I’ll be honest, one of my favorite broccoli recipes involves cheese, mayo and Pillsbury crescent dough. I said it! “Dough” from a can. There are no redeeming health benefits to this dish, despite broccoli’s high fiber and vitamin C content, but man, does it taste good. “Broccoli stuff”, as we call it, begins with the aforementioned dough triangles pinched together to form one sheet. Then just pile on broccoli, onions, cheese and maybe some tomatoes (don’t forget some mayo in there), roll or wrap it together and bake until it’s crispy golden brown. It’s weird, yet satisfying.
If you want to eat something you won’t feel so guilty about, try roasting those gorgeous green heads. Sometimes, if you steam broccoli for just half a second too long, you end up with a mushy, flavorless mess. Roasting, however, makes for crispy caramelized florets. Be sure to dry any washed veg thoroughly to avoid having it steam in the oven. Sauces are another great way to mix up your typical veggie side dish. Try a lemon sauce with mustard (a nice change from the ubiquitous cheese sauce), or a garlic ginger sauce to pair with Asian dishes.
Finally, don’t toss those broccoli stems just yet! My other favorite way to use broccoli, aside from broccoli stuff, of course, is to ferment them. Yep, broccoli pickles. From stems you would otherwise compost! This amazing brine is so practically perfect in every way. Just mix it up, let your stems brew on the counter for a few days, and refrigerate. For this week, fermented broccoli definitely fits the bill for weirdo of the week!
For more background about broccoli and how to care for and use it, look here.
For even more recipes, look here.
