A New Look At An Old, Green Favorite

About author / Amy Powell

World traveler; gourmet 30 minute meals; lover of exotic ingredients; winner on FoodTV's Chefs vs City; graduate French Culinary Institute. Her recipes will tantalize your taste buds.

Let’s play a game of guess the food. Who am I? Although not called by name, I was most probably first described in writings by the Roman historian, Pliny the Elder. In spite of my early recognition, I was foreign in the Americas until about the time of Thomas Jefferson. Even then, I was virtually unknown in the United States until I was commercially cultivated in the 1920s. Now, I am practically ubiquitous as a fallback side dish.

Some people love me, and other people, like the elder President Bush, famously despise me thanks to bad childhood experiences. But even if a President hated me, I must be cool, because back in the Olsen twins’ record making days, Mary Kate and Ashley immortalized me in a cheery pop-tune about me and a bar of chocolate meeting in a grocery store.

Still don’t know who I am? Okay, that last clue might have thrown you off, but the President Bush hint was a dead give-away. I am your favorite but under-appreciated tree-like vegetable: broccoli!

This time of year, when lettuces and tomatoes are on vacation until summer, broccoli is at its very best. Broccoli thrives in winter weather and comes with high doses of Vitamin C and soluble fiber, perfect to help ward off those winter colds.

What is most interesting is how broccoli was nearly non-existent in this country prior to the 1920s. In an old facsimile of the Original Fanny Farmer Cookbook, cauliflower, asparagus, and squash all make appearances, but there is not even a mention of broccoli. Now, of course, broccoli is the go-to food found everywhere from steamed as a side in steakhouses to sautéed as a foil to the spice and grease of Chinese kung pao chicken.

Now we seem to take broccoli for granted even though there was indeed a time when broccoli was a novelty. It was neither despised nor revered; it was simply not known! And now that we feel we know it too well, maybe it is time to take a look at this vegetable with fresh eyes and a fresh take on how to use it in the kitchen.

Truth be told, broccoli couldn’t be simpler to prepare. It tastes great raw on a crudite platter as well as steamed in the microwave and tossed with a little butter and seasoning. Granted, one must be a little careful because the ease in which it cooks does not tend to lend it well to long cooking time dishes such as soups and braises as it kind of dissolves and will give the whole dish a brownish, over-cooked broccoli look.

But broccoli braised on its own is a fantastic idea. Sautéed with garlic and red chili flakes and finished in white wine, this is a somewhat different spin on the simple side and slightly more interesting than just steaming. Take it a step further and pulse the braised broccoli in food processor, finish with a touch of cream and Parmesan cheese for consistency and richness, and you have a more flavorful and vitamin rich alternative to the usual mashed potatoes. Now comes the crazy part. Take that same cheesy mashed broccoli, thin it out with a bit of pasta water, toss with the cooked pasta of your choice, and you have a garden fresh main course as vibrantly colored and fresh to be fit for a summer menu.

President Bush may have considered abstaining from broccoli his Presidential privilege, but his four years were up a long time ago. And in case you were looking to down-load it off i-Tunes, that Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen song aptly titled “Broccoli and Chocolate” really exists and can be found along with other such moving numbers as “Brother for Sale.” In the meantime, if what was once new is now old, perhaps it is time to remake it anew and rediscover the glory days of broccoli, a deservedly favorite green vegetable.

Serves/Makes: 4

***Smashed Garlic Broccoli***

• 1 pound broccoli crowns
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• salt
• 2 glasses white wine
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

***Pasta***

• 2/3 pound dry pasta such as linguine
• olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• red chili flakes