Eat Fresh - Broccoli

Published January 24, 2007 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

I have always loved broccoli. When I was a youngster, it was the “fancy” vegetable in my family. My mom would tell us to pick a veggie for dinner and my older sister and I would rummage through the freezer, scoping out our choices. There would be peas, corn, peas and carrots and the dreaded mixed vegetables with lima beans (we would bury that one as far back as it would go). “Trees,” we would invariably call out. “We want trees!”

The only way we had our “trees” was boiled in salted water and served plain, maybe with a little butter if we were lucky. But we still loved them. We would pretend to be giants ravaging the landscape. “Here goes another tree! Fee fi fo fum!”

I still love broccoli, although I now know a lot more ways to fix it. I like it in casseroles, raw with dip, stir-fried and carmelized with onions. Still, my favorite is just steamed with a little butter. You can’t mess with the classics.

Broccoli is a cold-weather vegetable, so it is at its best between October and April. We are actually eating the flowers and flower stalks – the leaves are edible but very bitter. The flower heads – called florets – should still be tightly closed and have a rich, deep green color. The thinner the stems the better. They tend to get woody as they get thicker. If you do have thick stalks, say more than an inch in diameter, try peeling them before cooking.

This vegetable does not keep long, so you want to eat it within a couple of days of buying it. It will last two or three days wrapped in a damp paper towel in the fridge. For longer storage, cut it into pieces, steam it for about 5 minutes and then freeze it for up to a year.

One fun broccoli fact: Broccoli has the distinction of being the only vegetable ever to be banned from the White House. This was during the presidency of George H.W. Bush, who apparently never learned how fun it is to eat “trees.”

Penne with Peppery Broccoli and Morel Sauce

This is a simple dish that lets the taste of the broccoli and the mushrooms really shine through. It also works well with dried shitaki or crimini mushrooms.

1/2 ounce dried morel mushrooms

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 cup minced fresh basil or parsley leaves

1 pound penne or similar tubular dried pasta

1 head of broccoli, separated into flowerets and stems, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound in all)

Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and slice them, discarding the tough stems. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve 1/3 cup. In a saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot, add the onion and the mushrooms, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is pale golden. Add garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and salt to taste and simmer the sauce for 1 minute. Stir in the basil. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the penne for 6 minutes, add the broccoli, and cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes more or until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is just tender. Drain the mixture, transfer it to a heated bowl, and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is my favorite soup. It is creamy and rich and makes a great lunch or dinner.

1 bunch broccoli, about 1 1/4 pounds, washed and trimmed

2 cups sliced onions

5 tablespoons butter or margarine

7 cups chicken broth, divided

1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Cut florets off broccoli and divide into small sections. Simmer in lightly salted water for 2 minutes; drain and immerse in cold water to stop cooking then set aside. Cut stalks into small pieces; place in a large saucepan. Add sliced onions and 3 tablespoons of butter to saucepan; sauté over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and oregano to the saucepan; simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully process hot mixture in batches in a blender until smooth. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Stir in mustard and pepper. Gradually stir in processed mixture and remaining 4 cups of chicken broth. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble. Add milk and cheese; stir until smooth and cheese is melted. Add remaining broccoli florets and heat through. Serves 8.