Toast 4 slices of thick sourdough bread on both sides. Scatter a handful of flaked almonds into a shallow pan then toast lightly over a moderate heat until crisp and pale gold in colour. Bring 750ml of good vegetable or chicken stock to the boil in a deep, medium-sized saucepan. Finely grate the zest from a small lemon and a small blood orange then halve and squeeze both.
Remove the toughest of the stems from about 250g of purple sprouting broccoli, leaving the more tender ones in place. Plunge into the hot stock and boil for 3-4 minutes till tender.
Put the toast into a couple of shallow bowls. Trickle enough olive oil over the toast to moisten it generously. Lift the purple sprouting broccoli from the hot stock with kitchen tongs or a draining spoon and pile on top of the sourdough toasts.
Season the stock with half of the lemon and orange zests and some salt and black pepper. Mix together the orange and lemon juices and add enough to the hot stock to give it a refreshing citrus note (taste as you go, you won’t need all of the citrus juice.).
Ladle the stock over the leaves – it should saturate the toast – then trickle olive oil, something exceptionally fruity, over the purple sprouting and finish with the remaining lemon and orange zest and the toasted flaked almonds. Enough for 2
Ricotta, spooned over and among the broccoli, is very pleasing here, as would be shavings of pecorino or parmesan.
Pumpkin seeds are good here, used in place of the almonds.
Once cooked, purple sprouting broccoli is very fragile. It is best to lift the stalks out of the stock with tongs rather than draining it with a colander, which can break the soft tips.
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