Do you buy the same vegetables over and over again? Guilty, guilty, guilty. So, I was happy to see that one of this month’s Barefoot Bloggers bonus challenges was to try a vegetable I’d never even heard of: broccolini.
Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. The florets are looser and more tender than you find with broccoli, and the stalks are longer and thinner, more like asparagus. Group members found it listed as broccolini, baby broccoli, aspiration and tender stem, so keep those aliases in mind, and look near the leafy greens instead of the broccoli.
Ina Garten’s Sautéed Broccolini is a simple side: blanch the broccolini, make the garlic-lemon butter sauce, then add the broccolini to the pan with the sauce. The mild-flavored florets soak in the sauce and make a really bright, lemony side dish. But I’m thinking the tender stalks of the broccolini would be even better in a stir-fry.
Maybe then Jeff will try them.
For now, he’s holding out for the Barefoot Bloggers second bonus recipe: Brownie Pudding.
Sautéed Broccolini
From Ina Garten (“Barefoot Contessa,” Food Network)
Serves 6
- 1 bunch broccolini
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Blanch the broccolini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.
- Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the lemon zest and garlic and stir.
- Drain the broccolini and add it to the garlic mixture and heat for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and toss well before serving.
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I liked this recipe too, I love me some lemon and garlic. My "baby broccoli" actually was by the broccoli at Whole Foods. Could this veggie be any more confusing! ;-) (And expensive!)
I found you on NaBloPoMo – I'm "The Goat" in the March Blogroll.
I have to say, I never knew what broccolini was, but I have enjoyed it several times. I'm thinking this is going to be on the table at our place within the week. I love that I learned something on my first trip to your blog! Expect to see me again :) Nice to meet you!
I didn't make this because there is no broccolini to be found in my area.
I did, however, make the brownie pudding.
Fabulous!!!
Can't wait to try the brownie pudding! We're making it tonight.
My husband can't wait for the bread pudding either. I'll be making it this weekend. I loved the broccolini. Glad you got to try a new veg.
oops, I meant brownie pudding. Is is Friday yet?
I love broccolini.. I have made it a few times by drizzling with EVOO, salt and chopped garlic then roast it in the oven. It comes out so nutty and delish!!
Glad you could find it. We didn't have it (not even at Target… which is known to have the more "snobby" ingredients in my area). Oh, well. We'll try it sometime!
I did not make this yet, but it really does sound like a nice side veggie. It is always fun to try new veggies. I have to admit that I am curious to find out whether I can find broccolini around here. If not, I guess I'll just have to make the brownie pudding.
It will be a sacrifice, I know, but it takes the heart of a lion to choose brownie pudding over broccolini. ;)
You described what broccolini is perfectly! When people asked me all I could come up with was extra long broccoli :)
Can I please just say that Ezra Pound Cake is the best name for a blog ever? I, too am married to a techie named Jeff. Interesting:) Broccolini was the Veg of Choice at the restaurants I used to work in–they braised it. Very tasty. This sounds like a lovely preparation, too. That Ina is something else:)
One of my favourite veggies, love what you did with it!
Can't believe I'd never heard of it. One of the nice things about Barefoot Bloggers is being forced to try things you wouldn't normally come across.
YUM! I love broccolini. It is more delicious than broccoli, I think. And I just love what you've done with it!! Way to introduce yourself to a fabulous new veggie.
why can't they cross broccoli with something that tastes good, like WITH the brownie pudding? That'd be my kinda veggie. It's like crossing a cockroach with a iguana. Interesting but i still don't want one in my house. Or why can't they deep fry broccoli like okra? That makes okra my #1 fav veggie. Small crunchy nuggets of non-flavored goodness.
A bundle here was around $4. I can't imagine how expensive it would be in Hawaii.
Nice to meet you, too! I'm glad you found our blog. About to look you up on the NaBloPoMo blogroll…
Oh! I hate it when Target is a letdown, although I'm in total shock that your Target might have had something like that. Really?
Extra-long broccoli is perfect! It's all about those stems.
I need to make more of an effort to try new vegetables, but I usually go with what I KNOW will get eaten. We're making the brownie pudding tonight. Everyone says it's fantastic!
Oh, I bet it's even better roasted. I'll have to try that sometime.
Thanks! I was surprised the name wasn't taken. And techies named Jeff are universally HAWT. Braised broccolini is one I'll have to try. Ina is rarely off the mark.
I really like the broccolini. So much easier to eat than broccoli. I chopped it up the next day and tossed it with some leftover pasta – yum. Yay for new veggies!
Maybe you need to rock the best of both worlds and make some veggie tempura. Or eat the brownie pudding and take a multivitamin. ;)
wow… sometimes simple things are so appealing.
Love the stir fry idea. This was simple but delicious.
I just found this article since I wanted to braise some remaining rappini which is almost (if not exactly) identical to broccilini. Just used it with sausages & eggs Sicilian style. Also just made a stirfry with partial rappini, sausage, bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms and black bean & garlic sauce. Great! I can send recipe if desired.