Broccoli overcooked carelessly tastes stale and
murky. But when you push beyond that disappointing just-too-done state (and
throw in a whole lot of olive oil bubbling lazily with garlic, anchovy, and hot
peppers), you find yourself with a miraculous substance.
Here’s what “forever” really means: After blanching your trimmed stems and florets, slip them into an olive oil
bath and leave them be, covered, for 2 whole hours. “The blanching is to send
the broccoli on its way to foreverland, softening it just a bit so it starts
absorbing the flavors in the oil,” editor and cookbook author Roy Finamore
explained to me. “It also ensures that the broccoli doesn’t fry and get crisp at
the beginning, when the oil is at its hottest.”
I want to call the result broccoli butter, but it’s
more appropriately broccoli confit. The florets trap all the oil’s richness, and
the stems melt away. It would be equally at home spooned up onto some sturdy
bread, blanketing a good ridged pasta, or layered onto a pizza.
Serves 4 to 6
2 bunches (2 to 2¼ pounds/900g to
1kg) broccoli
1 cup (240ml) olive
oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
thin
2 small hot chiles, halved
lengthwise (Finamore likes small fresh red peppers, but you can substitute green
Thai chiles, various dried ones, even a big pinch of red chile
flakes)
4 anchovy fillets,
chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water
is heating, cut the florets off the broccoli. Peel the stems and cut them into
rather thick slices, about ⅓ inch (8mm). When the water comes to a boil, add the
broccoli and cover the pot to bring it back to a boil quickly. Blanch the
broccoli for 5 minutes. Drain.
2 Put olive oil and garlic into a large skillet over
medium heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the hot peppers and
anchovies. Cook, giving a stir or two, until the anchovies melt. Add the
broccoli, season with salt and pepper, and stir well. Cover the skillet, turn
the heat to very low, and cook for 2 hours. Use a spatula to turn the broccoli
over in the skillet a few times, but try not to break it up. It will be very
tender when done.
3 Use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a
serving dish. It is delicious hot or at room temperature.
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