Charred Broccolini With Olives Food

CHARRED SPICY BROCCOLINI

Steps:

• Toss 2 large trimmed bunches broccolini with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and roast at 475˚ F until charred around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon agave syrup and 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce. Drizzle on the broccolini.

CHARRED BROCCOLINI WITH HOMEMADE RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until smoking. In a medium bowl, drizzle the broccolini with olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat. Place the broccolini on the hot pan or griddle but do not crowd (if using a 12-inch cast iron you can do two batches) Allow to sear, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges of the florets are a deep brown and the stems are tender and bright green with charring on the edges. Turn off the heat. Return the broccolini to the bowl. Season with a couple turns of black pepper. Add the grated garlic and lemon zest and toss to coat. Season to taste.
• To serve, spoon some Ricotta (recipe follows) in the center of a plate. Arrange the broccolini around the cheese, sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if using, flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
• Line a colander or large sieve with 1 layer of very fine cheesecloth (or 2 to 3 layers of more porous cloth) and set over a large bowl.
• To make the cheese, combine the milk and salt in a non-reactive pot over medium heat. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally until it reaches 175 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Gently stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until chunks form and separate from the whey (this happens within 30 seconds or so). Don't stir too often or vigorously or the curds will break. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the curds into the prepared cheesecloth-lined sieve. Allow to sit and strain for 20 minutes. Serve immediately at room temperature or transfer the ricotta cheese into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHARRED BROCCOLINI AND SHISHITO ROMESCO

Steps:

• Preheat a cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shishito peppers and cook, flipping as needed, until blistered and browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the lime cut-side down and cook until charred.
• In a bowl, toss the broccolini with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper. Add the broccolini to the griddle and cook until charred and the stems are fork-tender, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, reserve a handful of the peppers for serving, and remove the stems from the remaining peppers.
• To the carafe of a food processor, add the stemmed peppers, hazelnuts, peas, cilantro and white balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Pulse until coarse, then, with the food processor running, slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• To serve, spread the romesco sauce in a shallow bowl or platter. Top with the charred vegetables, sliced jalapenos and a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with the flaky salt and a handful of cilantro leaves. Squeeze the charred lime over the top just before serving.