Walking through the produce aisle at the grocery store earlier this week, I asked one of the produce clerks if he had any broccolini. He looked at me and said "I thought I was the only one who ate it." At first I wasn't certain if that meant there was an abundance of it in stock or if what was there had seen better days. I was wrong on both counts. There weren't many broccolini bundles to choose from, but all of them looked as if they had been freshly harvested. After putting the broccolini in my cart, he asked me how I cooked it. When I told him I tossed it with some olive oil, lightly salted it, then roasted it at a high temperature for about fifteen minutes, he said 'I have never heard of such a thing and I have been eating broccolini all my life.' Giggling I told him he may never eat broccolini any other way after he tries roasting it. Unless I see him again on my daily treks to the grocery store, I may never know if he gave up sautéing broccolini in favor of roasting it. Although it might be hard for anyone to take a post-yoga class disheveled person seriously. However, maybe I can persuade you to roast your broccolini! Unless I first have to convince you to start eating this incredibly flavorful, sweet, tender, packed with vitamins vegetable.
I have a confession to make. Up until recently broccolini was not in my life. No even in my radar. I am now obsessed with it.
If anyone were to ask me two weeks ago to tell them differences between broccoli, broccolini, broccoli rabe, and Chinese broccoli, I wouldn't have been able to. I wouldn't have even been to explain how broccolini is really a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. While I can tell you all of those things now, no one has described these good for you green vegetables better than the kitchn, a web-based food magazine, in their article "What's the difference between broccoli, broccolini, broccoli rabe, and Chinese broccoli?".
Every part of broccolini is edible. The stalks, the florets, the leaves! While it can be grilled, sautéed, steamed, and roasted, I am now partial, maybe evenly myopically biased, to roasting it. Even though you can eat every part of the broccolini, just wait until you taste the its' crispy, slightly-charred, roasted leaves and florets! Is it possible to be deeply, madly in love with roasted broccolini? How weird would be to say yes? Okay, maybe sort of weird.
Lightly tossed in olive oil, then lightly salted, the broccolini roasts in a preheated 450 degree (F) oven for approximately 15 minutes. The high heat and short cooking time not only perfectly crisps up the leaves and florets, it deepens the broccolini's flavor. Roasting it directly on the baking sheet may give you one more pan to clean up, but it prevents it from 'steaming' in the oven if you line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
After removing the broccolini from the oven, gently squeeze a half of a lemon over the top of it (you can omit this if you are not a big lemon fan) and season with a little more kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and generously grate some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over it. Garnish with some lemon wedges and it is ready to serve.
Lately I have been serving the Roasted Broccolini with some roasted salmon, but it also be a great side dish to a roasted/grilled chicken or turkey or some grilled steaks. One bite of this Roasted Broccolini with Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and you too will become completely obsessed with it.
Roasted Broccolini with Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 1/4 to 1 3/4 pounds broccolini, untrimmed
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher Salt and black pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
1 large lemon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
2. Spread the broccolini on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands, toss the broccolini in the oil to coat.
3. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Roast for 15 minutes, rotating the tray midway through the baking process.
5. Remove baking sheet from oven. Lightly squeeze a half of a lemon over the broccolini.
6. Transfer the broccolini to a serving platter. Season with additional salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
7. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.
Notes: (1) Some like to sprinkle red pepper flakes instead of black pepper on their roasted broccolini. (2) When roasting the broccolini, place baking pan in the oven on a center rack. (3) If you have any leftover, wrap and chill in the refrigerator. Chop up and use in an omelet or toss with some pasta.
