in your garden, add some compost and lime to the soil and mix well. This will ensure your soil is in top condition for the cooler months ahead and will help prevent club root.

And, if you want to give your brocolli a really good head start, add a general fertiliser, such as nitrophoska blue, to the soil prior to planting. This will encourage growth and ensure abundant brocolli come harvest.

Once you’ve prepared the soil, dig a hole (approximately 3cms deep), place your seedling inside and cover the roots with soil. Space each seedling 35 to 50cms apart. This will ensure room for the brocolli seedling to expand and grow.

As brocolli can take a long time to mature, during the earlier weeks you can plant other seedlings that mature quickly in the spaces between each brocolli seedling. This is known as companion planting. Beetroot, pak choi and spring onions are all narrow in size and mature within eight-to-10 weeks, making them the perfect companion for brocolli.

Also, don’t forget to add slug and snail bait to the soil surrounding your seedlings. You can buy this at any garden centre store and it’s a great way to keep creepy crawlies from eating your brocolli before you do.

For a more organic option, why not try sprinkling egg shells around the garden. Slugs and snails have to avoid sharp surfaces as they can pierce their flesh.

Depending on the weather conditions in your area, your brocolli should be ready for harvest in two to three months. Brocolli needs to be harvested before it flowers, as once the brocolli flowers, the plant will die.

Use a knife to diagonally cut off the heads of brocolli you have selected. Harvesting your brocolli this way encourages new heads to grow and will also ensure a long cropping season.

Handy hint: If I’ve harvested too much broccoli, I simply chuck the excess in the freezer. Brocolli can be kept in the freezer for two-to-three months, so don’t worry if you harvest a tad more than you need at the time.

Alternatively why not use your excess broccoli to make our self-crusting smoked chicken, kumara and brocolli quiche, great for dinner with leftovers for lunch.

Microwave one large kumara on high for around five minutes, and leave to cool. Chop up one large onion and two cloves of garlic, and toss in a non-stick frying pan with two teaspoons of oil.

Cover and cook the onion and garlic on a moderate heat, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until the onion is transparent. Remove the lid and cook for a further two minutes to brown.

Cut up 200g of brocolli into small, bite sized pieces. Place in boiling water for five-to-10 minutes or until tender. Be careful not to overcook. Drain, and rinse under a cool tap.

Remove the skin off the smoked chicken and tear approximately 300g into bite sized strips.

Peel the skin off the kumara and chop into oval discs or small cubes. Gently mix the smoked chicken, brocolli, kumara, onion and garlic together in a bowl.

Coat a pie dish or cake tin with non-stick spray, canola is good, and gently spoon in the chicken and vege mix. Be careful not to pat it down to hard and squash the cooked veges.

Mix three eggs together with one cup of milk, then mix in half a cup of self raising flour. Pour the mixture over the veges and chicken, gently shaking the pan to ensure all spaces are filled. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and set in the centre.

Serve warm with a side of homemade chips and/or salad.

Visit www.awapuni.co.nz for more of Tod’s great tips