Tuesday, April 28: Toasts with Broccoli and Cheddar
Toast of the week: broccoli melts! Thick slices of toast; a pile of garlicky, lemony, parm-y broccoli; and a cozy blanket of melted cheddar. Delicious! (Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.)
Cut 1 lb of broccoli into florets (I actually used a 1-lb bag of frozen broccoli florets, no need to thaw). Bring a shallow layer of salted water (about 1/2-1 cup) to a boil in a large skillet or saute pan, add the broccoli, and cover. Reduce heat to low to maintain simmer, and steam for about 2-5 minutes (depending on if you’re starting with fresh or frozen broccoli), until tender but not mushy. Remove broccoli to a strainer and let drain a few minutes, patting/squeezing as much moisture out with a towel. Once cool, chop broccoli into small bits (about 1/2 inch).
In that same skillet or saute pan (wiped dry after steaming the broccoli), add a few TB of olive oil and heat over medium. Add 3 thinly sliced cloves of garlic and a large pinch of red pepper flakes, saute and stir for 1-2 minutes. Zest one lemon into the oil, then add the chopped up broccoli back to pan along with a big pinch of salt. Stir to combine and to coat the broccoli in the garlicky, lemony oil. After a few minutes, or once the broccoli is hot, add contents of pan to a bowl. Stir in ~1/2 cup grated parm or pecorino, then taste and adjust for salt. (At this point you can also squeeze in some lemon juice, but I was conserving my lemons and thought the zest was enough.)
To make these toasts, place thick slices of your favorite bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, and bake in a 425 degree oven for ~8 minutes, flipping halfway. Spoon a pile of the broccoli on top, followed by a slice or two of cheddar. Pop back in the oven for a few minutes, just to melt the cheese.
See other toasts recipes here: spinach and sun-dried tomato pesto with mozz; artichoke pesto, beans, and cheese; arugula pesto with roasted tomatoes and goat cheese; arugula pesto with roasted tomatoes and mozz; arugula pesto with caprese salad
