Purple-Sprouting Broccoli with Chillies & Anchovies

Preserved anchovies … the secret Samaritan. A bit like the Beast or the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Ugly, feared and misunderstood. But possessing a true heart of gold.

Definitely an acquired taste when eaten raw, once cooked they somehow melt into the background, providing a savoury backbone to any dish. Fish sauce, made from fermented fish, and central to most Southeast Asian cookery, performs a similar role.

Purple-sprouting broccoli is a seasonal treat and one of the few th