HOW TO COOK your sides

Our vegetables and sides are supplied fresh and ready for you to cook at home. The timings below are a guide as vegetables vary naturally in size, so cook them until they are tender but still have a little bite.

Tenderstem Broccoli & Purple Sprouting Broccoli

  • Place in a steamer over simmering water, cover and steam for around 4 minutes, until the stalks are tender but retain a little bite.

  • Add around 1cm of water to a saucepan with a lid, season with a little sea salt and bring to the boil. Add the broccoli, cover and cook for around 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain well before serving.

  • Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broccoli and cook for around 3 minutes. Drain well and serve straight away.

Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. As well as tasting delicious, the olive oil helps your body absorb some of the fat-soluble plant compounds naturally present in green vegetables, while the vitamin C in the lemon helps with the absorption of plant-based iron.

Green Beans

Trim the stalk ends and wash before cooking.

  • Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and cook for around 4–5 minutes, until tender but still slightly crisp. Drain well and serve.

  • Steam over simmering water for around 5–6 minutes, or until tender with a little bite remaining. Season with sea salt before serving.

For something a little more special, boil the beans for 2–3 minutes, then drain and cool briefly under cold running water. Pat them thoroughly dry before frying.

Heat a little olive oil and a knob of butter in a frying pan. Add the beans and cook for another 2–3 minutes, tossing regularly, until hot and lightly coloured.

You can add a little finely sliced shallot, some chopped fresh parsley, or both. Finish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spinach

Wash the spinach thoroughly and allow the excess water to drain.

Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan. Add the spinach with a small pinch of sea salt and toss over the heat until just wilted — this should only take 1–2 minutes.

Drain off any excess liquid, or gently press the spinach to remove a little of its water, then finish with another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

For extra flavour, add black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a very light grating of fresh nutmeg.

The extra virgin olive oil also helps your body absorb some of the fat-soluble plant compounds naturally present in leafy greens, while the vitamin C in lemon helps with the absorption of plant-based iron.

Cavolo Nero

Wash the cavolo nero, strip the leaves away from the tough central stalks and slice the leaves into ribbons.

Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan. Add the cavolo nero with a pinch of sea salt and toss for a minute or two.

Add a small splash of water, cover with a lid and cook for another 3–5 minutes, until tender but still vibrant.

Finish with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.

If you like a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes to the olive oil before adding the cavolo nero.

New Potatoes & Jersey Royals

Wash the potatoes before cooking. There is no need to peel them.

  • Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and add a good pinch of sea salt.

    Bring to the boil. Once boiling, add a generous handful of fresh mint, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until a small knife slides easily into the centre. Depending on their size, this will usually take around 15–20 minutes.

    Drain well and discard the cooked mint. Finish with a knob of butter or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a little sea salt and, if you like, some freshly chopped mint.

  • Steam the potatoes over simmering water until completely tender, usually around 20–25 minutes depending on their size.

    Finish with butter or extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and plenty of freshly chopped mint.

Basmati Rice

  • Tip the rice from its pot into a fine sieve or colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

    Transfer the rice to a small saucepan.

    Using the pot the rice came in as your measure, add one full pot of cold water, followed by a second pot filled to around 1cm below the top. Add a small pinch of sea salt.

    Bring to the boil. As soon as it is boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down to its lowest setting.

    Cook for 9–10 minutes without removing the lid.

    Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for a further 5 minutes. Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork.

    Replace the lid and keep covered until you are ready to serve.

  • Alternatively, rinse the rice thoroughly and bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil.

    Add the rice and cook at a gentle boil until tender — usually around 10–12 minutes.

    Drain thoroughly in a fine sieve or colander and allow the rice to steam for a minute before gently fluffing with a fork.

    Cooking more than one portion?

    Simply multiply the quantities, keeping the same ratio of just under two pots of water for every one pot of rice.

Sugar Snap Peas with Ginger & Garlic

Wash the sugar snap peas and drain well.

Finely slice a small clove of garlic and finely chop or grate a little fresh ginger.

Heat a small amount of avocado oil or cold-pressed grapeseed oil in a frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat.

When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and ginger. As soon as they begin to sizzle and smell fragrant, add the sugar snap peas and a small pinch of sea salt.

Stir-fry for around 2–3 minutes, keeping everything moving, until the peas are hot, bright green and lightly blistered but still crisp.

Serve immediately.

Kale

Wash the kale thoroughly, strip the leaves away from any tough central stalks and tear or slice into manageable pieces.

  • Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan. Add the kale with a pinch of sea salt and toss for a minute or two.

    Add a small splash of water, cover with a lid and cook for another 3–5 minutes, until tender but still vibrant.

    Finish with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.

    If you like a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes to the olive oil before adding the kale.

  • For an even simpler method, bring a saucepan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the kale and cook for around 2–3 minutes, until tender but still bright green.

    Drain thoroughly, then finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Basmati Pilaf Rice

Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.

Finely dice the shallot.

Melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the shallot and cook gently for around 1–2 minutes, without allowing it to colour.

Add a bay leaf, followed by the drained rice, and stir for around 30 seconds so that the grains are lightly coated in the butter.

Add a small pinch of sea salt.

Using the pot the rice came in as your measure, add one full pot of cold water, followed by a second pot filled to around 1cm below the top.

Bring to the boil. As soon as it is boiling, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to its lowest setting.

Cook for 9–10 minutes without removing the lid.

Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for a further 5 minute.

Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Replace the lid and keep covered until you are ready to serve.

Cooking more than one portion?
Simply multiply the quantities, keeping the same ratio of just under two pots of water for every one pot of rice.