Friends&Giving

• 4-5 pounds broccoli
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Good olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalk, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1½ tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

• 1 lbs/455 g Brussels sprouts
• 8 oz/225 g cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, wiped clean
• ¼ cup/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 oz/60 g bacon, cut into 1-in/2.5 cm pieces
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, each about 4-in/10-cm long
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ lemon

1. Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts. Cut the smallest sprouts into quarters. Cut the largest sprouts in half, and then cut each half into thirds. In both cases, cut lengthwise through the stem so that a piece of the core holds the leaves together. Cut the mushrooms in a similar fashion. Quarter the smallest ones, and cut the larger ones in half and then into thirds, lengthwise.

2. In a 10-in/25-cm straight-sides sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sprouts, mushrooms, bacon, and rosemary. Season with the salt and, using tongs, stir well to combine everything. The pan will be very crowded, that’s okay.

3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently when the vegetables begin to brown, until the vegetables are well browned and the Brussels sprouts are tender (the stems may still be a bit firm), 28–30 minutes. (I like to use a metal spatula for turning the vegetables toward the end of cooking.) The bottom of the pan will be quite brown. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the rosemary, and add the butter pieces. Stir gently with a silicone spatula until all of the butter has melted. Give a generous squeeze of lemon over all and stir again. Taste and season with more lemon, if needed. Serve warm.

• 1 heaping teaspoon coriander seeds, smashed
• 1–2 dried red chilies, crumbled
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light cream
• a wineglass of Chardonnay
• 2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthways, remove the seeds with a spoon, then cut into 1 inch slices and toss in a bowl with the smashed coriander seeds and chili, the thyme leaves, salt and pepper, and a good glug of olive oil to coat everything. Mix around then place the squash slices in a roasting pan or earthenware dish, standing up on their sides. You don’t want to have too many gaps in between the slices; ideally you want the squash to be squashed in—excuse the pun!

Cut some wax paper to the size of the pan or dish. Dampen it under the tap and scrunch it up, then drape it over the squash, tucking it in the sides. Place the pan in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash starts to soften. Then remove the wax paper and pop the pan back in the oven while you grate the nutmeg into the cream and mix it with the wine, half the Parmesan and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Take the butternut squash out of the oven, pour the creamy sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan. Place the squash back in the oven for another 10 minutes until golden, bubbling and delicious.