Spiced-lamb pizza with roasted purple-sprouting broccoli

Lebanese pizzas are traditionally made with minced lamb, but this is my kitchen garden version. The purple-spouting broccoli gives the dish a delicious earthiness, but you could equally make it at any time of year using other vegetables.

Spiced-lamb pizza with roasted purple-sprouting broccoli (makes 2 pizzas)

Pizza base 300g ‘00’ plain white flour A pinch of sugar A generous pinch of salt 40ml olive oil 1 1⁄2tspn easy yeast 150ml warm water

Lamb marinade 120g organic lamb fillet 1tbspn wholegrain mustard 2 cloves crushed garlic Generous pinches of salt and pepper Half a teaspoon each of sumac, cumin and cinnamon

Tomato sauce 1 red onion 500g fresh tomatoes 1 tbs brown sugar Olive oil A handful basil leaves A splash of red wine 1tbspn pre made pesto Salt and pepper

A handful of pine nuts Olive oil 400g purple-sprouting broccoli flowers (tough stalks removed), tossed with olive oil 1 red chilli, sliced into rings (so you can remove them easily if someone doesn’t like it hot) 250g buffalo mozzarella 110g pomegranate seeds A handful freshly chopped parsley and mint A squeeze of lemon Seasoning

200g Greek yoghurt 1 clove crushed garlic Half a cucumber, diced, seeds removed Seasoning

Method: Pour the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the other ingredients and mix well with a spoon at first and then with your hands. Once it comes together, knead for about 8–10 minutes, before placing in a well-oiled bowl and covering the bowl with clingfilm. Place the bowl in a warm place so the dough can rise for about an hour.

In a bowl, combine the mustard, crushed garlic, seasoning and spices. Add a little olive oil and then brush it all over the lamb. Put the lamb into a freezer bag and in your fridge until ready to use.

Heat your oven to 180 ̊C/350 ̊F/gas 4. Cut the tomatoes and red onion into chunks and toss them with a generous splash of olive oil in a bowl and then arrange on a roasting tray. Sprinkle the sugar over them. Roast for about 45 minutes or until they’re soft. Transfer the tomato and any juices to a saucepan and then add the basil leaves, red wine, pesto and seasoning. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and then use a handheld blender to blitz to a purée. Set aside until ready to use. Get the lamb out of the fridge and sear the edges in a frying pan before slicing into thin slices.

Cut the pizza dough in half and roll into two circles. Place them on oiled baking trays. Spread the tomato sauce over them and then dot it with mozzarella, the slices of lamb, the olive-oil-tossed purple-sprouting broccoli flowers, pine nuts, fresh chilli and seasoning. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the base is cooked and crispy.

Once out of the oven, immediately scatter the pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon over the pizzas. Serve with salad and yoghurt-and-cucumber dip.

More ways with purple-sprouting broccoli

Anchovy, chilli and garlic purple-sprouting broccoli Place 100ml olive oil in a saucepan and add a chopped red chilli, 6 anchovies, 4 cloves crushed garlic. Heat carefully, ensuring nothing burns. Remove the flowers from the stalks and simmer in salted boiling water for about 4 minutes, or until tender. Toss with the olive oil and serve as a side dish.

Pasta with monkfish, purple-sprouting broccoli and capers

Gently fry slices of monkfish in olive oil in a large frying pan. Add a scattering of capers, a splash of white wine and a generous squeeze of lemon. You could also add chilli if you like it spicy. Add pasta to a saucepan of boil- ing water and add some purple-sprouting broccoli a few minutes before the end. Drain and toss with olive oil. Tip it into the frying pan and mix everything well. Season and scatter with fresh parsley before serving.

Purple-sprouting-broccoli pesto crostini with sun-blushed tomatoes In a food processor, blitz 500g cooked purple-sprouting broccoli, a handful basil leaves, 5 cloves garlic, 50g pine nuts, juice from 1 lemon, sea salt and pepper. Spread on crostini and top with sun-blushed tomatoes and torn basil leaves for a perfect snack or pre-dinner canapé.