BRATTLEBORO — Broccoli tends to elicit love or hate. George H. W. Bush famously hated it, but I love broccoli. I love broccoli rabe. I love broccolini.
All have a superficial resemblance to one another, but each has its own distinct character - cousins in the large colorful Brassicaceae family.
All are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants. All are full of fabulous flavor. So if you hate broccoli, read on. I might convert you to embrace a more liberal view of the vegetable that every mother wants you to eat, even Barbara Bush.
Let's start with Calabrese broccoli, that fat, dark-green, tree-like broccoli which most of our mothers overcooked. Its name derives from the Italian area in which it was developed and from the Italian word broccolo, meaning the flowering top of a cabbage.
The large crown on the head of Calabrese broccoli is actually a cluster of edible flower buds. It is a member of the plant cultivar group Brassica oleracea italica and thus related to cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi and brussels sprouts.
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To prepare Calabrese broccoli, rinse thoroughly, cut off the woody bottom part of the stem and then cut the trunk close to the head of florets.
If your broccoli is fresh and young, which it should be this time of year, there is no need to peel the skin on the stem; just cut it into uniform pieces about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
If your broccoli is older, just peel the tough skin off. Use a knife to cut the head into florets of uniform size.
If it's very fresh and steamed quickly, what we think of as ordinary broccoli can be delicious.
Roast broccoli
Here's an easy, slightly more seductive way to cook it that involves nothing more radical than the high-heat roasting of Calabrese broccoli cut into florets, tossed with olive oil and salt, a little minced garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Topped while hot with a little grated Parmesan, the transformation is staggering.
Here's the thing about roasting vegetables: after washing them, you must thoroughly dry the vegetables or they will steam instead of roast.
Shake broccoli upside down gently on towels to remove excess water and, if you have time, let it air dry for 30 minutes. You might think this is obsessive, but the drier the vegetable the crisper the result of roasting.
Pre-heat your oven to 425 F. For 4 servings, toss in a large bowl:
¶4 to 5 cups (from 2 large heads) dry broccoli florets and trimmed stems
¶4 tablespoons olive oil
¶1 teaspoon sea salt
¶2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¶juice of half a lemon
Arrange in one layer on a ridged baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the florets are tinged with golden brown.
Immediately transfer to a serving bowl.
Toss with:
¶{1/4} cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¶fresh pepper, a good grating
This is so delicious that even small children have been known to wolf down large quantities.
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Broccoli rabe (also referred to as broccoli raab or rapini) is a member of the Brassicacaea rapa family but more closely related to the turnip than the cabbage. Buds, stems, and leaves are all equally edible.
Broccoli rabe has a wonderful bitter, mustardy, nutty flavor. When preparing broccoli rabe, remove any stems that are hard and woody. The stalks can be left long or cut into shorter lengths.
Classic broccoli rabe
The classic treatment for broccoli rabe is to quickly sauté it over high heat with olive oil and lots of garlic, a touch of hot pepper, and sea salt. A large bowl in your refrigerator will improve your weekly menus, believe me.
First, the basics. To ensure lots of leftovers, start with:
¶3 large bunches broccoli rabe
Many recipes call for blanching first, but I find that doing so cooks out the very distinct flavors I find intriguing, so I skip this step entirely. Wash, trim the ends, and cut the lengths into thirds.
In a large sauté pan, heat over medium-low heat:
¶4 tablespoons of olive oil
Add:
¶1 head of garlic cloves, finely sliced
Sauté gently, stirring occasionally, until the garlic just starts to turn golden. To the blanched broccoli rabe, add:
¶1 generous teaspoon sea salt
¶{1/2} cup water
Cover and let cook for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring up the garlic now and then, until the water has evaporated and the broccoli rabe is wilted and just tender.
You are now the proud owner of a big bowl of garlicky, bitter broccoli rabe! It's a great versatile vegetable that lends its unique and interesting flavor to an endless set of possibilities:
• Layer it in between the cheese and a slice or two of cured ham in a grilled sandwich.
• Add it to sautéed sweet Italian sausage and onions over your favorite cut of pasta.
• Combine it with a handful of toasted breadcrumbs, walnuts and golden raisins on top of spaghetti.
• It's great on pizza with leftover chicken and mozzarella.
• Tuck it into an omelet with some Italian Fontina cheese.
• Serve it as a side dish; add it to a pan of onions you have sautéed with a few anchovy filets and a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes.
• Put it in a baking dish, cover it with grated cheese and cook in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until brown and bubbly.
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Broccolini was developed in Japan as a cross between Calabrese and a Chinese broccoli called gai-lan. Broccolini has smaller flower heads (some with a few open yellow buds) and longer, much-thinner stalks with few, if any, leaves still attached.
Its flavor is sweeter than Calabrese, almost a cross between broccoli and asparagus. Broccolini just needs to be rinsed and have the very ends of the stems trimmed.
This last recipe is my secret weapon in the fight for broccoli re-education. It is one of my very favorite dishes and any type of broccoli can be used, though the sweetness of broccolini works especially well. This recipe is adapted from Suzanne Goin's terrific cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques.
Broccolini
Making this dish is certainly not as simple as plunking a head of broccoli into a pot of boiling water, but I believe the results are well worth the effort.
The combination of the sweet, just-tender broccolini, the subtle savory flavor of the anchovies, the hint of butter, and the satisfying crunch of the bread crumbs, set off by the cold, milky creaminess of the burrata, is just perfect to me.
Maple Brook Farm of Bennington makes wonderful, luscious burrata.
To serve four as a main dish, preheat the oven to 375 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, toss in:
¶2 big bunches of broccolini (around 1 pound), trimmed
¶1 tablespoon of salt
Blanch it for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool on towels to absorb excess water.
Tear apart:
¶{1/2} loaf of great bread
Sourdough or any type of rustic bread will do. The pieces should be irregular and small. Toss with:
¶a few tablespoons of olive oil
Spread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure all the pieces get light brown and crispy. Remove and set aside in a large bowl.
Toast in the oven for about 4-5 minutes until fragrant and golden brown:
¶{1/2} cup pine nuts or walnuts
Add to the breadcrumbs:
¶{1/4} cup fresh parsley, chopped
Crumble some of the bread into smaller pieces and crush some of the nuts.
Season to taste with:
¶salt
¶pepper
Heat in a large sauté pan over low heat:
¶4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
¶4 tablespoons olive oil
Add, breaking up in the melted oil:
¶3-4 anchovies, cured
Add:
¶{1/2} teaspoon chili flakes
¶2 garlic cloves, minced
¶1 shallot, thinly sliced
Cook gently until the shallot and garlic have softened and the anchovies have disappeared into the mixture.
Add the drained broccolini to the pan, along with:
¶1 teaspoon thyme leaves, fresh
¶1 squeeze of lemon
Divide the broccolini mixture among 4 serving plates. Tear into pieces and scatter over the broccolini:
¶2 balls burrata
Top each plate with some of the reserved bread-crumb mixture. I have been known to add some crispy bacon or pancetta to this which only makes it more heavenly.
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Who knows why we like or dislike a certain food?
I'm sure genetics have something to do with it. A childhood of being forced to eat overcooked broccoli would certainly dissuade most from trying it out again as an adult.
But I say: Be brave. Toast some bread crumbs, get that little jar of anchovies out of the back of your refrigerator, and don't let the past define your palate.
Eat your broccoli!