Sprouts and kale pesto butterbean stew with pangrattato

On the potential of sautéing sprouts and a warming, hearty comfort dish to prove it.

Yes. I’m at the sprouts again.

But stay with me because I promise warming, hearty comfort to come. Anyway, I had to return to sprouts after the sproutiflette recipe the other week, as I realise I didn’t fully impress on you the potential sprouts offer when sautéed.

True, I did mention sautéing as one of the ways you might grow to love sprouts once our grandparents’ stop boiling them to a pungent, mushy sog, but that was in the context of adding marmalade to the sautéed sprouts and I rather think the shock of the marmalade took away from the technique.

So, sautéed sprouts.

By which I mean frying, hard and fast, in oil or butter for 3-5 minutes at most, until charred and golden on the outside while still retaining just a hint of a raw crunch inside. The caramelised surface gives a rich, savoury flavour and the brief cooking time ensures the texture is still pert and the flavour not at all bitter. It really is the absolute business.

Not least because sautéing spouts can be the foundation of many quick suppers:

• Fry some lardons in the pan first, then add the sprouts so they can cook in the pork fat. Stir in some vac-packed chestnuts and cooked orzo in the final moments.

• Add to a pan of almost sautéed sprouts a dab of miso paste, some soy sauce, garlic granules, chilli flakes and some sesame seeds. Toss with cooked noodles.

• Remove a frying pan of sprouts you have sautéed in butter and thyme from the heat, then whisk in an egg yolk, a handful of grated parmesan and a lot of black pepper. Stir through hot cooked tagliatelle.

And then…

Sautéed sprouts and kale pesto butterbean stew with caper pangrattato

Creamy butterbeans and chunks of caramelised sprouts in an intensely savoury pesto sauce, topped with a crunchy, garlicky, citrusy kick of toasted breadcrumbs. It might use humble ingredients, but this one pan number’s got it all going on. The quantities below make more pesto than you’ll need here, but any less and the food processor won’t like it, plus it freezes wonderfully. Also, you could double the pangrattato quantities and keep some in a sealed container for a couple of days - it’s good on everything. Literally, everything. Finally, it’s got to be jarred beans here, please. Tinned won’t cut it - not enough flavour or creaminess.

Serves 2