From West Sussex fields to Hampshire greengrocer | Lawrence Murphy

But I’m sure your fruit and veg shop will have a section with wonderful seasonal produce.

R A Tier, our lovely greengrocer, buys from Foot Farm, in Chidham. If you walk round Chidham’s lanes now you’ll see rows of fabulous leeks, cabbages and purple sprouting broccoli in the fields.

Ingredients – serves 4

300g trimmed purple sprouting broccoli

30g butter

30g plain flour

340ml milk

Salt and pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

150g Isle of Wight blue cheese roughly chopped

15g bread crumbs

Method

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan until melted.

2. Add the flour and cook for 2 mins stirring all the time.

3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk – whisk until you cannot see any lumps.

4. Put back on the heat and bring to a simmer continually stirring. Cook for about 4 mins.

5. Season and add the nutmeg.

6.Take off the heat and stir in the cheese.

7. Cook the purple sprouting broccoli in salted boiling water for 1 min and drain into a colander.

8. Put a spoon of sauce in an oven proof dish and top with some of the broccoli.

Spoon on more sauce and add the rest of the broccoli and then pour the rest of the sauce over the top.

9. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and put under a hot grill until golden brown and serve.