Oh god, I hated broccoli when I was a kid. And do you blame me? When it is boiled, it can get mushy and smell bad. That's because broccoli is part of the brassica family, where mustard, cabbage, and cauliflower come from. Save the last one, all of those smell pretty awful when you overcook them. I didn't give it a chance again until I was in college when I had it raw. It was even better when it was roasted or grilled. I've come to love it with a crunchy stalk and crisp leaves.
This dish is exactly that. Vegetarians will find it fun to slice into like a steak and soak the tangy sauce up with the florets.
If you don't wish to use the white bbq sauce listed, try a light sauce Mornay for a grown-up version of broccoli and Velveeta.
| Things you'll need: | |
| 1 large head of broccoli, split into two OR 2 small heads 1/2 cup white bbq sauce, from Serious Eats Olive oil | For the poaching liquid, adapted from Alon Shaya: 1 cup of dry vermouth OR 1 cup of white wine 1 shot of Grand Marnier OR sweet liquor 3 cups water 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes |
Preheat the broiler on low.
Bring all of the poaching liquid ingredients to a boil in a pot.
Meanwhile, trim the large stem of the broccoli. Reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the broccoli for 15 to 20 minutes until the center stem is tender (less time if you like it extra crunchy).
Drain the vegetable well and reserve the cooking liquid for pasta or mussels another time.
Place the broccoli halves on a baking sheet and drizzle each with a bit of olive oil.
Broil for 10-15 minutes until the florets look crispy.
To serve, drizzle the white bbq sauce over the broccoli and make sure to provide a steak knife!
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Love this? It's part of my Vegetarian Spanish menu.
Let me know if you try it! Tag @Randwiches on Twitter or Instagram.