Sautéed Broccolini

in Garlic and Oil

This is as simple as it gets, and is simply delicious. It takes only minutes to prepare.

Broccolini is lightly steamed until it’s tender-crisp, and then quickly sautéed in good olive oil and chopped garlic. Add a dash of salt and pepper, and you’ve got the perfect one-pan side dish. This simple cooking method works for many other vegetables as well.

Ingredients:

• broccolini, as much as you want

• a glug of fruity olive oil

• freshly chopped garlic, to taste (I use quite a bit)

• kosher salt and pepper

• Optional: red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, or a squeeze of lemon

Method:

• Use a vegetable peeler to thinly peel the tough outer layer of the stalks, and any leaves, of the broccolini. Try not to remove too much. Trim the ends on the bias.

• Pour some cold fresh water into a skillet, about 2” or so, and lightly salt the water.

• Bring it to a boil and add the broccolini stalks. Cover the skillet and steam the broccolini for 2-3 minutes, then remove the cover and continue to rapidly boil until the water is cooked out. If you’re concerned about the vegetable getting too soft before the water is gone, you can strain it out.

• Add a glug of olive oil to the pan. Push the broccolini to one side and add the garlic into the oil. Let the garlic cook for a minute or so. It’s best if it doesn’t brown, but you want it to lose that raw garlic “bite.” Then push the broccolini back to the center of the pan and toss it in the garlic and oil. Sauté until fork tender, to your liking.

• Arrange the broccolini on a serving platter and scatter the garlic over the top. Add a bit more salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill. I enjoy this in it’s simplest form, but you can also add a squeeze of fresh lemon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over the top. Add some red pepper flakes if you’d like it to have some heat. Your broccolini is ready to serve.