Twitterpated over Roast Broccoli with Lemon
It’s no secret that I *heart* Twitter.
I mean, where else can you ask a vague question such as “Anyone remember that broccoli recipe that was making the rounds on blogs a while ago?” and have an answer, THE answer, in less than a minute?
Twitter beats Google that’s for sure! Try Googling ‘that broccoli recipe’ and see if you get any luck. Instead of searching through hundreds of recipes looking for a specific one, a friend on Twitter immediately sent me a link to the one I was thinking of and offered a tip on preparing it as well. Sweet!
Ah, what a great group are those Tweeple.
So this recipe is a little far off from my usual repertoire of desserts and all things rich, but when Adam of The Amateur Gourmet called Ina Garten‘s recipe the ‘best broccoli of your life‘, I knew I would have to give it a go. I changed it up a bit by tossing in some red peppers just because I had a bunch, and omitted the Parmesan cheese. Not that I don’t think Parmesan isn’t good on pretty much anything but I was temporarily out.
Guess what? The broccoli was still terrific. Meaty, tangy–it certainly had some soul to it, which made up for what it lacked in the looks department. It ain’t pretty!
Looks aside, this just might be my new favorite vegetable side dish. Move over asparagus.
Did I really just say that?
Roasted Broccoli and Red Peppers with Lemon
Adapted from “Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics”
Serves 6 as a side dish
Ingredients:
4 to 5 pounds broccoli
2 red peppers
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Halve and seed peppers and cut into 1-inch chunks.
Place the broccoli florets and red pepper on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Serve hot.
Sounds tasty! Broccoli can always use a new twist can’t it 🙂
I also LOVE this recipe AND I usually leave the Parm out too! Try it with green beans. It’s seriously awesome. Actually both of them are good just roasted with salt and oil, so even if you have no fresh lemons, it’s no big deal.
OMG! We have been eating this recipe for the past few months and it is a HUGE hit in our house too. There is a roasted root veg dish from the same book that is quite similar that is also a huge hit in our home! Now I have to get the book because every time I want to make something out of it, I have to call my MIL whom I borrowed it from a few months ago.
I never saw this broccoli recipe! Thanks! I’m going to give it a try ASAP as I need to shake things up with broccoli.
~ingrid
That looks and sound delicious!
What a great way to make broccoli. I need to show my parents that there is a way to prepare broccoli and not have it slathered in cheese sauce.
This recipe is an absolute keeper! So easy and delicious. Since brocolli is a staple in our home, I welcome the new recipe. I wish I knew how to can it for the jam swap – I just don’t see that many brocolli jelly or jam recipes. Thanks, Aimee
Haven’t heard the word twitterpated since “the move”, you know what I mean? Like,isn’t that what all the young girls were about? Supposedly all the time?! LOL
Hey Amber- Totally. It gets so boring!
Hi Sue- Good tip, I’ll try the green beans next. Thanks!
Hi Cara- I would love to have this book too. It looks fabulous!
Hi Ingrid- Shake things up you will. Enjoy!
Hi Debbie- Thanks.
Hi Melissa- Mmm, nothing wrong with cheese sauce either!
Hi Grammy- Hmm, maybe broccoli salsa? That would be a new one, eh?
I eat broccoli all the time and I like this twist on it. Looks delicious!
I prefer roasted stuff now to steamed, all the flavour seems to be condensed rather than steamed away. Lemon makes everything taste better. Except milk and lemon.
Yum!! This looks healthy and delicioius!
The more ways to makeover broccoli the better:D
Whoever that Twitter friend of yours was, she’s -awesome- 😉
I love this dish, too. One time a few weeks ago I accidentally left the broccoli in the oven for too long. Uh-oh. It went a muddy, swamp-thing green, lost all its bite, and tasted like something you’d get in a school cafeteria. That’s the one thing that makes me nervous about this recipe, as opposed to cooking broccoli on the stovetop as I usually do: the prospect of forgetting about it in the oven! But yours look perfectly cooked, and in any case the yummy brown bits are worth the risk 🙂
We eat a lot, and I mean A LOT of broccoli, so I will HAVE to give this a try. Looks and sounds divine.
Wow I love broccoli and I’m going to have to try this recipe.
I liked twitter too. I need to get on more. You’re right about getting answers fast.
I make a similar dish using brussels sprouts, minus the lemon. I score the stalk end with an “X”. It’s one of my favorite summer time dishes! Now I’m hungry, again. Ugh – and I JUST ate!
I had something very similar from Smitten Kitchen – it had shrimp thrown in to roast in the last few minutes. It was divine and the shrimp took it from side dish to main.
I always love a new way to make broccoli — thanks for sharing!
Yum! I love roasting veggies – just gives them that much more depth and character.
I came here from Simple Kids; I am definitely going to try this. Thanks!
I'm convinced that roasting veggies is the way to go – this looks fabulous!
Mmm this sounds amazing! I can’t wait to give it a try! I really need to figure out twitter! I joined but haven’t taken the time to do much with it. It sounds pretty awesome!
Yum! I just made this broccoli last week. I love your addition of red peppers. I made it following the recipe but then added pasta and grape tomatoes to the leftovers.
I will try this! Has to be better than the microwaved broccoli I did the other night with the chicken. 🙂 And I'll send a little tweet out when I do! Ha!
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