Five ways to eat more broccoli (be good to your body!)

Recipes: Broccoli stir-fry, Long-cooked broccoli, Chopped broccoli, Wiki-wiki salad, Broccoli potato soup

Fresh green broccoli is so good and good for you, and late winter plus spring-into-summer is the time when you'll find it in farmer's markets. But cooking and eating it in some new way that'll wake up your taste buds can be challenging.

Tired of steamed spears with butter and lemon? Good as that is, sometimes we all need something new.

Here are a few pretty sweet suggestions for that great bunch of broccoli you have in the fridge.

 

1. Broccoli Stir-fry

• 1 pound fresh broccoli
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons cold water

Start by cutting the ends off the broccoli stalks and cutting the florets. Then peel the tough skin off the big stems with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Cut florets and peeled stems into 1-inch pieces.

Mix the cornstarch and cold water well in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet until hot. Add the peanut oil and stir-fry the broccoli pieces for about 2 minutes. Add salt and sugar and mix well. Add the tablespoon water and cover the wok or skillet. Let cook over high heat for a minute or so, stirring once. Uncover the pan.

Add the cornstarch-water mixture and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Serve hot over rice or noodles, or over sliced cooked chicken. Season with Tamari soy sauce and a drop of sesame or chile oil if you wish

Asparagus, zucchini, or cauliflower can be combined with broccoli or used instead of broccoli using the same stir-fry method, except that no peeling is required for those vegetables.

2, Long-cooked Broccoli

Adapted from a recipe in Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

• 1 pound broccoli
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 3 flat anchovy fillets
• 1/2 fresh lemon
• freshly grated Parmesan

Pick off any leaves and peel the tough skin off the broccoli stems with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Slice the broccoli stems and florets crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Put the slices into a skillet or shallow saucepan 2 to 3 inches deep. Peel and slice the garlic and add to the pan with the water, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and starting to fall apart, and the liquid is nearly evaporated. If the pot goes dry before the broccoli is done, add a little more water.

Roughly chop the anchovies. When the broccoli is done, sprinkle the anchovies over it, squeeze the lemon over it, and toss everything together. Serve on a warm platter and garnish at the table with a grating of Parmesan.

3. Chopped Broccoli with Lemon

From Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Something as simple as chopping the broccoli instead of leaving it large changes it completely.

• 1 pound broccoli
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• Fresh lemon for juice

Chop the broccoli into small florets and peel and finely chop the stems. Put the stems in the steaming basket, add the florets, then cover and steam until just short of tender. Put in a serving bowl, toss with olive oil or butter and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

For a heartier dish, toss equal amounts of boiled diced potatoes, cooked rice, or cooked quinoa with the cooked chopped broccoli.

4. Wiki-wiki Salad

This salad was posted earlier in this blog, but it's definitely worth repeating. Who knows where the name came from? It's basically a broccoli-cabbage-snow peas cole slaw, and can be a whole meal on a hot day.

• 1/2 small green cabbage, cored and sliced thin as for cole slaw
• a good handful of snow peas, ends removed, and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 scallions (green onions), diced including white and green parts
• 1/4 pound broccoli flowerettes, cut fairly small
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted on top of stove or in oven
• 1 pack Top Ramen noodles, chicken flavor

 Dressing:

• 1 flavor pack from Top Ramen noodles - chicken flavor
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil (like Wesson)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt (or 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine cabbage, snow peas, scallions, broccoli, and almonds in a large bowl. Crunch the ramen noodles and add them. Mix together dressing ingredients in a small jar with a cap. Shake well. Add dressing to the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly. Wiki-wiki is best if it sits for 30 minutes or so before you serve it.

5. Broccoli Potato Soup

Adapted from a recipe in Marcella Cucina

• 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced very thin
• Sea salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter (divided use)
• 3/4 pound broccoli florets, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced crosswise very thin
• 2 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into medium dice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese

Put the sliced onion, a pinch of salt, all the the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Turn on the heat to medium low and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely tender and has become colored a light brown.

When the onion is cooked, add the sliced garlic and leave the pan uncovered. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the broccoli florets and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, turning the florets over now and then, until they feel tender when you prick them with the tip of a paring knife.

Add the diced potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, turning the contents of the pan over frequently. Add the broth and cook until some of the potatoes dissolve as you stir them (20 minutes or so). The final consistency should be loosely creamy, rather than real thick.

Taste and correct for salt, and add liberal grindings of black pepper. If you are holding to heat later, put the pot aside. When you are ready to serve the soup, swirl in the torn basil (if using), the grated Parmesan, and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Serve at once in bowls.