Favorite broccoli dishes ;)

I used to hate it. My mother used to cook it every night (frozen) of course... Now, I try to eat it at least twice weekly. Let's hear from those who have their favorites to share. I like it about any way, especially raw, stir-fried, fried (with batter), as a baked potato topping, in cornbread , in soup (especially Hot & Sour Soup), and sometimes in casseroles... I tried it a few times even on pizza, but, well, you know...

Dearfolk,
Broccoli is fine with me any way it comes, but my favorite presentation of it currently is The Normaltown Cafe's broccoli casserole, which they have at least twice weekly. There's just a pinch of garlic in there someplace, and it only makes it much more better, as an old rockabilly record once proclaimed (albeit grammatically questionably).
I also love it uncooked with a splop of ranch dressing or sour cream.
Heads Up, Ort. Carlton in Similarly-Foliate Athens, Georgia.
P. S. Now let's hear it for Alfred Broccoli... wasn't/isn't he a film director? He's bound to be someone here's favorite vegetable.

Cubby Broccoli was a film producer: he made the James Bond flicks.

With broccoli, as with so many other veggies, I think the simplest way is the best: Lightly steamed until just tender and eaten unadorned. No butter, no salt, no pepper, just sweet green goodness. Can't be beat.

I agree Lucky. Broccoli is like shrimp-the less fuss the better.

Remember when Pres Bush the First had a truckload of broccoli sent to him? At the time I was working at a homeless shelter in downtown DC. Since the Pres didn't want any at all, they donated it to the DC Central Kitchen, a program that used donated food to train people to cook, then sends the resulting product to area shelters. We had broccoli every way for 2 weeks. It was great.

I'm all for the simple and unadorned - lightly steamed or raw is quite nice. However, a broccoli casserole recipe run on Alton Brown's "Good Eats" show (and most certainly online) has become one of my 'could live on it' dishes. Even with lots of sauteed mushrooms, ramen noodles, yogurt, mayo, eggs, blue cheese dressing, and cheddar, the broccoli is the star.

I like it best steamed in the microwave with a little bit of olive oil, salt & pepper on it. If I need to make it fancy, I sautee some chopped garlic cloves in olive oil, add a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped black olives and pour it over top, then add some finely grated fresh parmesan cheese.

For me, the key to broccoli is the preparation. Fresh is seldom pricey, and frozen isn't prepared properly. I cut off the stalks and peel them past the stringy layer, then slice. On the florets, remove every last vestige of leaves and any tougher skin, as THAT is the source of the bitterness some cite as their reason they won't eat it. Small pieces will cook quickly and uniformly. I prefer stir-fried, but why not steam it? I'd look for that Alton Brown (best thing on Food TV) recipe but, alas, my partner is a broccophobe.

Broccoli's bitter? Who knew?

When I was a vegetarian, in my youth, my friend and I would share steamed broccoli with a lemon tahini dressing. She would get all the florets and I would get the stalks. I just really prefer them as they are not fuzzy.

Now, I prepare the stalks cut into sort of star shapes and steamed and use the florets in a preparation with a sauce that kills the fuzzyness. Oh well, to each their own.

I like my broccoli with a cheese sauce. Next favorite way is sauteed in butter, olive oil and garlic with a good sprinking of red pepper flakes. I also enjoy it with a chinese touch as in broccoli in an oyster sauce.

I like broccoli several different ways. I like broccoli casserole-not the kind with cheese whiz and rice. I like it steamed with cheese sauce and I especially like broccoli salad made with broccoli, red onions, white raisins, pecans and a dressing of mayonaisse, sugar and vinegar.

When my daughter was a toddler, I used to give her half a baked potato (skin side up) with a couple of broccoli spears stuck in top. It was the forest where the teddy bears (small chunks of cooked beef) had their picnic. Pres. Bush Sr.'s mom must not have done that.

(Edited for spelling)

S.O.B. casserole(Squash,(yellow), onions and broccoli). Cooked until DONE. Drain, add eggs, flour, melted butter, and sharp grated cheese. Bake. Delicious fresh from the oven, reheated, or cold. It's a meal in itself. Also love it lightly steamed and in stir fry. When my daughter was a toddler she thought they were trees and at the age of 14 still calls broccoli that.She LOVES broccoli.

Broccoli is honestly one of my very favorite foods, but I do not like it raw at all. I usually eat it absolutely plain, steamed, but I won't complain if there is cheese sauce on it. I love broccoli on pizzas (white or regular) and especially in a calzone. I'll add it to any pasta salad I make as well, and love Chinese preparations, ie beef with broccoli. As long as it's cooked, I'll eat it!

My favorite broccoli dish is almost anything without broccoli.

Seriously, I just don't care for it, although I will eat some when it is one of the veggies in a good Chinese dish.

I'll eat it just about any way, hey it's good for you, but my favorite and most fattening is a broccoli cheese casserole with rice.

Steamed with either cheese sauce, hollandaise or mayo on top. My mother made a killer broccoli cheese soup too.

1. Steamed crisp-tender and served with alfredo sauce over pasta.
2. Sauted with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
3. Chinese beef and broccoli.
4. Most often just steamed with salt and pepper. Broccoli doesn't get overwhelmed
by boldly flavored entrees.

quote:

Originally posted by pdxyyz


steamed with a little salt butter and lemon.

I have to agree. Thats my absolute favourite way with most green vegetables. Especially green beans. There just something about the silkiness of the butter and the tang of the lemon that brings out the best in green veggies. I often make a two-bowl meal out of a bowl of steamed veggies with a little butter and generous squeeze of lemon, and maybe some fresh herbs according to whats on hand, and the other bowl has steamed or boiled new potatoes tossed in butter and black pepper, and I sit there taking alternate forkfuls of each. Mmmm !

My favorites:

Tempura broccoli. I love the way the florets sort of dissolve into the interior of the tempura coating, so that you almost can't tell it's broccoli anymore.

Chinese-style sauteed broccoli with brown sauce

Broccoli souffle or broccoli and red pepper quiche

I don't know if it's still on the menu, but Pizzeria Uno used to have a terrific cream of broccoli soup. It was very creamy, and it came with shreds of cheddar cheese melted on top and garlic bread on the side - Yum.

quote:

Originally posted by RubyRose

When my daughter was a toddler, I used to give her half a baked potato (skin side up) with a couple of broccoli spears stuck in top. It was the forest where the teddy bears (small chunks of cooked beef) had their picnic. Pres. Bush Sr.'s mom must not have done that.

(Edited for spelling)

RubyRose - I'm guessing you may already own a copy of Mollie Katzen's "Enchanted Broccoli Forest" cookbook? It seems like you and she would be kindred spirits.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

S.O.B. casserole(Squash,(yellow), onions and broccoli). Cooked until DONE. Drain, add eggs, flour, melted butter, and sharp grated cheese. Bake. Delicious fresh from the oven, reheated, or cold.

To which I'll add:

Steamed, then buttered with salt & fresh-gound pepper & spritzes of fresh lime (or lemon) juice. And if you don't finish it (unthinkable!), warm it just enough to melt the butter and start over.

quote:

Originally posted by spaniel

quote:

Originally posted by RubyRose

When my daughter was a toddler, I used to give her half a baked potato (skin side up) with a couple of broccoli spears stuck in top. It was the forest where the teddy bears (small chunks of cooked beef) had their picnic. Pres. Bush Sr.'s mom must not have done that.

(Edited for spelling)

RubyRose - I'm guessing you may already own a copy of Mollie Katzen's "Enchanted Broccoli Forest" cookbook? It seems like you and she would be kindred spirits.

I don't but I've checked it out from the library a lot of times. I do have her book "Vegetable Heaven" and have made so many recipes from it. Mmmmmmm

I like it deep fried in chocolate sauce.

I love brocolli, have since I was a kid, it was the only veggie my mom could get me to eat. I'm not sure of the "fules" around here adn hope this isn't faux paux, but one of my favorites is to make up the Chicken helper Chicken/Cheddar/Brocolli. After the chicken is cooked and I've got the milk and water and cheese mix stirred in I pour in a load of frozen brocolli cuts. They stay tender and moist and add alot of flavor. (In my defense for using the chicken helper I am a single 24 y.o. guy..... BTW also love teh Hamburger helper Philly Cheese, although I cut up some thin steaks to cook it with instead of hamburger, and add cut up onion and green pepper)

quote:

Originally posted by emsmom

I like broccoli several different ways. I like broccoli casserole-not the kind with cheese whiz and rice. I like it steamed with cheese sauce and I especially like broccoli salad made with broccoli, red onions, white raisins, pecans , fried bacon pieces and a dressing of mayonaisse, sugar and vinegar.

I like my broccoli in the disposal.

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.

Broccoli fixed any way is great with me, but I've also made a pesto using broccoli instead of Basil. Just substitute broccoli florets for the Basil (and I've used walnuts in place of pine nuts) and continue the recipe. It is very good and different. In fact, I've made pesto with a number of other items, i.e., spinach, parsley, sun dried tomatoes...fun to experiment.

Donna

I absolutely adore broccoli, I'll eat it with cheese sauce or chinese beef and broccoli a really great place in Searcy makes a killer one heck I guess I'll eat it any old way ya give it to me speaking about broccoli is really making me crave it mmmmm even brussel sprouts!! :)