Favorite broccoli dishes ;)

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Originally posted by shaynas_mom

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Originally posted by MissKitty

A question ... does anyone have a tried and tested recipe for broccoli rice and cheese casserole that DOESN'T involve cheese whiz/velveeta and tinned soup ? I tried asking my boyfriend but he's only made it with cheesey ricaroni, which I have pointed out to him we can't get here.

Miss Kitty: I can't vouch for the "tried and tested", but there's a slew of just broccoli casserole recipes here: http://southernfood.about.com/od/broccolicasserolerecipes/

As for myself, I've loved broccoli for so many years I can't remember. But the strange thing is, I really don't remember my mother ever preparing or serving it when I was growing up. I do think that broccoli is one of G-d's perfect foods! My daughter and I like to just steam it. She loves to put lemon juice all over it and I usually end up putting soy sauce ("lite") all over it (I put soy sauce all over everything).

I noticed in Adjudicator's post way back on this thread that he batter-fries it and I'd be interested to have a recipe for that. I've had it tempura in Japanese restaurants before, along with other vegetables, and always like it that way.

When I first went on Weight Watchers, the only thing I'd get from a Chinese restaurant would be the chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side. I loved that.

"I noticed in Adjudicator's post way back on this thread that he batter-fries it and I'd be interested to have a recipe for that. I've had it tempura in Japanese restaurants before, along with other vegetables, and always like it that way."

I basically use tempura style batter. I blanch broc. briefly 1st, of course. DON'T FORGET about the broccoli cornbread, though!!!!!!!

Broccoli ?? Pappy and I both love the stuff. Raw in salads or with dip, steamed, or in casseroles. We eat broc at least once or twice weekly. I have 2 nice fresh heads of it in the refrigerator right now and will probably steam one of them for lunch. Melted butter with a touch of fresh lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper. Deeeeeeeelish.

Mrs. Pappy

Cubby Broccoli also produced Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, by the way. Also written by Ian Fleming.

My favorite way to prepare broccoli is similar to Sugarlander's stir-fry, but a little different.

Saute 1/2 diced onion in vegetable oil in a wok for a minute, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and about 1/2" to 1" grated ginger. Stir fry for a few minutes and add the fresh broccoli florets. Stir and fry for several minutes more. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, a good splash of soy sauce, and a splash of Chinese rice wine. Simmer until cooked but still crunchy. I also do fresh green beans this way, but haven't experimented with other vegetables.

Jennie

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Originally posted by Jennie

Cubby Broccoli also produced Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, by the way. Also written by Ian Fleming.

My favorite way to prepare broccoli is similar to Sugarlander's stir-fry, but a little different.

Saute 1/2 diced onion in vegetable oil in a wok for a minute, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and about 1/2" to 1" grated ginger. Stir fry for a few minutes and add the fresh broccoli florets. Stir and fry for several minutes more. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, a good splash of soy sauce, and a splash of Chinese rice wine. Simmer until cooked but still crunchy. I also do fresh green beans this way, but haven't experimented with other vegetables.

Jennie

This would also be good (better IMHO) if a bit of Szechuan chili oil was added to the wok.

We just like the good old standby broccoli casserole:

A couple of cups of cooked broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the above. Pour into a baking dish sprayed with Pam (or buttered dish--doesn't matter).

Make topping: Crumble up Ritz crackers (as much or as little as you want for your topping). Mix the crumbled crackers with as much melted butter as you like (doesn't take that much for a good result). Sprinkle on top of your casserole. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Now I'm going to sneak in my favorite asparagus recipe just because it is so very good, in case anyone out there likes asparagus too. I make both of these for the groaning board at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Swiss Asparagus

First, steam until tender but not limp:
2 bunches of fresh asparagus (in a pinch you can use 3 cans of asparagus, but of course you don't have to cook it then)

Make a white sauce out of the following:
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

To this white sauce now add:
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Next, saute until tender:
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped onion

Add the celery and onions to white sauce (butter and all).

Next, add to the sauce:
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Now, time to assemble. Alternate layers of asparagus and sauce in a lightly greased 2-quart casserole, ending with sauce. Sprinkle with crushed Ritz crackers that have been mixed with melted butter. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Looks complicated but it's really not and soooooo good. Don't leave out the pimiento and the eggs. The pimiento adds color and the hard-cooked eggs add texture and richness. Yummy!

I have been grilling broccoli or baking it in a 450-500 degree oven. Just coat fresh broccoli spears with oil and garlic or use garlic flavored olive oil, salt and pepper and grill on aluminum foil until barely tender. A restaurant in Florida serves this with all of their entrees but their's is slightly better because they use a marinade and cook it on a wood burning grill.

I'm one of those who likes his broccoli cooked crisp/tender with butter, salt, and pepper. I've found this easy to do in the microwave. Is there any advantage to steaming it? Seems like it would involve more cookware and take more time but, if it's better, I'll give it a try. Comments?? pb

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

quote:

Originally posted by Jennie

My favorite way to prepare broccoli is similar to Sugarlander's stir-fry, but a little different.

Saute 1/2 diced onion in vegetable oil in a wok for a minute, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and about 1/2" to 1" grated ginger. Stir fry for a few minutes and add the fresh broccoli florets. Stir and fry for several minutes more. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, a good splash of soy sauce, and a splash of Chinese rice wine. Simmer until cooked but still crunchy. I also do fresh green beans this way, but haven't experimented with other vegetables.

Jennie

This would also be good (better IMHO) if a bit of Szechuan chili oil was added to the wok.

Yes, but then my 2-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter wouldn't love it like they do. lol

Jennie

I probably posted this somewhere before...

Mediterranean Linguine with Broccoli Rabe


Olive oil
2 cups sliced fresh portobello mushrooms
4 medium sized bell peppers (2 green & 2 red) seeded and cut into thin strips
2 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 cup Italian dressing
6 tablespoons sliced, pitted ripe olives
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
12 oz. whole wheat linguine, uncooked
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces (or more) broccoli rabe(can substitute fresh broccoli florets)
Fresh lime juice

Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms and next three ingredients; sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add artichokes, Italian dressing, olives, and parsley; cook three minutes until thoroughly heated; stirring occasionally.

Cook linguine according to package directions, using no seasonings and/or fat; drain well. Combine linguine and vegetable mixture; toss well. Transfer mixture to a serving dish; sprinkle with cheese; **(see step 2)**, and serve immediately. Yield: Approx. 10-12 (1 cup servings).

--Step 2--

Lightly steam broccoli rabe until crisp-tender. Drench with fresh lime juice & place desired portions on top of prepared pasta.

Additional serving suggestions:

Serve with a nice loaf of crusty French bread, reeking of garlic butter and freshly ground black pepper.

For the more adventurous, serve the pasta as a side dish with Sautéed Red Snapper with Pancetta Salsa. ;) (This is entirely another recipe/story)

Broccoli Cheese Soup is how I like to eat my veggies.

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Originally posted by Michael Stern

Mama Lo's Broccoli Casserole!

5 slices white bread, torn into bite-size pieces
1 bunch broccoli
3 eggs
¼ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch square Pyrex baking dish. Cover bottom of dish generously with torn bread. Cut broccoli (head and tops of stems) into bite-size pieces and lay on top of bread. Mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over broccoli and bread. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 35 minutes.
Serves 6.

I made this recipe last night and my wife and I liked it enough to have it again soon. The bread becomes somewhat custardy and, with the sweetness, reminded us (a little) of corn pudding. The broccoli was just a tad too crisp so next time will let it go for another 5 minutes or so. Also, a bit less sugar and bit more salt might be in order, but it really was very good just the way it's written. It is VERY important, as you might imagine, to butter the baking dish well. pb

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage is a favorite of mine.

Separate the broccoli and peel the stems, then rinse under water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. In a big saute pan, saute some fresh Italian sausage (no fennel) in olive oil, until crusty, breaking it up into 1/2" or so pieces. Add the broccoli and a few cloves of smashed garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a bit of water from the pasta pot. Cover and braise about 10 minutes. For pasta I use, Orechiette (sp?) or another medium sized pasta that will grab the sausage bits. When the pasta is done, add it to the pan with the broccoli and saute to bring it all together, adding a bit more pasta water if it's too dry. Check for salt and pepper, drizzle with some olive oil and serve with a sheep's milk cheese.

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Originally posted by porkbeaks

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

Mama Lo's Broccoli Casserole!

5 slices white bread, torn into bite-size pieces
1 bunch broccoli
3 eggs
¼ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch square Pyrex baking dish. Cover bottom of dish generously with torn bread. Cut broccoli (head and tops of stems) into bite-size pieces and lay on top of bread. Mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over broccoli and bread. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 35 minutes.
Serves 6.

I made this recipe last night and my wife and I liked it enough to have it again soon. The bread becomes somewhat custardy and, with the sweetness, reminded us (a little) of corn pudding. The broccoli was just a tad too crisp so next time will let it go for another 5 minutes or so. Also, a bit less sugar and bit more salt might be in order, but it really was very good just the way it's written. It is VERY important, as you might imagine, to butter the baking dish well. pb

I've made this recipe several times since it was first posted here. I would agree with all your comments and have made the necessary adjustments.

Also, I've lately been employing a more basic, no frills method recommended by an Italian friend of mine. He told me this is a classic way of preparing broccoli in the Italian style:

Take fresh broccoli (enough for however many people it needs to feed) and separate florets from the stalk. The stalk should then be trimmed with a potato peeler and cut into bite size pieces.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a heavy sautee or frying pan. Toss broccoli in and cook uncovered, stirring frequently. You want to cook the broccoli long enough and hot enough to almost char the broccoli (we don't want to actually burn the stuff, just get some nice dark brown in spots). The brocoli will remain a nice bright green highlighted by the rich brown spots.

When broccoli is tender crisp remove from fire and season to taste with salt and pepper. A splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice is allowable along with a dusting of fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese.

As much as I like a broccoli casserole (or any kind of casserole for that matter), sometimes you want your broccoli to taste more like, well, just broccoli. This method satisfies that yearning.

Similar to the other posts, I like broccoli lightly steamed with butter and lemon, or hot pepper vinegar.

I have a broccoli-rice casserole that the family likes and kids will eat because of the cheese in it, I'll look for it and post.

Broccoli-Rice Casserole

1 stick butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 pkg frozen broccoli, (mixed or florets), thawed and drained, or 2 cups fresh broccoli, cooked al dente and drained well
1 can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 Kraft garlic-cheese roll
11/2 cup cooked rice
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
seasoned breadcrumbs

Preheat oven 350

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, and add onion and celery, saute until soft, about 5-8 minutes

Stir in remaining ingredients (except breadcumbs), and pour into a greased baking dish, top with seasoned breadcrumbs (about 1/2-3/4 cup to cover) and bake 45 minutes.