This recipe is a good one for transforming the humble broccoli into something a bit extra. Yes, I’ve used broccoli’s middle class cousin romanesco here, but this is only because I think they are one of the fittest looking vegetables out there. Broccoli works just as well. As for the miso, it sounds hard to get hold of and you may have to look a little harder, but many big supermarkets, health stores, and of course Asian supermarkets sell miso. Plus, it comes in a jar that lasts forever.
What's the A to V?
Broccoli is a great source of folate (vitamin B9) and the almost man choline, while aubergine contains vitamin B6 and the sesame seeds used as a garnish here are an excellent non-dairy source of calcium.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6):
2 aubergines, chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 large broccoli head, chopped into segments (use the stem too!)
2 tbsps sesame seed oil
1 dried chilli
2 tbsps of miso
1/2 the juice of a lime
1 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 tsp of honey
A 2cm chunk of peeled ginger, grated (optional)
A handful of coriander, chopped (optional)
A sprinkling of sesame seeds, to finish.
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Then in a small bowel make your miso sauce by stirring the miso, grated ginger, lime, honey and vinegar together with 1 tbsp of the oil. Miso has a fairly thick consistency, so adding a tablespoon of water helps mix everything together here. You’re aiming for a smooth sauce-like consistency.
Place your aubergine on a baking tray, and pour over almost all your sauce (keep a tbsp back). Mix together with a spoon or your hands, and then place the tray in the oven and roast for roughly 35-45 minutes on 190 degrees. The aubergine should be soft and starting to brown.
While the aubergine is in the oven, sautee your broccoli on the hob along with the remaining sesame seed oil, chilli, and oil. After about 5 minutes your broccoli should be seared and starting to soften. Place in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes to finish it off. I like it still a little al dente, but you may disagree in which case cook until soft.
Once both your components are done, place in a bowl (either in layers or mixed together), and sprinkle your sesame seeds and coriander together.
Serve either cold or hot.