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The Kitchn: Versatile veggie: Broccoli five ways

By Emma Christensen on

TheKitchn.com

Allow me to present the humble broccoli -- beloved steamed side dish with lemon and butter, faithful team player to quick stir-fries, virtuous add-in to a number of cheesy pasta dishes. Broccoli is the vegetable we reach for when we need a little something extra to round out a meal. Here's how to find a good broccoli bunch, along with five ways to cook it up.

Buying the best broccoli

When buying broccoli, choose vegetables that have a uniform green color with no major brown or yellowing spots. The broccoli stem should feel firm, and the crown should be tight and springy; soft stems or limp florets are a sign of old broccoli. Store broccoli in the crisper drawer in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Broccoli should keep fairly well for at least a week.

Ways to prepare broccoli

Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sauteed and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill! For your dining pleasure, here are five recipes for this versatile vegetable.

 

What You Need

1 or more heads broccoli

A paring knife

Equipment for cooking

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