Roast Broccoli
A recent article by Melissa Clark has me thinking about how I prepare all my veg. While tweaking a recipe for cauliflower Clark says…
Normally, when you see recipes for cheesy cauliflower, the vegetable is boiled. I wanted a deeper flavor, so I roasted the cauliflower, adding the peas to the pan during the last few minutes of cooking.
Maybe I’m naive but cauliflower is not a vegetable I consistently think about roasting. I always roast root vegetables when I’m looking for deep flavors, but broccoli just seems to belong in a steam bin, or sautee.
I couldn’t be more wrong.
Not only does roasting produce a depth of flavor that’s hard to replicate, its also increadibly simple. Toss whatever you’re cooking with some olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350° When some of the small individual flowers turn deep brown it’s done. Try a squeeze of lemon juice as soon as it leaves the oven. Freshness is important in a dry oven (older brocoli will dry out) so look for crunchy specemins with no signs of limpness. Just make sure you buy a little extra. Each time I’ve made this, it’s the first side dish to dissapear.
