Nigel Slater’s burrata, broccoli, lentils

Nigel Slater’s burrata, broccoli, lentils. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/HarperCollins
Nigel Slater’s burrata, broccoli, lentils. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/HarperCollins
Serves: 2
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 80g small green or brown lentils
  • Olive oil
  • Medium-sized head of broccoli
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 30g butter
  • 1 red chilli
  • 2 balls medium burrata

1 Cook the lentils in deep, lightly salted boiling water for about 20 minutes, until tender but toothsome. Drain them, toss in a splash of olive oil and set aside.

2 Slice the green florets from the top of the broccoli. Shave any tough bits from the stalks with a vegetable peeler, then cut the largest into small pieces. Leave any small ones whole.

3 Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the broccoli stalks. Let them cook for a couple of minutes, then remove, drain and set aside. Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves, then fry in the butter in a shallow pan until deep gold, crisp and fragrant. Remove them from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

4 Finely chop and fry the chilli in the garlic pan, adding a little more butter or oil if necessary, then, as soon as it is soft, add the broccoli florets. Cook for a couple of minutes, until tender, then add the cooked stalks and continue cooking for a further two minutes, until hot.

5 Drain the cheese, put one burrata on each plate, then spoon the sizzling broccoli and lentils over the top. Scatter with the crisp garlic and serve.

Nigel SlaterOpens in new window ]