Broccoli is a natural all-rounder. It can be an invigorating addition to salads as well as a serious help in soups. Recipes involving broccoli could make up a multi-volume culinary encyclopedia of delicious and healthy living.
Broccoli, what you need to know about it
100 grams of broccoli satisfies 110% of the daily requirement of vitamin C. It also contains half the daily amount of potassium and magnesium. However, it only has 46 kcal – less than a fresh cucumber.
Broccoli has something of the flavor of green asparagus, and is sometimes called ‘asparagus cabbage’ for a reason. Pick the fiercest florets without a hint of yellow on the counter. And don’t hesitate to smell the green shrub: The intrusive cabbage smell is a bad omen – young broccoli has a grassy spring scent. Frozen broccoli retains almost all of its vitamin content. So let it be better frozen than sluggish.
Broccoli, where to put it, what to combine it with
1. In salads the ideal companions for broccoli are fried bacon, eggs, tomatoes, creamy and cheesy dressings.
2. a strudel, quiche or unsweetened pie can be filled with broccoli to add freshness. Just cover it carefully with batter or filling – the delicate cabbage doesn’t like direct heat.
3. Broccoli goes well with white wine, eggs, garlic, cheese and chili peppers in sauces.
4 An elementary but most gourmet way to handle broccoli is to steam the green branches and drizzle with melted butter mixed with garlic. But keep the florets in boiling or steaming for no more than 6-8 minutes, and then – immediately – flip them in ice water, the temperature difference will keep the broccoli bright colour and crunchy. And don’t forget that broccoli is a relative of the common cauliflower. So recipes that specify cauliflower will also work for its ‘cousin’, but will turn out more vitamin-packed, brighter and more invigorating.
Recipes with broccoli
We’re sure you haven’t made broccoli pesto yet. But farfalle with broccoli pesto will help correct this “unfortunate misunderstanding”. It’s possible that this unusual pesto will become your favorite addition to your dishes.
Broccoli is very often cooked in batter. We went a step further and made an interesting breading for this cabbage using bread, smoked bacon and spices. The breaded broccoli can be either a side dish or a dish in its own right.
Broccoli soup with cheese croutons
To make broccoli soup tasty and flavorful (broccoli tastes pretty specific), you need to add “secret” ingredients to it. In this case, we added potatoes cooked in chicken broth, cream cheese and some garlic and onions. Cheesy toast goes very well with this soup.
Steamed broccoli with smoked salmon
Thanks to the soy sauce and sesame oil, you get an Asian-style dish. And you can serve broccoli with smoked salmon both as a salad and as a hot dish.