Roasted Broccoli with Sesame
What’s in it:
1 lb. fresh broccoli florets (see trimming instructions)
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 T sesame seeds, toasted
How to make it:
Preheat oven to 450 F (or use 475 and shorten the cooking time slightly.) (You can trim broccoli stems and roast them with the florets; peel and cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces if you’re cooking the stems. I saved the stems to cook separately.) Cut broccoli into pieces about 2 inches long. Then cut through stems just to where florets start, and break apart so broccoli is in same-sized pieces. (This method of cutting through the stems and then breaking the broccoli apart also eliminates the mess when you cut broccoli and small bits fall off.) Place broccoli in plastic mixing bowl and toss well with olive oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet and roast 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir and continue roasting 5 minutes more, or until broccoli is tender-crisp and slightly browned on the edges. While broccoli roasts, toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over very high heat for 30-60 seconds. When broccoli is done, put it back into plastic bowl, dump in sesame seeds, and toss again. Serve hot. (Kalyns Kitchen)
Broccoli Crunch
How to make it:
- 4 -5 cups tiny broccoli florets
- 1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 small crisp apples, cut into bit-sized pieces
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or almonds
- 1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots
How to make it:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt as you would pasta water. Boil the broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge of – 10 or 15 seconds. Drain and immerse it in cold water (or let cold water run over it). At this point, I like to spin the broccoli in a salad spinner to get the water off, but a few good knocks against the sink in a strainer can do the trick pretty well. Set aside. Make the dressing by sprinkling the salt over the clove of garlic. Smash the clove and chop, smash and chop – turning it into a paste. In a small bowl whisk the salty garlic paste with the almond butter, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add the hot water and whisk until light and creamy. Taste, make any adjustments and set aside. In a large bowl gently toss the broccoli, apples, red onion, most of the shallots and nuts with a generous drizzle of the almond dressing. Turn out onto a platter and finish with the rest of the shallots and chives if you like. Serve family style. (101 cookbooks)
Crispy Chili Beef with Broccoli
What’s in it:
How to make it:
Heat oil in a wok until very hot. Fry the steak in batches until dark and crisp. Drain. Pour off most of the oil and stir-fry the broccoli, garlic, ginger and chilli for 1 minute. Tip in the sweetened soy sauce and lime juice and cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the beef and spring onions and serve.
Sauteed Broccoli and Garlic
What’s in it:
1 head broccoli, thick stems removed, and cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
Salt and pepper
How to make it:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Also, get a large bowl of ice water ready. When the water is boiling, dump the broccoli in and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain the broccoli and transfer to the ice water. When cooled, dry the broccoli in a towel. Pour the oil into a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic slivers and saute until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Toss the onions into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the broccoli and cook until hot, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, pour in the oyster sauce, and sprinkle the garlic slivers atop. Season with salt and serve.
Broccoli in Ancho Butter
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 450°. In a heatproof medium bowl, cover the anchos with boiling water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the chiles and pat dry. Discard the stems and seeds, then coarsely chop. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pine nuts and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and the pine nuts are deep golden, about 1 minute longer. Let cool. In a food processor, puree the pine nut mixture with the anchos and butter. Season the ancho butter with salt and scrape into a bowl. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then spread on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Roast the broccoli in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender, shifting the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through. Add the ancho butter to the broccoli and toss to coat. Season with salt and roast for 10 minutes longer, or until the broccoli is tender. Transfer to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature. (food and wine)
