Charred Broccolini Food

CHARRED BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Whisk 2 tablespoons each soy sauce and rice vinegar with 4 teaspoons each sesame oil and honey; season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice 2 cups shiitake mushroom caps and 1 shallot; add to the dressing. Toss 2 heads chopped broccoli with vegetable oil; cook on a hot grill pan, 2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the dressing, some sesame seeds and a thinly sliced red jalapeno.

CHARRED BROCCOLINI WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Cut the florets off 2 bunches broccolini and cut the stems into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Toss both with 1 thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup halved kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a large sheet of heavy-duty foil; fold into a packet. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping once, until lightly charred, 8 minutes.

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 STEAK AND BROCCOLINI WITH CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Season steaks all over with pepper and 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Let sit 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss broccolini, oil, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet to combine. Spread out in a single layer and set aside.
• Using tongs if needed, hold both steaks together fat cap side down in a large ovenproof skillet, then set over high heat. Cook until pan is coated in fat, about 4 minutes. Lay steaks flat and continue to sear until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast steaks until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°F for medium-rare, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
• While steaks are resting, roast reserved broccolini until crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
• Heat cheese, cream cheese, milk, nutmeg, cayenne, and remaining 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium, whisking constantly, until a smooth sauce forms, about 5 minutes.
• Divide sauce among plates. Top with broccolini and steaks; sprinkle with sea salt.

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.

CHARRED BROCCOLI SALAD

Steps:

• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Trim the bottom inch off of the broccoli stems and discard or save in your freezer for a soup. Quarter the broccoli lengthwise into large pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the broccoli on the direct heat side of the grill and char on all sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move to the indirect side of the grill, close the grill lid and roast until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, scallions, vinegar, dill, brown sugar and mustard. Season to taste with the fresh nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove the broccoli to a serving platter and drizzle with as much of the buttermilk dressing as you'd like. Top with the dried cherries and peanuts. Serve!

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.