Tenderstem Broccoli with Wild Garlic, ‘Steak’ & Smoky Tahini Sauce

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Tender-stem Broccoli, Wild Garlic, Portobello Mushrooms with Smoky Tahini Sauce

A dish so good, we had to make two versions!

Tender-stem Broccoli, Wild Garlic & Rib-eye with Smoky Tahini Sauce

Do you ever dread cooking, especially after a long day of chores or work? Sometimes the lack of inspiration is just so unbearable that you order a takeaway (take-out) that sometimes leaves you even more dissatisfied than ever. Dissatisfied because what you really wanted was a home-cooked meal. This is me quite often and just a few days ago!

Falling out of love with cooking!

One would think because I work in the food industry, I must eat all the time. Truthfully, I don’t eat enough, despite constantly being surrounded by food. The problem is, like many of us, I spend a lot of time working and sometimes putting the act of nourishing myself on the back burner. I have also most recently recovered from a troubling period, scary, especially for a food writer. After almost 2 years of writing my book and after testing over 100 recipes, I could not believe I fell out of love with cooking. I was exhausted and wanted nothing but to be fed or to order a takeaway.

Now I am happy to report that I have got my groove back, enjoying glorious produce, dreaming up recipes, cooking more and more and sharing these recipes with you. Above all, from the best restaurants to my favourite fish and chips, I really do prefer a home-cooked meal, and for that to happen easily I believe stocking up on seasonal, essential and your favourite vegetables and fruits, store cupboards ingredients and more is paramount.

On that ravenous day, I had no idea what I would cook until I peeked into my veg basket and rummaged through the fridge. I found 50g of the most fashionable herb of the season - wild garlic, after using the other half for a wild garlic butter recipe which I need to give you asap! We are a little deep into the season but better ‘almost’ late than never. The smoky tahini sauce coats the broccoli, shallots, sweet peppers and meaty steaks beautiful with the hot paprika bringing those nutty flavours alive. I was lucky to have been well-stocked, enough to cook this wholesome and vibrant dinner in just under 10 minutes! I was starving, I tell ya! The next day I quickly asked Bella, the vegan in the family, to knock up a similar version with the mighty portobello for our readers, many of whom I know will prefer a plant-based version. She delivered impeccably, testing it to provide you with the best tips for cooking the mushrooms. Just look at those mushrooms! You could also mix both recipes together. Which will you go for?

This recipe celebrates much of what’s in season in the U.K. as it’s springtime here. While I am constantly dreaming of the next place to escape to, this is a great time to enjoy wonderful spring produce and to really soak up that spring freshness and Seabreeze especially since we live on the coast. Wherever you are in the world I hope these recipes inspire you to enjoy the best of the season, with your store cupboard & fridge favourites.

With these new recipes, and with much more to come, I hope you fall in love with cooking again and again…

Lerato x

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Tenderstem Broccoli with Wild Garlic, ‘Steak’ & Smoky Tahini Sauce

Enjoy your choice of two 10 minute flavour-packed dishes with seasonal greens, spring’s most coveted wild garlic, and a sumptuous ‘steak’ with the most delightful smoky tahini sauce. Recipes we thoroughly enjoyed with maximum flavour and minimal fuss. Feel free to scale up the steak(s) or entire dish as you wish.

Feeds 2 or 1 greedy gob

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g Rib eye steak or 300g Portobello Mushrooms, about 3 - 4 pieces (see chef’s tip)

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil + 1 tbsp butter, melted

• 4 shallots, chopped

• 1 Romano pepper, sliced

• 200g tenderstem broccoli

• 2 tsp hot paprika (or 1 tsp paprika + 1 tsp chilli)

• 200ml vegetable stock (I use bouillon granules)

• 50g wild garlic, washed and patted dry

• 1 heaped tbsp tahini (remember to shake stir the jar properly for consistent texture) Sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Wild garlic flowers, plucked from leaves (see video)

You will need

A griddle pan, skillet or frying pan

Let’s get cooking!

1. Add the oil and butter mix (reserving 1 tbsp for the steak) to a sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shallots and red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and add the broccoli. Season with sea salt, add only 1 tsp of the hot paprika and stir fry for a minute. Add a splash (about 50-60ml) of the stock to the pan and as it sizzles, cover to cook for 2 minutes, trapping in moisture to soften the greens without overcooking.

2. Chop the wild garlic, as finely or coarsely as you wish and stir into the pan for less than 15 seconds to release those wonderful garlicky flavours without overcooking. Transfer your vibrant delight to a wide plate.

3. Using the same pan and with leftover residue from the veggies and wild garlic, pour in the remaining stock (about 140-150ml) and place over medium heat. Add the tahini and the remaining 1 tsp of hot paprika. Stir to combine and simmer for a minute or two until slightly thickened. Season to perfection with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. For the rib-eye steak: Season on both sides with salt and set aside. Heat the pan until searing hot. Brush the steak generously with the oil & butter mix and place on the hot griddle pan. Cook to your liking. (See chef’s tips below) Transfer the steak to a chopping board and leave it to rest.

 5. For the mushroom ‘steaks’: Brush with the oil and vegan butter mix and place the mushrooms stem side down on the griddle or frying pan. Cook for 2 minutes before turning over to cook for another 2 minutes.

6. Portobellos can be quite thick, so transfer the mushrooms from the pan to a chopping board and slice them to 1-2cm thickness before popping them back in the pan to quickly cook on each side for about 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and allow to rest before serving over the vegetables.

7. Slice the rib-eye steak and serve over the vegetables. Spoon the sauce all over or pour it into a jug to serve alongside your feast. Finally, scatter over the white wild garlic flowers if you got any in your bunch. They are rather lovely and deliver a fresh burst of garlic freshness to the finished dish.

Cook’s tip: For the mushrooms, ever so slightly trim the stalk without removing. These are lovely and meaty and you do pay for them especially if bought by weight,  so why waste them?

Do not add salt to the mushrooms until after cooking otherwise they will release extra moisture and become soggy. Leave whole if grilling on a griddle pan to get as much surface contact as possible or fry in a skillet or frying pan. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your mushrooms. Don’t forget to season the mushrooms after grilling and while still hot.

Wild garlic season is quite short, so substitute if you must with a few cloves of garlic and fresh herbs such as parsley.

Cooking steak: Make sure the steak is at room temperature to ensure even cooking. So, bring it out of the fridge 30 - 40 minutes before cooking.

If you have enjoyed this newsletter it would mean the world to me if you share it with those who will enjoy it too. If you try the recipe, don’t forget to tag #cookwithlerato & @leratofoods on Instagram, as I love to see your creations.

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