This week shops in the UK are introducing a new variety of broccoli, Beneforte, which reduces the risk of prostrate cancer in men.

broccoli

It has long been known that glucoraphanin in broccoli lowers the rates of cancer. In 1983 a wild Italian broccoli variety was found to contain higher levels of glucoraphanin. The John Innes Centre in Norwich have bred this new variety, Beneforte, which contains two to three times the level of glucoraphanin than standard broccoli. 

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have worked with the Institute of Food Research to show that men who ate a broccoli-rich diet experienced changes in the activity of genes associated with tumour survival and growth.

Broccoli also lowers rates of heart disease and some other forms of cancer. It also boosts the body’s antioxidant enzyme levels.

Men who eat broccoli-rich diets have a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer – the most common non-skin cancer for males in western countries.

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• 1.5kg Brussels sprouts
• 250g vacuum-packed chestnuts
• 100g butter
• nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground pepper 

Method:

• trim the sprouts
• halve the chestnuts
• add the sprouts to a pan of boiling, salted water & cook for 7 minutes
• drain the sprouts
• melt the butter in a pan
• toss the chestnuts in the butter until they are warm, then add the drained sprouts
• sprinkle with fresh nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste
• stir the mixture so that the sprouts are well coated with butter
• serve in a warm dish

This recipe for sprouts with chestnuts will encourage everyone to eat their sprouts!

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Broccoli is Italian for little branches. 

• Calabrese is the type of broccoli which has  the little branches as one large head.

This is sold in the supermarkets as broccoli but is known as Calabrese to the seedsmen. 

calabrese

 Calabrese originally came from Calabria in Southern Italy.

• Sprouting broccoli has lots of shoots instead of one big flower. 

If you ask a seedsman for broccoli he will probably give you sprouting broccoli, which is sold in supermarkets as purple (or white) sprouting broccoli. 

spear sprouting broccoli

 Sprouting broccoli has a very short season in early spring.

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poor-cauliflower

The cauliflower is past its best, but one always hopes they will get a bit bigger!  The curd is a poor colour and the insects have had their fair share.  Perhaps the cauliflower season has not been too bad for them!

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sprouts in snow

To grow Brussels Sprouts:

• sow seed from the middle of April in a seedbed
• plant out the young plants six weeks later.  Some gardeners choose to buy young plants in from a garden centre rather than sow their own seed.

The Brussels Sprout plants prefer soil to be:

• dug in autumn
• firmed well down before the seedlings are transplanted
• fertile – compost or well rotted farm yard manure can be mixed in when dug in autumn
• not acid – add lime if necessary

Planting out seedlings:

• plant so lowest leaves are just above surface
• firm in well
• leave about 60-80cm (2-2.5ft) between plants
• water well after planting
• cover with protective netting against insects & birds

Looking after Brussel Sprouts:

• keep weeds down by hoeing regularly
• keep birds off

enviromesh-over-brassica

• watch out for cabbage whites and aphids

caterpillars-on-sprout

• stake the plants if they are blowing in the wind

staking-sprouts

Harvest Brussels Sprouts:

•  when the lowest buttons are the size of a walnut 

big-sprouts-below

• pick about a third of the sprouts at the base of the stem
• pick the next third in about 2 weeks time when they have grown

brussels-sprout-stalk

• the top third of the stem are picked last
• the sprout tops can be broken off & eaten as greens around Christmas time

sprout-top

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1. raising the young plants from seeds in a bed
2. transplanting the young plants, from their bed, out into their final growing position

Sometimes gardeners miss out the first stage and buy the young plants in.

Leafy brassicas include brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower & brocolli. Root brassicas, such as turnips and swedes, are not transplanted.  The seeds of root brassicas are usually sown on the site they will grow for their lifetime.

preparing-to-plant-seeds

• It is most important to prepare a seed bed to give the best growing conditions for the seeds. 
• Place markers in position at either end of the row, using a tape measure to give the correct row width.
• Gently firm the soil down.
• Use a walk-board, which is not resting on the soil, but supported at either end of the bed. Line the board up with the row markers.
• Draw a seeding groove with a spade. Use the walking board to produce a straight line, & work carefully to get the correct depth.

making-seed-row 

creating-seed-row 

Sowing Vegetable Seed

    * *only place a few seeds in the hand
    * *pinch a few seeds between finger and thumb and work them out
    * *try to get them dropping singly, not in a bunch
    * *take plenty of time, as it is worth the result
    * *make a mark in the row, before taking another pinch of seeds from the hand, as you loose sight of the last seed
    * *avoid sowing doubles

seed line 

*Cover the seed with fine soil. Then put a few small cobbly bits on top & gently firm in. These lumps help to keep the soil open and prevent capping

*Water  the vegetable seeds in.

 Planting brassica seeds carefully will allow them to develop into good, strong plants.

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Rachel Green says that cauliflower can be used in many ways:

• raw in salads
• cooked in curries
• cauliflower cheese
• deep fried

cauliflower-curd

The nutty flavoured white curd of cauliflower makes it an attractive addition to a plate, contrasting with  the green leaves, which are full of vitamins and minerals.

Cauliflower is a useful vegetable and it is interesting to hear that consumption has dropped.

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Kidney beans

• great source of protein, iron, and fibre – lowers cholesterol
• low in sugar and saturated fat
• low on the GI scale (glycemic index),  releasing energy slowly, helping to keep you fuller for longer.

ripe-bean-seeds

Broccoli

• High in antioxidants , & folic acid – prevents heart disease
• Very low on the GI scale
• Low in calories

broccoli-spear

Spinach

• Highly nutritious green vegetable
• One cup contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin K and A, and most of manganese and folate your body needs
• Low in calories
• Contains many flavonoids – prevent cancer
• Rich in magnesium – lowers blood pressure.

spinach-Dec12th

These 3 Super Veg can be sown now and will grow in the Garden over the summer.

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pigeon-on-sprouts

Pigeons have been eating the sprout leaves and making quite a mess of the plants.

pecked-leaves

We have been clearing away the winter vegetables, to make room for our new 2010 vegetables. 

clearing-sprout-patch

The brussel sprouts have been pulled up and will be left on the compost heap to rot.

binning-sprout-plants

In the Channel Islands the sprout stalks are dried and turned into walking sticks. 

An antique, 32 inch long, walking stick made from a sprout stalk was sold on ebay in March 2010 for £75.

Now the end of the sprout harvest has come, the Brussel sprout plants have been pulled up to make way for lettuce and radish.

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• just before the flower buds open 

purple-broccoli-spear

• about 10cm long

sprouting-broccoli-spear

• when young, so very tender & not stringy

early sprouting rudolph

• leaving some stem on the plant, so that the buds will produce more spears – cut & come again!

The central head on the sprouting broccoli plant will be larger than the side shoots, but not as big as the standard broccoli sold in the shops. This is actually calabrese – quite different from sprouting broccoli harvested in the early spring.

Cut the large central head  out before the flower buds open, when still tender. Cutting out the central head will encourage the side shoots to develop.

whitesprouting-brocoli

Pick sprouting broccoli every few days to make sure the shoots are young and tender.  It is often difficult to see the sprouts in amongst the leaves, particularly the purple sprouts, but white sprouting broccoli is easier to see and pick!

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