This is broccolini! It looks like baby broccoli but really is its own species. A hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, which is a more leafy vegetable similar to Kale. It is more sweet and mellow in taste than regular broccoli.
The whole plant is edible, even the little yellow flowers that can appear on it. It is fairly delicate and doesn't need too much cooking, but you can use it much like regular broccoli, sauteed or steamed and even roasted as in this recipe. While looking on the web for ideas on how to serve it with my flank steak meal, I found a lot of great looking recipes that I am sure to revisit in the near future. Broccolini has won me over for sure!
Roasted Broccolini
1/2 pound broccolini
1 shallot, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook broccolini in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and put into a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking process. Drain completely and pat it dry with paper towels.
Place cooked broccolini on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with shallots. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place in 375 degree oven and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish. If using, drizzle lemon juice over broccolini.
Serves 4
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2010
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