Description
Garlic, lemon, and the nutty bitterness of broccoli rabe are a wonderful combination. I’m deathly allergic to tree nuts, but this Italian side dish smelled so good the first time I encountered it, I called my doctor the next day to find out if pine nuts are actually nuts. He didn’t know. I went back and ate it anyway. Turns out pine nuts are seeds, by the way.
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 bunches broccoli rabe, trimmed
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 1 wedge lemon
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup olive oil
- garlic
- anchovy paste
- and salt in the bowl of a small food processor; blend into a paste.
- Remove leaves from broccoli rabe and cut off and discard the bottom 1/4 of the stalks. Cut remaining stalks into pieces.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook uncovered for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in the ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain. Wrap broccoli rabe in cheesecloth
- place in a strainer
- and run under water for 10 minutes. Periodically press the rabe to “wring out” any bitter fluids. Pat dry and transfer to a resealable bag. Add anchovy paste and crushed red peppers; marinate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile
- toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat
- stirring frequently until browned and fragrant but not burned
- about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Add broccoli rabe and cook until fork tender and lightly browned
- about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate
- top with pine nuts
- and drizzle with lemon juice.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 6