Garlicky Broccolini

I can't believe I've been in England for over three weeks. I am living on campus at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Think typical English countryside....that's exactly what Canterbury looks like.

It's full of half-timber houses, a cathedral founded in the 600's, forests of oak trees, and cobblestone roads.

The food store scene is not too shabby either. Let's just say that American grocery stores should take notes from the stores here in the UK. First, food is fresh, not processed. I took a look at canned goods, frozen foods, packaged items and could easily pronounce all the items without the need of a biochem degree. Second, the groceries are much cheaper than I expected. I usually spent about $40 a week on groceries. Here I spend less than half that. Fresh herbs are less than dollar here; I bought a jar of lemon curd for about 30 cents as well.

With my fridge full of fresh ingredients and my belly completely empty, I decided to make a quick lunch of broccolini. Broccolini, called tender stem in the UK, is similar to broccoli; it has long thin stems with a smaller floret head. It's a hybrid between broccoli and the Chinese green, gai lan. The slightly sweet taste is somewhere between broccoli and asparagus. This dish can also be made using broccoli or broccoli rabe, which is a more leafy, bitter, and nutty cousin.

The Ingredients

a bunch of broccolini (or broccoli, broccoli rabe)

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

couple pinches of peperoncino

2 tablespoons water or chicken broth

salt

The Method

Start with a cold pan. Pour the olive oil in the pan, along with the garlic and chili flakes. Turn the heat on medium heat. This will allow the olive oil to be infused with the garlic and chili for a longer amount of time.

When the garlic starts to sizzle and turn whiter, add the broccolini, water, and a dash of salt. Cover with a lid and let it steam for 3-4 minutes until the broccolini becomes tender. Uncover the pan, give a toss and allow the water to evaporate. Serve as a side to roasted chicken or steak.

The broccolini were tender yet crunchy, slightly sweet and full of a spicy garlicky flavor which fill your whole mouth.This will feed about 2-3 people. This weekend, I am going to Barcelona, Spain. I can't wait to go tapas bar hopping, all day.

Recipe by Spencer Huey