What to do with Broccolini
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 4:01AM 
By Katie Barreira
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks
While picking up a bunch of broccolini at the farmers’ market, a fellow shopper asked me how to go about preparing the bright green veg. She had seen a recipe that called for par-cooking the slender stalks in a pot of boiling, salted water before plunging them into an ice bath – a culinary technique known as blanching and shocking. It seemed like a big production for a little vegetable. Was it really necessary? My answer: not necessarily.
Because broccolini (a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale) is a bit more fibrous in texture and peppery in flavor than traditional broccoli, a brief dip in boiling water is a lovely way to soften its stalks and tame its pungency. When preparing broccolini for a crowd, I make the effort. You can blanch and shock a day ahead, wrap the chilled stalks in paper towel and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Then it’s just a matter of sautéing with some olive oil in a hot skillet.
But on the average weeknight, the thought of lugging a pot of boiling water around the kitchen for one measly bunch of broccoli could put me right over the edge. So here’s my cheat – just add some water to the skillet along with your oil and broccolini, as you would if cooking frozen dumplings. By the time the water evaporates, the broccolini will be crisp-tender and coated with oil, so that in last few minutes of cooking, each spear gets toasty brown in spots and lightly crisped around the edges. This technique also works great with, broccoli rabe, string beans, sliced carrots and bok choy, to name a few.
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Steam-Fried Broccolini
Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil (olive, canola and sesame are all excellent options)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large bunch broccolini, tips of stem ends trimmed
Salt and pepper
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, gently stirring, until the slice are light golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to paper towel with a slotted spoon.
- Add broccolini and 1/2 cup water to the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the broccolini is crisp-tender and the water has completely evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. (If the water evaporates before the broccolini is cooked, add more water, about a tablespoon at a time, until the desired doneness is reached.)
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are browned in spots and the buds are crisping around the edges, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the fried garlic.
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