Let’s Talk Food: Broccolini and brussels sprouts — great spring vegetables

Spring brings many wonderful vegetables to our table. Two such vegetables are broccolini and brussels sprouts.

Broccolini:

Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and gai-lan, or Chinese broccoli, so instead of growing large heads, broccolini grows in slender individual stalks topped with a small floret. Its other names are broccoli rabe or rapini, and cooking them with garlic works well as a hot vegetable side dish. Broccolini is not bitter like broccoli, but instead has a mild, sweet taste.

Here is a recipe for spaghetti with broccoli rabe from the New York Times:

Spaghetti with Broccoli Rabe, Toasted Garlic and Bread Crumbs

Serves: 4-6

“You can use the same pot for cooking the broccoli and the pasta; you can use the same skillet for toasting the bread crumbs and finishing the dish. The whole thing will be done within 20 or 30 minutes, and it will showcase broccoli rabe beautifully, as it deserves.”

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. In a large skillet over medium-low heat:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed

When the oil is warm, cook until just fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes:

4 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered

Add:

1 cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Cook until bread crumbs are golden, 5 minutes or so. Remove and set aside.

In boiling salted water, cook until soft, about 5 minutes:

1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and washed

Remove with slotted spoon, drain and chop. Cook in same pot, according to directions on package:

1 pound spaghetti, linguine or other long pasta

Meanwhile add to skillet over medium-low heat:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Add broccoli rabe and toss well, sprinkle with salt and pepper. When it is warm, add garlic and bread crumbs and mix well.

When pasta is done, drain it, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta in skillet with broccoli rabe mixture, moistening with a little reserved water if necessary. Adjust seasonings and serve with freshly grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese.

Note: I did not add the bread crumbs as I have allergies to wheat. The pasta was tasty without it.

• • •

The recent issue of Cooking Light featured a broccolini, red pepper and roasted garlic frittata from the cookbook, “Everyday Vegetarian.”

Broccolini, Red Pepper and Roasted Garlic Frittata

Serves: 4

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low. Add:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 garlic cloves (yes, not a mistake — 12!)

Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to keep garlic from browning too quickly, 25 to 30 minutes or until garlic is very soft. Drain oil into a small bowl, reserve oil. Place garlic cloves and:

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

In food processor and process until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat.

Trim stems from tops, cut tops and stems into bite-size pieces:

1 (8 ounce) bunch broccolini

Heat a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons reserved garlic oil to pan, swirl to coat.

Add broccolini stems, and:

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1/2 cup vertically sliced sweet onion

Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender, add broccolini tops, cook 5 to 6 minutes or until the broccolini is bright green and bell peppers are tender. Fold vegetable mixture into egg mixture with:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic oil in skillet over medium-high; swirl to coat. Pour egg mixture into skillet; cook 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook without stirring, about 4 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven; broil until eggs are set and top of the frittata is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven; run a spatula around edges of frittata to loosen. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve immediately with a nice dinner salad.

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts look like and taste like a little cabbage and in fact are in the cabbage family. These sprouts are in the Brassica family, or cruciferous vegetables. You can eat them raw, just massage them in some salt to help them break down, or slice them thinly and make a slaw.

Many folks don’t like brussels sprouts, but when they have them roasted and seasoned properly, they can find it quite delightlful. Roasting sprouts gives them a nutty flavor. Try it, you will like it!

Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves: 4

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Trim out the outer, dry leaves, cut the bottom off and slice lengthwise:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

Toss sprouts with:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Toss to coat thoroughly.

Transfer the brussels sprouts to baking sheet and roast until tender and caramelized, 20 minutes.

Please sprouts back in a bowl, add:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons local Hawaiian honey

Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed.

Foodie bites

• Members of the cruciferous vegetables include: horseradish, kale, collard greens, gai-lan, cabbage, savoy cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, broccoli, broccolini, broccoli Romanesco, cauliflower, wild broccoli, bok choy, mizuna, choy sum, turnips, rutabaga, mustard greens, arugula, tatsoi, watercress, radish, daikon and wasabi.

Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.