On Easter Sunday, I ate at a local restaurant that I really enjoy, Miel. This was one of the first farm-to-table restaurants before the term became as ubiquitous as it is today. While there, I saw this Edible Kitchen card and picked it up to find a recipe by Miel’s chef, Andrew Coins, for seared broccoli. (Edible is a local food magazine that is available throughout the United States, including 17 Southern cities). As we were cooking ribs later that day, and I’m far more about the sides than the ribs themselves, I decided I needed to try it. Friends, this is a recipe you’ll want keep. I know it looks a little complicated, but it’s actually not hard, and you’ll see that even though I messed part of it up, it still resulted in a delicious outcome!
Don’t let the length of this recipe intimidate you. It’s actually accessible and truly delicious!
So yummy! Perhaps the best broccoli I’ve ever made.
If broccoli isn’t your thing, just know that these carrots were made using the same ingredients and recipes showcased today, except of course for the broccoli!
This recipe actually calls for four different recipes, but because of this, we ended up with sauces and spreads that we used all week long. The total prep time was under 30 minutes (although I feared it would be far longer, it actually was not). And, I had no idea before preparing this that it would actually make my incredibly chaotic week easier. That’s what I call a perfect recipe: it fulfills its main purpose and keeps helping you out days later.
For this seared broccoli recipe, you’re going to make a vinaigrette, a cilantro-spinach purée (it’s almost like pesto without the garlic and cheese), whipped almond butter (I completely messed this up to delicious results) and then you also sear the broccoli. You’ll want some sharp cheddar cheese to garnish the top. A quick stop by Kroger provided everything I needed.
- 1 bunch spring onions — charred and and sliced thin
- 2 Calabrian chilis (I had trouble finding these, so I used a pinch of red pepper flakes)
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (I like the California Olive Ranch olive oil available at Kroger)
- 3 tablespoons chives
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Place all ingredients in a bowl. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill.
- 2 bunches of cilantro
- 2 cups of packed spinach (I just used on entire clam shell container of Simple Truth Organic Spinach, which was about 2 very packed cups)
- 1 cup olive oil
- Salt
- Blanch cilantro and spinach in boiling water for 5 seconds and place in ice water. Cool, squeeze out excess water. Place in blender and add slowly add oil and salt at the end.
- 1 cup almonds, toasted (just put in a hot skillet and move the almonds around until they are aromatic)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt
- Chef Coins says, "Place the roasted almonds and honey in a blender and blend. Add the cayenne and cinnamon. While blending on medium setting, slowly add the cream until the almond puree turns light and fluffy."
- 1 head broccoli cut down the middle lengthwise
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt & pepper
- Whipped Almond Butter
- Charred Spring Onion Vinaigrette
- Cilantro Purée
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and then add broccoli and turn the heat down to medium. As it cooks, season with salt and pepper. Cook the broccoli until the bottom is golden brown or darker. Turn the broccoli over and sear it again until golden brown to darker.
- Assemble like this: spread ¼ cup almond butter across the plate and add the broccoli on top. Drizzle with cilantro puree and then vinaigrette. Garnish with shaved sharp cheddar.
I’m a big fan of roasting heirloom carrots. It’s simple as you just chop them up (after scrubbing them clean; you don’t have to peel them) and place them on a large baking sheet covered with foil. Add some olive oil and salt and place in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes (I start checking on them about 35 minutes in and sometimes they take up to 50 minutes … it depends on how many you are roasting and how thinly — or thickly — you have sliced the carrots). If you use this same prep for the carrot — whipped butter on the plate, roasted carrots on top, cilantro puree and vinaigrette drizzled across the top — you have another delicious side or even a vegetarian meal.
I hope you read all my added notes on how we used each of these separate recipes on their own, as well is with the seared broccoli, all week long. The weather is warmer and the vegetables are delicious! Enjoy!
Here are a few more vegetable recipes you may want to try:
Make this bruschetta recipe once, and you’ll be making it time and time again. Find the recipe here.
This side of Mexican vegetables is so tasty, you just may want it as your main meal! After publishing this recipe last year, it has become one of our most popular recipes to date. Find the recipe here.
As warm weather is upon us, this bacon potato salad needs to be at your fingertips. Find the recipe here.
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