|
26 February 2010
Posted in
Cooking Challenge
For February's Tidings Cooking Challenge, I thought that broccoli would be a great recipe to try. For all of you who claim not to like broccoli, or who will only eat it if it's drenched in melting cheese, I challenge you to give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it. The dressing is super simple, but very flavourful. It's actually one of my stand-by dressings for green beans, too.
Broccoli is one of those really amazing vegetables that can take on any characteristic a cook wants. Do you want a crunchy, mild-tasting vehicle for a fabulous tzatziki dip? Eat it raw. Do you want a salty foil for grilled chicken? Stir-fry it with a drizzle of soy sauce. How about a quick and delicious hot lunch? Spoon out some broccoli soup. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and even calcium, broccoli is my favourite go-to vegetable. Some supermarkets sell broccoli crowns (in other words, just the florets) at almost the same price as the entire broccoli plant (stem and all). I'd suggest that you by-pass that particular area of the vegetable aisle. Pick up a couple of whole broccoli plants, cut the tops off the stem and set them aside. Slice about a 1/4-inch off the bottom of the stem, peel the outer layer of the stem with a vegetable peeler, then slice the stem into diagonal slices, julienned slivers or rounds depending on your mood. Steam them or bring a little bit of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, then toss in the stems. A couple of minutes later, add the broccoli tops and blanch for two more minutes.
This Italian Broccoli recipe is a very elegant vegetable dish that's perfect for a party or any quick weeknight meal. All you need is a few cups of blanched broccoli, garlic infused olive oil and a pinch of chili flakes.