How to cook broccoli?

Broccoli is considered a natural vegetable healthy, able to help our immune defenses thanks to its many phytonutrients. Several studies have shown that broccoli can prevent cancer, cataracts, heart disease and detoxify and purify cells. But this is only a “small” part of the many benefits we could have by eating this beloved vegetable frequently, too often set aside. In this article, we read about How to cook broccoli?

How to choose them

At the time of purchase, only a few tricks will be needed to bring home a very fresh product.

– Note that there are no traces of discoloration on the broccoli, a sign that mold is deposited. In that case, could you not buy them?

– A good signs are the bu/purple florets, which means that there is a massive presence of phytonutrients.

– If the flowers on the broccoli are not dark green but yellow, it will mean that they are already old.

– When touching the broccoli, choose only the very firm and compact ones.

– The perfume that broccoli emanate is also important. Remember that this vegetable gives off an unpleasant smell only during cooking, so stop buying if you notice something strange when they are raw.

How to clean and cut them

It takes very little time to clean the broccoli. You will need a sharp knife, a peeler, and a cutting board. 

Step 1. Wash the broccoli under running water and let it drain.

Phase 2 . Remove all leaves and cut off the bottom.

Step 3. Keeping them on a cutting board and keeping the stem, cut off all the florets.

Phase 4 . With the peeler, remove the rigid outer part of the various florets.

How to cook broccoli

Preparing broccoli is very easy! You can enjoy them with other vegetables or with meat, but also eat them directly alone. Roasted, sautéed, steamed, or simply seared, broccoli recipes are varied and very flavorful. So here’s how to cook broccoli:

Stir-fried

Broccoli Stir-fried broccoli is a quick side dish that you can prepare at any time. Start cleaning, cutting, and cooking the broccoli you have available for about 5 minutes in boiling salted water. In a non-stick pan, fry a clove of garlic with plenty of olive oil, and add the broccoli. Season with salt and cook with the lid on low heat for 15-20 minutes. However, there are various ways to cook broccoli in a pan.

Baked broccoli

After washing and dividing the florets, cook them for about 10 minutes in boiling salted water and drain. Meanwhile, grease a baking sheet, sprinkle it with minced garlic, and place a layer of broccoli. Then add pepper, grated provolone cheese, breadcrumbs, and a little oil, cooking in a preheated oven at 180 ° C until the surface is golden. It will take about 20-30 minutes.

Broccoli with pasta

The best-known recipe with broccoli is undoubtedly that of pasta. Clean and cut the broccoli and cook them in abundant salted water for a few minutes. Lift them from the water and transfer them to a pan to fry them with garlic, oil, and chili. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the same cooking water as the broccoli and add some to the pan with the broccoli. Drain the pasta and sauté a few minutes with the sauce before serving.

Broccoli au gratin

An unusual way to prepare broccoli is where it is au gratin. Once you have cleaned and cut them, blanch them in salted water and let them drain. Then butter a baking dish, place the broccoli and, after having beaten together with the eggs, milk, Parmesan, salt, pepper and pour over the vegetables. Cover with julienne cheese and cook at 180 ° C until golden brown. They are perfect!

Boiled broccoli

If you are looking for the easiest method of cooking broccoli, then boiled broccoli is, for you, a light recipe. Once you have cleaned and cut them, remove the most challenging parts and cook them in boiling salted water. After having drained them, you decide whether to serve them hot or cold.

How to store them

There are three ways to store broccoli:

1. When you have fresh broccoli available, you can put them in a plastic bag and keep them for 3 to 5 days before using them.
2. When you have to use it in the kitchen, know that cooked broccoli will most likely break. Perhaps prefer a steam cooking that leaves them tender and close them, once cooled, in a food container for about 2-3 days.
3. Frozen broccoli is only the most extended method of storage. Once cut and steamed for 5 minutes, let them cool and place them in well-sealed plastic bags. With this system, you can keep broccoli up to a maximum of 10 months.

Tip

If the smell of broccoli while cooking bothers you, you can add a few drops of lemon to the water in which you will blanch them.

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