Poor broccoli is often the butt of jokes–probably because people remember it from their schooldays, served up looking limp and tasting of very little.
These days the tendency is perhaps to undercook vegetables.
Not this time!
Italian cookery writer, Anna del Conte, first ate this unusual dish in a friend’s house in Milan.
In this recipe the broccoli is cooked longer-than-usual–covered–on a low heat. It becomes meltingly soft with the cooking time and the flavours meld wonderfully.
Not a great looker, but wins on taste!
for 2/4
700gms/1 1/2 lb broccoli–the bunched florets broken up into bite size pieces and the stalks stripped of their rough outer layer and diced
5 garlic cloves–peeled, halved lengthwise and the little green shoot removed
1 red chili–sliced (hot chili!)
2 tblsps olive oil
salt and pepper
a lemon--quartered
Heat the oil in a sauté pan that has a tight fitting cover.
Add the garlic and chili and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the broccoli–stalks and florets.
Turn them over thoroughly in the oil.
Cover the pan and turn the heat down to the lowest possible.
Cook for 40 minutes–checking from time to time to prevent burning.
Take care when checking not to break up the softening broccoli into a mush!
Season with salt and pepper.
A little lemon juice squeezed over makes a good finish.
Season with salt and pepper.
A little lemon juice squeezed over makes a good finish.
We had it for lunch today with a baked sweet potato.
Robin Ellis 