Saturday, January 28, 2012

Broccoli with Garlic and Olive Oil



When I was growing up, I couldn't figure out why my friends didn't like broccoli. I thought it was delicious, because my Italian grandmother and Italian-American mother prepared it this way.

The broccoli is blanched, and then lightly sauteed in olive oil with some minced garlic, salt, and pepper. This recipe made broccoli converts of several of my little friends back then - and some adults more recently.

RECIPE:

4 cups fresh broccoli florets (approx. 1 pound)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Blanch the broccoli by boiling in water until crisp-tender, about 2-5 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the size of the florets. (Alternatively, you can microwave the broccoli with 1/4 cup of water for a similar length of time until crisp-tender.) Rinse the blanched broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking, and drain.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and saute for a 2-3 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.

Add the broccoli to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, to heat the broccoli through and combine all the flavors.

-- 4-6 servings

No comments:

Post a Comment