Food_Heaven_-_November_2019

Brussels sprouts

Christmas tree

SERVES 4
500g (1lb 1½oz) Brussels sprouts,
trimmed and halved
2 x 320g (11oz) sheets of ready-rolled
all-butter puff pastry
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
(optional)
200g (7oz) cheese, such as
Cheddar, grated
1 free-range egg, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas
Mark 6.
2 First blanch the Brussels sprouts –
bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil
and add salt. Add the sprouts and blanch
for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately
plunge into ice - cold water to cool down.
This will help them retain their colour.
3 Take a large baking sheet and unroll
the first sheet of puff pastry out onto it.
Cut the pastry into a symmetrical
Christmas tree shape, making sure you
cut a small trunk at the base. You can
cut yourself a template for this first if it
makes it easier. I also find it is much
easier to cut the pastry with a pizza
wheel, rather than a knife. Keep the
trimmings – you can use these for
cheese straws or similar.
4 Spread the entire tree with the mustard,
if you are using it, then sprinkle over all the
cheese. Unroll the other sheet of pastry
and place it over the top, then cut to size.
5 Next, leaving a central ‘trunk’, cut
horizontal lines at 3cm (1¼in) intervals
down both sides of the tree – you will
end up with around 10 branches on
each side. Twist these around, fairly
tightly – you will see some of the
cheese escaping, but this doesn’t
matter. Brush the whole tree
with beaten egg.
6 Drain the Brussel sprouts thoroughly
and toss in the olive oil. Arrange these
over the tree. Bake in the oven for
around 30 minutes, until the pastry is
well risen and brown, and the Brussel
sprouts are lightly coloured in
places. Serve immediately.

Taken from LEAF:

lettuce, greens,

herbs, weeds

by Catherine

Phipps, published

by Quadrille.

Photography by

Mowie Kay.

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