Broccoli cheese tots

Name: Broccoli cheese tots
Total time: 45 min
Yield: About 12 finger-shaped tots
Ingredients: 1 head broccoli; 40 g (scant ½ cup) finely grated mild cheddar; 1 egg; 40 g (½ cup) plain rolled or quick oats; 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

Soft baked fingers of mashed broccoli, a little grated cheddar, egg and blended oats, with no added salt. Contains milk and egg: offer them once your baby has had each on its own.

From: 6 months
Time: 45 min
Makes: About 12 finger-shaped tots

Contains milkContains eggOptional extra contains wheat

Ingredients

1 headbroccoliabout 300 g (10 oz), fresh or frozen
40 g (scant ½ cup)finely grated mild cheddarpasteurized and full-fat; compare labels and choose a lower-salt one
1egg
40 g (½ cup)plain rolled or quick oatsno added sugar or salt; or 4 tbsp fine plain breadcrumbs, which contain wheat, so only once your baby has had wheat on its own (see the label check in step 3)
1 tbspvegetable or olive oilfor the tray

Steps

1Wash your hands. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray. Rinse the broccoli under running water, cut it into florets and peel the tough outer layer off thick stems.
2Steam the florets for about 8 to 10 minutes, until a knife slides through the stems with no resistance. Don't add salt. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then chop and mash them until there are no firm pieces left. Press out as much water as you can in a clean tea towel, so the tots hold together.
3Blend the oats until they look like fine flour, with no dry flakes left. If you use breadcrumbs instead, check the breadcrumb or bread label: choose one lower in salt, with no honey (not safe under 12 months), and with no other allergens your baby hasn't had yet.
4Beat the egg, then mix in the broccoli, cheese and blended oats to make a soft, thick mixture. Don't taste the raw mixture: it contains raw egg. Wash your hands after handling it.
5Brush the tray with the oil. Shape the mixture into fingers about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), and about 1 cm thick, rather than small round tots.
6Bake for about 20 minutes, turning them gently halfway, until golden and set all the way through, with no wet mixture in the middle. Egg dishes should reach 160°F (71°C) in the center; if you don't have a food thermometer, break one open and check no wet mixture is left.
7Let them cool on the tray: they firm up as they cool. Break one open and squash it between your thumb and finger: it should be soft inside, with no firm broccoli. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Once your baby has had dairy and egg each on their own without a reaction (and wheat, if you used breadcrumbs), offer one or two whole finger-shaped tots to hold and gnaw.

9 months+

Cut tots into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep offering whole soft fingers to bite.

12 months+

Serve whole tots or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) with soft-cooked vegetables, beans or fish, as part of the family meal.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains milk, egg. The optional extras contain wheat. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cool leftover tots quickly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 2 to 3 months (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen solid). Reheat from frozen or thawed, only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool and check they're still soft before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave tots at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Shape your baby's fingers first, then season the rest of the mixture with salt, black pepper and a little extra cheese and roll it into classic tots for the adults. They make a quick side with soup or a salad.