New Discovery: Flower Sprouts

Reported as the first new vegetable in just under 10 years! The flower sprout, is a cross between Brussels sprouts and curly kale. Both kale and sprouts are classed as superfoods because they are good sources of dietary fibre, B vitamins and iron, as well as being high in folate, which is good for pregnant women. The flower sprout tastes similar to sprouts and is said to be best eaten steamed or stir fried.

This particularly interesting discovery is sold at Marks & Spencers, in the UK. Worth a look, perhaps just a novelty but remember in 2002 tenderstem broccoli hit the shelves in the UK and now in 2011 it can be found in almost every retailer.

Black Garlic

Yes, Black Garlic - it's not burnt... it's fermented. As versatile as its regular counterpart, it is known for its use in Asian food, but its rich molasses-like flavour, adds a depth of flavour and balsamic-like sweetness to dishes. Garlic is by far one of the most widely used ingredients in every cuisine around the world and with the prominence of black garlic slowly increasing perhaps we can expect to see it used more commonly.

Black Garlic has the benefits of:

· having twice the amount of anti-oxidants of its regular counterpart
· leaving no smell or bad breath – even when eaten straight from the bulb
· having a much longer shelf life
· being low in fat
· being rich in natural sugars and amino acids, making it a flavoursome cooking ingredient

If you spot it, why not pick up a pack and experiment using it in place of regular garlic.

Unsung Hero of the Vegetable World

Samphire

It's Spring, and that mean's samphire! Other names include sea beans, sea asparagus and even sea pickle. This delicious and slightly odd looking vegetable is an absolutely must. Often naturally occuring instead of farmed, this wonderful commodity grows abundantly on shorelines, in marshy shallows and on salty mudflats. It has a crisp texture and tastes of the sea.
Perfect with firm, meaty white fish such as halbut. Simply blanch the samphire in boiling water, drain, toss with a knob of good quality butter and lightly season. Nothing could be more perfect.