Tenderstem Broccoli Recipes
Asian sticky salmon with Tenderstem two ways (pictured above)
The gentle Asian flavours in this dish can be adapted for spice lovers and those who prefer their Tenderstem with less kick.Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
You'll need:
4tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp brown sugar
4tbsp mirin (optional but nice)
4 salmon fillets
a pack of Tenderstem plus a handful of each of your choice of other steamable vegetables depending on what your family likes e.g. baton carrots, baby corn, fine green beans, pak choi
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced into rings
a handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
1 tsp olive oil
juice of a lime
brown rice or noodles to serve
What to do
Mix the soy, sugar and mirin in a shallow dish. Add the salmon and marinade for 10 minutes to an hour. You can prep everything else while this is happening.
Now you're going to do three things at once, but it's not that hard really.
Put a steamer over a pan of simmering water and heat a frying pan and a wok on a medium heat. Put the Tenderstem and vegetables in the steamer and at the same time gently cook the ginger, garlic and half the chilli in a little oil in the wok and put the salmon, skin side up in the other pan. Don't throw the marinade away.
After two minutes, turn the salmon over and take as many of the vegetables out of the steamer as you need to feed grown ups and more adventurous eaters and add them to the pan with the garlic, ginger and chilli. Give it a good stir, season to your taste, put a lid on and leave on a low heat for another two minutes after which the salmon will be ready and the plain vegetables cooked. Put the salmon onto warm plates and pour the marinade into the pan to heat through while you are dividing out the spicy, seasoned vegetables and the plain steamed ones.
Add the lime juice to the sauce, stir and pour over the salmon.
Serve this with plain, brown rice or noodles. Put the chopped coriander and a little dish of chopped chilli on the table to add as you wish.
Beef & Tenderstem fajitas
Do-it-yourself wraps that kids adore, this is a great recipe for relaxed weekend family feasting. Featuring a Mexican mildly spiced steak & Tenderstem stir fry filling, with salsa, guacamole & cheese to add to taste. If you are short of time, feel free to substitute ready made guacamole and salsa in place of the recipe, and up the quantities of spices for old kids and brave eaters!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
You'll need:
for the filling
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp paprika
a pinch or two of chilli powder, to taste (optional)
1 tsp caster sugar
2 rump steaks, about 500-600g total
300g Tenderstem, each stem cut into 3
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
for the guacamole
2 ripe avocados
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp sour cream
juice ½ lime
salt & freshly ground black pepper
for the salsa
150g cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small bunch coriander, leaves & fine stalks finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp caster sugar
to serve
a handful of grated cheddar cheese
2-3 tbsp sour cream
6-8 tortilla wraps, warmed in the microwave or oven
What to do
Mix the olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli and sugar in a small bowl. Use half to brush over both sides of the steaks. Add the Tenderstem, onion, red and yellow peppers to a mixing bowl and stir through the other half of the marinade. Set aside for 15 minutes whilst you make the guacamole and salsa.
Make the guacamole by slicing the avocados in half and removing the stone, scooping out the flesh and mashing with a fork in a small bowl. Stir through the garlic, sour cream and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Make the salsa by mixing the tomatoes, coriander, lime juice, chilli (if using) garlic and sugar.
When you are ready to eat, place a large frying pan over a high heat. When it is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and let it get hot for a few seconds before adding both steaks. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on how well done you like your steak. Set aside on a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Add the vegetables to the frying pan, season with a little salt and pepper to taste and stir fry over a high heat for around 5 minutes until they are cooked but still with plenty of bite. Turn off the heat.
Slice the steaks thinly across the grain and return to the pan, stirring briefly to mix together before tipping into a warmed serving dish. Serve the filling, salsa, guacamole, cheese and sour cream in separate bowls at the table for everyone to build their own wrap.
Cooks tip: You can replace the beef with pork tenderloin strips, or chicken breast strips - stir frying these first in the frying pan and making sure they are cooked all the way through before setting aside on a plate whilst you cook the vegetables
Chicken & Tenderstem tagine
The sweet and mild spicing of a Moroccan tagine is a really appealing way to introduce children to spices. Serve with fiery harissa on the side to spice things up a bit.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 1-1 ½ hours to cook
You'll need:
for the tagine
2 tbsp olive oil
800g chicken thighs, or a combination of thighs & drumsticks
2 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
salt & freshly ground black pepper
500ml chicken stock
1 tin chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 tsp runny honey
300g Tenderstem, each stem cut in half
to serve
harissa paste (optional)
generous handful coriander leaf, chopped
steamed couscous
What to do:
Add the oil to a flameproof casserole or large saucepan and set over a medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces on both sides until golden, doing this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once the chicken is all browned, return it all to the pan along with any juices.
Toss in the carrots, onions and garlic along with the cumin, cinnamon and ginger and fry for a further couple of minutes, stirring well to coat the meat with the spices. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over the stock and add the chickpeas and honey, stirring thoroughly and bring up to a steady simmer. Turn down the heat, cover with a lid and cook gently for around an hour to an hour and a quarter, or until the chicken is tender.
Once the chicken is cooked, stir through the Tenderstem, re-cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, or until the Tenderstem is just tender but with plenty of bite. Scatter over the coriander and serve with plenty of couscous to soak up the juice. Serve the harissa on the side as an optional extra to mix through.
One-pan bake with Italian style lemony pork meatballs, Tenderstem & roast squash
An easy one pan feast that's really economical but also smart enough for laid back Sunday lunches.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes to bake
You'll need:
for the meatballs
750g pork mince
100g fresh breadcrumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
zest of 1 large lemon
a pinch of dried thyme
a pinch of dried oregano
1 large egg
salt & freshly ground black pepper
for the bake
1 butternut squash (about a kilo)
1 bulb garlic, broken into cloves but left unpeeled
4 tbsp olive oil
500g cherry tomatoes
400g (or 2 packs) Tenderstem, each stem cut in half
to serve
juice of 1 lemon
a small bunch of flatleaf parsley, chopped
warm ciabatta bread
Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 6.
For the meatballs, mix the pork with the breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, lemon zest, herbs and egg. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roll the mixture into walnut sized balls, setting aside on a large plate as you go. Slightly damp hands will make this a less messy task, although if you have time, this is a job children love to get involved in. Just try to help them get all the meatballs similar in size so they cook evenly.
Cut the squash up into 3-4cm chunks, leaving the skin, and spread it out into a large roasting tray. Tuck in the cloves of garlic and drizzle over most of the oil, and season with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the hot oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, add the tomatoes and give them a good mix with the squash, then spread out the meatballs over the top. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Blanch the Tenderstem in boiling water for 2 minutes before draining well. Add to the roasting pan, stirring to mix and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with the parsley and parmesan (if using) before taking to the table in the tray. Serve with plenty of crusty ciabatta to mop up the juices.
Cooks tip: For a different flavour, why not swap the oregano and thyme for a pinch of smoked paprika, coriander and cinnamon in the meatballs?
Spanish baked paella with prawns, Tenderstem & peppers
Colourful, easy, and mildly spiced with saffron.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
You'll need:
a pinch of saffron threads
2 tbsp olive oil
200g cooking chorizo, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 red peppers chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250g white rice, ideally paella rice, or if not basmati is good
450ml chicken stock
salt & freshly ground black pepper
300g Tenderstem, each stem cut into 2
300g raw king prawns
a small bunch of flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
What to do:
Preheat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6. Sprinkle the saffron threads into a small heatproof glass or bowl and pour over 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Set aside to infuse.
Add the oil to a large heavy based heatproof casserole and set over a medium high heat. When it is hot, add the chorizo, onions and peppers and fry together for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until they are a little coloured at the edges.
Reduce the heat a little before stirring through the garlic and rice. Fry for a couple of minutes, making sure all the rice grains are well coated in the juices. Pour in the stock, and saffron, along with its soaking water, stirring well to mix. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover with a tight fitting lid or snuggly tucked piece of foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Blanch the Tenderstem in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well.
Remove the paella from the oven, stir through the Tenderstem and prawns and most of the parsley, recover and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, until the prawns are pink and cooked and the Tenderstem cooked but with a little bite. Serve immediately, with a little extra parsley scattered on top and lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Cooks tip: Replace the prawns with an equal quantity of leftover roast chicken for an easy Monday night supper
For more recipes visit: www.tenderstem.co.uk