FOR THE LOVE OF BROCCOLI

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Three old recipes, and a new one for you today. We have broccoli at least once weekly, and these are the recipes in rotation because we never get tired of them. Contrary to many people, we are not too wild about simply roasting broccoli because for my taste it gets a little too harsh and bitter. I much rather enjoy it in different ways, although if you invite me over for dinner and serve me roasted broccoli, I will lick my plate clean, no worries. Let’s start with the new recipe, a super simple Broccoli Soup. No cream, no special ingredients, it is simple, light and delicious…

LIGHT BROCCOLI SOUP

LOW-FAT BROCCOLI SOUP
(slightly adapted from The Spruce Eats)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups broccoli, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup almond or oat milk

Heat oil on medium heat in a large stockpot. Sauté the shallot and celery for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the cubed potato, broccoli, broth, and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

Allow the soup to cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth in two batches. Return the blended soup to the pot and heat gently until ready to serve.

Top with croutons or sautéed almonds, whatever your heart desires.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: So far I’ve made this soup three times, and it’s been perfect each time. It has a very creamy texture, maybe it is that small amount of potato speaking. Truly magical. Try it, if you want a light but luscious soup for your dinner. Now moving on to the three oldies but goodies…

SMASHED BROCCOLI WITH CHEESE

This was originally posted last year (check the post here). It was already in the Incredibly Simple files, but I simplified it further by steaming the broccoli in the microwave, using a plastic cover recommended by my friend Marie Louise (click here to see it). I place the florets in a microwave-safe plate, with just enough water clinging to the surface from washing the florets. Place the over on top and steam for 1 minute. If already getting tender, I proceed with the smashing and roasting with cheese as described in the post. If still too tough, hear a few more seconds in the microwave.

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI, ANY WAY YOU LIKE

Basic method described in this post. I usually keep it super simple. In the final 3 minutes of cooking I whisk a little olive oil with lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle some salt. When the broccoli comes out of the pan, into a serving bowl it goes, and my little dressing is poured on top while the broccoli florets are super hot still. How often can you have a flavorful side dish that is ready in…. 8 minutes total? You can season it in the end in countless ways – miso, as in my post, vinaigrettes, sesame oil, anything goes.

BROCCOLI PUREE A LA JACQUES PEPIN

Not the best picture I’ve ever taken, but this is truly delicious and I make it often. The original post is from 2014, so yes, I’ve been making it for 10 years (click here for full recipe). I now omit the brown butter and after cooking the broccoli florets until tender in salted water, I process them with full-fat yogurt, salt, pepper, and if needed a bit of the cooking water. I rarely need the water, usually I just adjust the consistency with yogurt. The spinach goes into the processor raw. I eye-ball everything, taste as I go. Once the consistency is right and the seasoning to my liking, it goes into a serving dish. If I want a little more richness, I sprinkle cheese on top and bake it until the cheese melts a bit.

ONE YEAR AGO: Spanakopita, Crackers and the Adventure of Phyllo Dough

TWO YEARS AGO: Chicken Noodle Soup

THREE YEARS AGO: Floral Chocolate Stick Cookies

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sally’s Spicy Mango and Coconut Macarons

FIVE YEARS AGO: Bouillabaise for a Chilly Evening

SIX YEARS AGO: Bergamot-Cherry Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Veggies with Queso Cotija Dressing

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Creamy Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole

NINE YEARS AGO: Maple Walnut Biscotti

TEN YEARS AGO: Barley Risotto with Peas

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Oatmeal Fudge Bars

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Cauliflower Steaks

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Soft Spot for Chevre

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Quick sun-dried Tomato Crostini

13Oct2023

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TIMES THREE

Posted in Incredibly simple, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It’s been a few months since I blogged on super simple stuff, so here I am… I will start with a pretty unusual and kind of cute take on the humble broccoli. I am sure you are familiar with smashed potatoes, but in this version, broccoli is the one getting smashed and baked. Delicious, and oh so simple!

SMASHED BROCCOLI

Here’s what you do: cook broccoli florets – as many as will fit in a baking sheet – until just tender, don’t let it get all mushy. Drain, run through very cold water to stop the cooking. Add the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet, smash them flat with the bottom of a measuring cup, drizzle a good amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of cheese on top. You can load it with cheese if you want, or use restraint like we did. You can use mozzarella, Gruyere, Mexican cheese, whatever you feel like. Bake at 425F until the cheese is melted, bubbly, getting dark on the edges. ENJOY!

Inspiration for this recipe came from an Instagram post that my friend Elaine shared with me. You can find it here. She goes heavily on the cheese, and next time I might do the same, at least in some pieces. Mouth-watering stuff!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SLICES

Usually I resort to bags of cut butternut squash because I despise having to prep it myself. However, recently I used this trick that is a game changer: microwave the butternut squash for 4 minutes. No need to poke holes, nothing. Just microwave, allow it to cool a bit until you can handle it, and it will peel like a dream! Then just slice it, coat the slices with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and roast or air-fry it.

If you find a butternut squash with super long neck, go for it. More slices for you!

BRITISH-STYLE JACKED POTATOES

Phil and I make these ALL THE TIME. I was sure it was on the blog already, then he asked me for the link to send to a friend and I had one of those big “palm-to-forehead” moments. No blog post to be found. Better late than never, here’s what you do: get very large Russet potatoes, wash, scrub them and make two deep cuts in a cross. Season lightly with salt. Place in a 400F oven for TWO HOURS. That is it. Ten minutes before the two hours are up, go with a knife and cut the cross slits a little deeper, squeeze the potatoes (wearing gloves) to open the flesh a bit. Drizzle a touch of olive oil and bake for the additional ten minutes or until they start to get all golden. DONE. You can eat the skin and all, it will be crunchy, the flesh very smooth and flavorful. You can read all the details about it here.

I hope you give these simple recipes a try. Sometimes simple is all you need…

ONE YEAR AGO: Chile Rellenos

TWO YEARS AGO: Vietnamese “Pizza”

THREE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Bonbons with Mango-Ganache Filling

FOUR YEARS AGO: Giant Cookie Meets Mousse

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Brazilian Battenberg

SIX YEARS AGO: Salzburg Sourdough

SEVEN YEARS AGO: If I had One Hour

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Rye Bread with Flaxseeds and Oats

TEN YEARS AGO: Apricot-Raspberry Sorbet: A farewell to Summer

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Marcela’s Salpicon

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Pork Kebabs

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Fondant au Chocolat

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Got Spinach? Have a salad!

13Jun2023

SHRIMP WITH PICKLED JALAPEÑOS AND BROCCOLI

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

This super simple recipe is almost a full meal in itself, but of course rice is more than welcome on the same plate… Pickled jalapeños pack a ton of flavor and although slightly hot, they won’t overpower your senses. Great ingredient to keep in the fridge and add to stir-fries, omelettes, salads. In this recipe, you’ll use not only the peppers but also the pickling liquid.

SHRIMP WITH PICKLED JALAPEÑOS AND BROCCOLI
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 quarts water + 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup sugar, fully dissolved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons jarred pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid
salt and pepper to taste
1 small head broccoli, florets cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp cornstarch

Brine the shrimp by covering it with the salt-sugar water for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly, set on paper towels to dry.

In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey and 1 to 2 tablespoons of pickling liquid. Add this mixture to the brined, dried shrimp and let it sit for half an hour in the fridge.

Place the broccoli florets in a dish with a moistened paper towel on top, and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove the paper towel and let it sit at room temperature until you use it in the stir-fry.

Heat a large non-stick skillet, add the shrimp with the marinade. Cook stirring every so often until the shrimp is almost cooked through. Add the broccoli, the pickled jalapeños, season with salt and pepper, and sautee everything together until the broccoli is tender and the shrimp fully cooked. Mix the soy, water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add to the pan and cook until it thickens. Sprinkle the feta cheese and serve immediately over rice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I was inspired by this recipe for chicken and changed things around to turn it into a seafood version. Without the added soy-cornstarch in the end, I thought it ended a bit too dry for our taste. We like to have some sauce to mingle with the rice. Play with the amount of pickled jalapeños and their pickling liquid to find the level that pleases you most. We like spicy food but not too much. A little lemon juice in the end is also a good move, keep that in mind.

SOMEONE TURNED ONE YEAR OLD YESTERDAY!

ONE YEAR AGO: Sticky Spicy Pork Over Golden Rice

TWO YEARS AGO: Mini-Pullman Sourdough Bread

THREE YEARS AGO: Gibassier

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sundried Tomato Twist Bread

FIVE YEARS AGO: And now for something completely different….

SIX YEARS AGO: Parsnip, Coconut, and Lemongrass Soup

SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2016

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Paleo Moussaka

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2014

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2013

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Crimson and Cream Turkey Chili

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Taking a break from the nano-kitchen

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies

20Mar2022

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH MISO VINAIGRETTE

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Some recipes become part of our routine and the pan-steamed broccoli is my default. Six exact minutes cooking. Six minutes that I use to make a simple dressing as described in the original blog post of years ago (click here). This time, I took the flavor into a Japanese territory, and used miso, vinegar, and ginger. Sesame seeds closed the deal. If you find broccoli flavor too strong, this method might please you, because it masks it quite a bit. If you prefer to taste the real flavor of broccoli, stay with a simpler dressing as previously blogged.

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH MISO VINAIGRETTE
(adapted from Ellie Krueger)

1 large head of broccoli florets (1½ pounds)
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp honey
grated fresh ginger, to taste
sesame seeds to garnish

Place the broccoli florets more or less in a single layer inside a saucepan. Add ½ cup water, sprinkle salt all over. Cover and cook over a high heat for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Do not remove the lid during cooking. When the broccoli is done, it will be cooked to crisp-tender. If you prefer it a bit softer, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit, covered, for another minute or two.

While the broccoli is cooking, make the dressing whisking all ingredients (from miso to ginger) vigorously until smooth.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl, toss gently with the dressing, and garnish with sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I share the picture of what the pan will look like once you open it at the end of 6 minutes, because if I don’t you will be shocked and hate me for a few minutes. It will look bad. However, it cleans like a breeze, do not worry about it, the moment you rinse the pan that brown residue goes away. And you are left with perfectly cooked broccoli that can be dressed in any way you like. As I mentioned, this is a recipe I cook all the time, probably once/week. We love it, and it is sooooo simple! The dressing tames the natural funky flavor of broccoli. It will please that family member who twists the nose at this beautiful vegetable.

ONE YEAR AGO: Cookies and Rubber Stamps

TWO YEARS AGO: Macarons for all Seasons and Reasons

THREE YEARS AGO: Lentils and Radicchio? Yes, please!

FOUR YEAR AGO: Tres Leches Cake

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Joys of Grating Squash

SIX YEARS AGO: Auberge-Pecan Walnut Bread

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Gluten-free and Vegan Raspberry Bars

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Lasserre, a French Classic

NINE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Bread with Walnuts and Dates

TEN YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Apricot Glaze

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Pork Tenderloin and Blue Cheese

12Dec2018

BROCCOLI SOUFFLE

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Some recipes can be intimidating, and soufflé is definitely part of the group. But honestly, it is very easy and flexible, in the sense that you can add pretty much anything you want to the basic formula. Plus, even if it does not rise as high as you would like, it’s always delicious. I guess the only way to really ruin a souffle is baking it to the point it dries out, but to get there the surface would be so dark, it would act as a warning sign. Of course, I suppose one could forget it in the oven. But, I digress. This version is a variation of my default recipe from Julia Child, a recipe that never let me down. Broccoli makes the egg mixture slightly more dense, so it won’t rise as much as a souffle prepared exclusively with cheese. But I will share a couple of tricks to maximize lift under the circumstances. Read on.

BROCCOLI SOUFFLE‘
(adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

6-cup mold, buttered and sprinkled with grated Parmigiano cheese

Parmigiano cheese for mold (about 2 T)

3T butter
3T flour
1 cup hot milk
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites + pinch salt
3/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 to 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Before you start, cook the broccoli florets. Place in a microwave-safe dish, season lightly with salt, and sprinkle some water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. Immediately remove from the dish and lay on a plate to cool. Cut in pieces that are no more than 3/4 inch big. Reserve.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, don’t allow it to brown. Remove from the heat, and when the butter stops furiously boiling, add the milk all at once. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes more. The sauce will thicken considerably. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Remove from heat, allow it to cool for 5 minutes or so, and add the egg yolks, one by one, mixing very well after each addition. This sauce can be prepared to this point and refrigerated; bring it to lukewarm before continuing. If you decide not to refrigerate it, then dot it with butter, cover it with a plastic wrap and go work on the egg whites.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form – depending on your mixer or the strength of your biceps it will take 2 to 5 minutes. Add 1/3 of this mixture to the sauce, to thin it slightly – add the cheese and mix well.

Now, add the remaining egg whites and fold into the sauce. You don’t need to mix it until it is all incorporated and totally homogeneous, because the “lift” of your souffle’ depends on the air present in the beaten egg whites. When it’s almost fully folded, add the broccoli florets and fold a few times, very gently.

Fill the souffle’ mold to 3/4 of its volume, place it in a 400F oven, reducing the temperature immediately to 375F. Cook the souffle’ for 30 minutes – do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes. If you like it moist inside, serve after 30 minutes. I prefer to cook for 5 additional minutes, then the texture inside is perfect, not too dry, not too creamy.

Serve right away, souffle waits for no one!

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The best way to maximize lift when using a heavy vegetable such as broccoli, is to cut it in smallish pieces and add them to the base when you are almost ready to pour it into the baking dish. Some recipes will ask you to process the veggies, but I much prefer slightly larger pieces. For that very reason, blanching, steaming (or cheating and using the microwave) is also recommended. I’ve made the exact same recipe using raw broccoli and prefer it this way.

Here’s free advice for my readers: if you are the partner or family member of a food blogger, get out-of-the-way once the souffle is served. Yes, you will be eating it soon, but picture obviously trumps appetite. Obviously.