XOXOX

broccoli / XO / Spring Onion

#Story
Time

We all need a little heat!

Broccoli gets a bad wrap - basic bitch veg. Despised by kids worldwide. I have had such a bad affiliation with the veg growing up, always seen it as a horrible wee tiny tree looking thing. …And the smell of boiling broccoli always gave me the boak! But then again, I never ate any vegetables growing up anyway. Broccoli especially put me right off.

Later on in life I had a massive appreciation for broccoli after someone done it on a barbecue. Game changer! A wee bit of a char on a piece of broccoli changes the complexity of the veg altogether. It gives it meaning! With this wee side we decided to pair it with a heavily indulgent XO sauce, ages to make but so worth it. Enjoy!

Cam x

Junk’s Jam:

Serves 2 - 4

Hey!

Sexy. Fresh. Full of Junk.

Equipment…

>Blender
>Dehydrator
>Kitchen Roll

The Recipe

Stage #1
>the PREP

Un Broccoli

1  Head of Broccoli

  • Cut your Broccoli into florets.

  • Bring a pan of salted water up to the boil. Blanch Broccoli for 2 minutes.

  • Refresh in Ice Water.

 
 

Semi-dried Tomato s

8 x Cherry Tomatoes

Salt & Black Pepper
Pomace Oil

  • Half the Tomatoes and place into a bowl - season with Salt and Pepper and drizzle with Oil to coat.

  • Place Tomatoes cut side up on a dehydrator and dehydrate at 60°c for 5 hours. Remove and tub.

 
 

Saucy Bitch

This makes a decent amount of XO Sauce. You’re more than welcome to halve this recipe but I would make the lot as it keeps for a good month or so in the fridge! 

65g Dried Shrimp
120g Shallots (Sliced)
100g Garlic (Sliced)
25g Birds Eye Chillis (Sliced)
35g Red Chilli (Sliced)
50g Ginger (Peeled & Sliced)
65g Chinese Sausage (Chopped)
30g Caster Sugar
50g Shrimp Water 
350ml Vegetable Oil

  • Get prepared for this recipe and don’t start until everything is sliced, chopped, separated and ready to go. 

  • Soak the Dried Shrimp in warm water and leave for a hour or so. Remove from the water and drain on kitchen paper  reserve a little of the water for later.

  • Heat your Oil in a pan to about 180°c.

  • Start with deep frying the Shallot, Garlic and Ginger. remove from the Oil and drain on Kitchen Paper. Repeat the with the Chillies and then again with the Chinese Sausage. Make sure the the Oil is back up to temperature and add in the Dried Shrimp, when golden remove and drain. Add in the Sugar and stir to dissolve, slowly add in the Shrimp Water and cook until the water has evaporated.  Leave to cool. 

  • Place the fried ingredients into a Blender and blitz on full speed, slowly add in the Oil until a thick liquid consistency - any excess Oil keep for cooking.

 
 

Garnish

10g Chives
3 Spring Onion
1 Red Chilli

  • Half the Spring Onions length ways and very finely chiffonade into long strips.

  • Place in a bowl with Ice Water and leave for 30 minutes - remove and dry.

  • Finely chop the Chives.

  • Slice the Chilli into rounds. 

Stage #2
>Cook it baby!

 

  • Place a pan on the highest heat with a glug of Rapeseed Oil.

  • Once super hot, add the Broccoli and get a good char, season with Salt, add in 20g of Salted Butter and a little Water. Add in Semi-dried Tomatoes. Finally add in the Saucy Bitch to taste and toss the pan until the Broccoli is all coated .

Stage #3
>Assemble