Broccoli Cauliflower Dish

Ingredients: 1 small cauliflower, 1 small broccoli, salt, mozzarella, 5 sun-dried tomatoes, grated cheese,

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli in florets. Boil the cauliflower and broccoli florets al dente in water with some salt. Drain the cauliflower and broccoli and put it in an ovenproof dish. Cutt 5 sun-dried tomatoes in slices and sprinkle this over the dish. Sprinkle also with mozzarella and grated cheese. Place the ovenproof dish about 20 minutes in the oven. Enjoy!

Broccoli Pie

Ingredients: 6 sheets puff pastry, 200 grams broccoli, 250 grams diced bacon, 3 eggs, 125 ml cream, salt, pepper, 250 grams grated mature cheese, 6 cherry tomatoes,

Number of persons: 3

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Defrost 6 sheets puff pastry. Cut the broccoli in florets and cook al dente. Meanwhile bake 250 gram diced bacon crunchy. Let the broccoli and bacon cool down a bit. Meanwhile beat 3 eggs with 125 ml cream, salt and pepper and stir 200 grams grated mature cheese in the mixture. Coated 6 greased ovenproof dishes with puff pastry. Put broccoli in each bowl, diced bacon and cherry tomatoes. Pour the egg mixture in each bowl and sprinkle at last some grated cheese on ovenproof dishes. Place the ovenproof dishes about 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Enjoy!

Broccoli Dish

Normally I use the ActiFry for potatoes and chips, but today after a busy and warm day I put also the vegetables in for dish dish.

Ingredients: 1 broccoli, 1 carrot, salt, 450 grams small potatoes, 1 onion, 200 grams diced ham,

Number of persons: 3

Cut the broccoli into roses and blanche it with 1 diced carrot in water with salt (otherwise the vegetables stay to hard in the ActiFry). Meanwhile do 450 grams small potatoes and 1 chopped onion in ActiFry and turn the ActiFry on for about 15 minutes. Add 200 grams diced ham, the broccoli and carrots and turn the ActiFry on for another 15 minutes. Bring to taste with salt and pepper. You stir fry this too! Enjoy!

Noodles with Broccoli, Cashews and Sweet Chilli Sauce

Ingredients: broccoli, noodles, 200 grams diced ham, 1 onion, 200 gram mushrooms, 100 ml sweet chilli sauce, 100 gram cashew nuts,

Number of persons: 3

Boil 1 broccoli cut in florets al dente in boiling water with salt. Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Bake in hot oil 200 grams diced ham and 1 chopped onion until the onion has softened. Add 200 grams of mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms have softened. Add the broccoli florets and 100 ml sweet chilli sauce. Heat well. Add as last 100 grams cashewnuts. Serve with noodles.

Beef and Broccoli

Why get take out when you can make it yourself? I swear, you won’t be able to tell the difference between this and the Chinese joint down the street. It’s that good.

Beef and Broccoli

Makes 3-4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
For marinade: 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 pound lean beef

1 1/4 cups oil, or as needed

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 pound fresh broccoli
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices. Add the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last (use your fingers to rub it in). Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.

While the beef is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: for the sauce, mix together the oyster sauce, soy, and water in a small bowl and set aside. in another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water thickener and set aside.

Wash and drain the broccoli. Cut the stalk diagonally into thin slices. Cut the flowerets into 3 or 4 pieces. Crush the garlic.

Heat the wok and add 1 cup oil. When the oil is medium-hot (between 300 and 325 degrees F.), add the beef. Blanch the beef by letting it lay flat for 30 – 40 seconds, and then stirring to separate the pieces. Remove the beef when it changes color and is nearly cooked (the entire process takes 1 – 2 minutes). Remove the beef from the wok and drain on paper towels.

Clean out the wok with paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and stir fry briefly until aromatic.

Add the broccoli, sprinkle the salt and sugar over, and stir fry briefly, turning down the heat if necessary to make sure it doesn’t burn. Add the 1/2 cup water, and cook the broccoli, covered, for 4 – 5 minutes, until it turns a bright green and is tender but still crisp. Remove from the wok and drain.

Clean out the wok and add 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the broccoli and the beef. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture in the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken. Mix everything together and serve hot over steamed rice.

Tofu Broccoli (& Asparagus)

A while back we made a really good Beef & Broccoli recipe. Like, better than takeout beef broccoli. And we wanted to make it again, but didn’t really feel like (spending the money on) beef. So we thought we’d try it with tofu. Different taste, surely, but equally delicious! Try mixing it up with some other veggies, like snow peas… we used asparagus in this case.

Tofu and Broccoli

Makes 3-4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 block firm tofu

For marinade:
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

4-5 tablespoons oil, or as needed

For Sauce:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

1 pound fresh broccoli
1 bunch asparagus, cut diagonally into 1 1/2″ pieces
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Line a baking pan with dish towels. Cut the tofu into 1/2″-3/4″ slices. Lay on top of towels, followed by another layer of towels and another baking pan. Weight with something heavy (like a kitchen aid mixer!) for 15-30 minutes. Remove weight and towels. Add the marinade ingredients to the baking dish with the tofu, adding the cornstarch last (use your fingers to rub it in). Marinate for 30 minutes.

While the tofu is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: for the sauce, mix together the oyster sauce, soy, and water in a small bowl and set aside. in another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water and set aside.

Wash and drain the broccoli. Cut the stalk diagonally into thin slices. Cut the florets into 3 or 4 pieces. Crush the garlic.

Heat the wok or a large skillet and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the tofu. Cook until each side is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Clean out the pan with paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and stir fry briefly until aromatic.

Add the broccoli and asparagus, sprinkle the salt and sugar over, and stir fry briefly, turning down the heat if necessary to make sure it doesn’t burn. Add the 1/2 cup water, and cook the veggies, covered, for 4 – 5 minutes, until bright green and tender but still crisp. Remove from the wok and drain.

Clean out the wok and add 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the broccoli and the tofu. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture in the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken. Mix everything together and serve hot over steamed rice.

Lemon Fettuccine with Broccoli and Bacon

I swear, once you’ve gotten used to fresh, homemade pasta, it is awfully hard to go back to the dried stuff.

This recipe originally called for thick sliced pancetta, cubed and cooked until crispy, like croutons. Too bad for us the only pancetta in the store is paper thin and way overpriced. So we used some bacon, cooked until crispy. Not bad, though I do wonder how the pancetta croutons would improve it? It’s a little short on flavor – and if it weren’t for the fresh pasta, we might have deemed this one a failure. The potential is there, it just needs some work.

We make a good team in the kitchen, Taylor and I. For this recipe, you have Taylor at the stove dealing with the pasta water and bacon – anything cooked, boiled, or protein-packed. I sometimes call myself his sous-chef—I do all the chopping, dicing, slicing, washing, prepping, dressings, sauces, marinades, pasta-making… and he does all the heavy lifting. It works, and we’re not stepping on each other’s toes trying to man the same stations in the kitchen. Even more perfect is when the food is finished, I plate it and scurry away to photograph the dish by the sliding glass door (hello, natural light!). By the time I’ve got the money shot, he’s got the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned and sparkling. Yes, a man who does the dishes. Isn’t it a wonderful thing? I should get a photo of it to prove it’s not a myth…

Lemon Fettuccine with Broccoli and Bacon

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit. Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
4 oz. bacon or thick sliced pancetta
5 1/2 cups 1-inch broccoli florets (from 1 pound broccoli crowns)
9 ounces fresh or dried fettuccine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Sauté bacon or pancetta in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp and brown. Transfer to paper towels.

Cook broccoli in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to medium bowl. Add pasta to same boiling water; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add next 5 ingredients. Toss over low heat to coat. Add pancetta, broccoli, and cheese; toss to blend. Season pasta with pepper.

Broccoli with Lemon Butter Sauce

We eat a lot of broccoli in this house. Steamed with butter and salt (or maybe dipped in mayo - ever tried it that way?) Roasted in olive oil and kosher salt. Sauteed with cabbage and pork. Raw in salads. Marinated with cheese and bacon. You name it. We eat it. It's one of the only green vegetables I can get Brad to eat (and of course he only wants the florets.) But since I love it, too, that's no problem. But sometimes you get tired of the same old, same old so it's nice to switch it up now and again.

Enter this new recipe. The kick from the cayenne is a great aftertaste, and if you cook it just long enough (not too long as my picture above shows) it's even better. The lemon flavor makes it taste so bright, and it's a great cold dish for summer, too. It's not too hot here yet, but I know steamy days are right around the corner. Grilled chicken and steamed broccoli on the side? Yes, please. A few minutes on the stove. A quick stay in the fridge. And dinner on the patio.

It doesn't get much better than that!

Broccoli with Lemon Butter Sauce / AllRecipes
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This dish can also be made with fresh broccoli, and it can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli florets

Directions:
In a large skillet, combine the butter, water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the broccoli to the pan, stir to coat, and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring once, until broccoli is tender but still bright green. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve cold