Broccoli - the hero green veg

Roasted, blanched, steamed or stir fried, Broccoli and its taller brother Broccolini are a veg I could serve every night. While delicious steamed, or nuked in the microwave with a little water on those nights when time is the enemy, there are many more ways to enjoy them. Here are a few.

Roasted with Lemon and Parmesan – great with RedKitchen Italian Braised Beef
Toss Broccoli with a little extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest and a generous pinch of salt. Spread on an oven tray and bake at 200°C for 15–20 minutes or until the broccoli is charred. Grate over fresh Parmesan cheese and serve.

Garlic and Roast Almonds – perfect with RedKitchen Mac n Cheese
Blanch the Broccoli in a large pot of salted boiling water then submerge in a bowl of iced water. This can be done ahead of time and will ensure the broccoli is a vibrant green when served. To cook, melt a generous knob of butter with a couple of garlic cloves (finely chopped) in a wok or large pan. Add the blanched Broccoli and toss in the butter until the Broccoli has heated through. Serve with sliced and toasted almonds.

Fancy Greens – enjoy with RedKitchen Fish Pie
1 head of broccoli or broccolini stems, cut into florets

• 1 bag of green beans, ends trimmed (or use snow peas, asparagus, bok choy etc)

• olive oil

• salt & pepper

Fill a wide pot with about 3cm of water in the bottom. Season the water with a splash of olive oil and lots of flaky salt and ground black pepper. You want to see lots of black flecks in the water. Bring this to a rolling boil, then add in your chosen greens. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 3–4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving dish and, voila, perfectly glossy, seasoned greens.

Ginger and Hoisin
Heat a little oil in a wok, add finely chopped ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the Broccoli and cook for a further few minutes before adding a couple of tablespoons of soy and hoisin sauce. Continue to cook, tossing and coating the Broccoli in the sauce for 2–3 minutes until cooked and well coated in the sauce.

Recipes by Vicki Ravlich-Horan.
When Vicki is not putting together Nourish Magazine she is travelling the world, hosting foodie tours or discovering new destinations. Check them out here.