Wednesday 12th May 2010
We followed the progress of this new vegetable from initial trials at our independent breeders in Surrey - where we first spotted it a few years ago - to the fields of Lincolnshire where further trials took place until it was finally grown on until enough seed had been produced for it to be grown commercially.
When we first heard about it, it was just an idea that the breeder had and has taken several years to refine and improve until it became available in sufficient quantity for us to be able to offer it to our customers.
Flower Sprout is a cross between Brussels Sprout and Kale. The breeder started experimenting with different parent lines in 1995, utilizing both red and green Brussels Sprouts and various Kales. This new vegetable has been produced using traditional hybridization techniques.
It has a plant habit is similar to Brussels Sprouts - a tall stem with rosettes forming all the way up to a frilly-leaved top. Extremely winter hardy and with a similar cropping period to sprouts the harvest window stretches from October to early March from mid-March sowings. The taste is milder and sweeter than a Brussels Sprout and has a good texture. The loose buttons are easy to pick as required and it is an ideal winter vegetable. It can be steamed, stir-fried or microwaved.
Unfortunately we weren’t the only ones to show interest in this new vegetable and one of the major ‘high-end’ supermarkets bought the first commercial crop to be produced in 2009 in order to offer it for sale as a ‘Finest’ fresh vegetable and amid lots of publicity it recently hit the shelves.
It is as easy to grow as Brussels Sprouts and will of course taste much better when cut fresh from your garden! We are offering it as both seeds and plants so it will appeal to everyone. Flower Sprouts for Christmas lunch anyone?
Try serving Flower Sprouts with a lovely cheese sauce.
Steam sprouts until just tender (5-10 minutes).
Fry some chopped smoked bacon until crispy.
Drain the sprouts well, toss with the crispy bacon and place in an oven proof dish.
Pour cheese sauce over the top to cover all the sprouts and sprinkle with grated cheese (or you could use a mixture of cheese and fresh breadcrumbs)
Bake in a pre-heated oven for about twenty minutes.
Serve as an accompaniment to roast meat, sausages, gammon or as a supper dish on its own with fresh crusty bread.
