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Irene Field

The one word that can strike fear into a child’s heart. Well not only a child’s heart, but my heart as well. I believe there are some of shorter stature than me that like vegetables. I bow to those in homage. That they can not only eat, but also enjoy a humble vegetable, is worthy of a medal. Or at least a certificate on a wall.

I don’t know when my aversion to plain green matter commenced. I know my childhood years were marred by the fact I did not like vegetables. Most children grow out of this aversion and find they enjoy the odd brussel sprout, an asparagus or two, or at the least, a green salad.

My thoughts? If God had wanted me to eat those dry looking salad greens, I would have been blessed with two large front buck teeth. But he didn’t and I won’t.

For someone that supposedly enjoys food, I know this is not healthy. I enjoy cabbage, red particularly and green cabbage slightly wilted in butter is nice. Peas, served with mashed potato or at the very least a gravy. Cauliflower – hidden under a cheese sauce. Stir Fry I can live with.

This year, now that I am older and into my cough cough…***ties, I thought ok. This can’t go on. If I carry on this way, my gravestone will carry the epitath: ‘Here lies Irene, she did not eat her Vegetables’. So I hope you will join me on my vegetable journey.

My first attempt was the dreaded Brussel Sprouts. I chopped them finely, lightly steamed and then sautéed in butter. My verdict? ‘Bleurgh’ I did down the equivalent of maybe four sprouts, and George enjoyed the rest. You will catch me in Brussels, before you spot me buying sprouts again!

This week, I was determined to enjoy cauliflower that was not swimming in a fat inducing, hip swelling cheese sauce. A googling I went and with some modifications, I found a recipe.

If you have other vegetable aversion people sharing your homestead, I suggest this way of serving cauliflower.

Take a head of cauliflower, and place florets into a dish. Juice a small lemon. I then took 3 cloves of garlic (that is a vegetable isn’t it?) and chopped finely. I left the chopped garlic to ‘marinate’ in the lemon juice for a few hours. Drizzle olive oil over the cauliflower and then the garlic/lemon juice mixture. Crack black pepper over. Place into a hot oven and roast until the florets are softened – approximately 45 minutes. I then took out of the oven. I had crumbed a ¼ loaf of stale bread in the processor, and lightly toasted that in olive oil. I sprinkled these crumbs over the cauliflower, and then some Pecorino cheese.

The verdict: I am rushing out to buy another cauliflower.

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