Category: Broccoli

--adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater   This is a very quick, satisfying dinner. It's delicious with regular broccoli but even better with the tender purple sprouting broccoli that shows up in later winter/early spring at markets and year-round CSA shares. If using purple sprouting broccoli be sure to use the stems and leaves as they are part of the charm and are tender and sweet.  ... Read more »

This is the simplest of curries. Just a few ingredients and the broccoli and garlic shine. I love to make this dish in the spring when green and then fresh (uncured) garlic is in the CSA share or at the market. The immature garlic is sweet and fragrant and you can use a lot of it without it imparting a sharp flavor.... Read more »

  --adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark   I don't love raw broccoli but this is one of the exceptions. And since this salad rests/marinates for an hour before eating it softens up a bit too. This is a perfect side dish but you could cook a pot of rice and have yourself a delightful supper or make a simple frittata (my go-to suggestion for when you’re in a hurry). You could add also some carrots or peppers to it. . . . use what you have as the dressing and technique are stellar.... Read more »

I pulled together this dinner (as well as a green salad with a peanut dressing, using the same peanut sauce) in about half an hour for my hungry family after being out of town for the day. It once again goes to show that having a decently stocked pantry (I had spices, peanut butter, ginger, a lime, plain roasted peanuts and rice on hand) in combination with some fresh produce, can make for a wonderful, quick meal. And you can use a combination of vegetables. You could by all means use kohlrabi here as well. And you can boil the vegetables if you're even shorter on time just be sure not to overcook the broccoli.   If you have time to toast whole spices and pound in a mortar or quickly grind in a spice grinder by all means do so. The dish will be extra flavorful.... Read more »

--adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson   This is a wonderful dish with bold flavors. When tarragon is in season it’s most wonderful with a bit of that but it’s perfect just with the parsley and capers or just parsley if you don’t have capers. If you don’t have capers but have anchovies, mash a couple up and add them to the dressing instead.  If you're short on time you can boil the potatoes and broccoli instead of roasting which is almost as spectacular. And  then you can cook the potatoes, broccoli and eggs all in one pot--for varying lengths of time though!     It’s practically a meal in one with the hard-boiled egg, potatoes, and broccoli but would be wonderful with grilled meat or fish or other veggies or some crusty bread and a simple green salad.... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_10373" align="aligncenter" width="660"] I tossed in a handful of chopped garlic scapes with this batch. They got crispy and sweet and were a wonderful addition.[/caption] Cauliflower is usually the cruciferous vegetable that’s roasted but broccoli is also delicious, as are Brussels Sprouts.  ... Read more »

This is a template for utilizing whatever bits and pieces you have on hand. Quantities are all approximations and you can vary them as you like. You just want to be sure you cut the vegetables small and fairly uniformly and you don’t want to crowd your skillet or wok. To avoid a soggy dish you need to be brave with the heat.   I recommend making twice (or more) as much rice as you need for any given dish and freezing the remainder to have on hand for fried rice, rice pudding, to add to soups, etc.  ... Read more »

--inspired by smittenkitchen.com   These are addictive! They’re perfect with some harissa, the Moroccan roasted pepper and spice paste, a fried egg on top or just with some Greek (or plain whole milk yogurt) that you’ve doctored with a little minced garlic, salt and lemon juice and/or some finely chopped parsley. You can substitute kohlrabi or cauliflower or carrots or cabbage for the broccoli.   About 10 3-inch fritters... Read more »

I made this meal as a child, starting around age 10 and made it for years, and still do every once in a while. It’s simple, delicious and satisfying. And it’s really just a template that's begging for seasonal modifications.   One of the time saving tricks to make this is to cook the broccoli right in with the pasta. Just add it about 3 minutes before the pasta is done and drain it all together.... Read more »

This is a variation of Okonomiyaki, Japanese Cabbage Pancakes and is a perfect CSA/market template in that you can use whatever bits and pieces you have on hand.... Read more »

This is an unusual combination and you have to be careful not to overdo the arugula but it is very tasty. This soup does not keep well so try to eat it all soon after you make it.  ... Read more »

The ubiquitous broccoli, often maligned for its very ubiquitousness, is so delicious fresh from a nearby farm. There is a separate page and list of recipes for the  less common Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Broccoli Romanesco, though one can often substitute one for the other.   Broccoli is part of the cabbage family and like many of its brethren is high in Vitamin C and dietary fiber and has various potent anti-cancer properties. To take advantage of this properties eat the broccoli as soon as you can as it looses its oomph quickly. Store it, only loosely covered, in the refrigerator. If the florets  start turning yellow you can cut off the tips if this happens--give it a bit of a haircut--and salvage the rest.   When you get broccoli in your CSA share or at the farmers' market you'll often find leaves and more of the stalk attached and both are worth keeping and eating. You may need to peel the stalk to remove the fibrous skin but the inside is sweet and tender like the florets and the leaves add lovely texture and flavor to whatever you are preparing.... Read more »