Blanched Broccoli

YIELD — Serves 4

Treated well, broccoli can be spectacular. Of course I love to roast it, sauté it, etc. But cut into elegant little spears and blanched (or steamed) in salted boiling water for about 60-90 seconds, they turn bright green and tender, perfect for dousing in lemon juice, adding some raw grated garlic and sprinkling with flaky salt and it's just...a wonderful experience. For reasons I myself do not fully understand, from time to time I like to add half a bag of frozen peas at the last minute to warm through (they're already cooked), but this is optional. This broccoli is best eaten with your hands as a palate cleanser between bites of buttery pasta—kind of a salad, if you think about it?

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli, florets and stems sliced into long, elegant strips
• Kosher salt
• ½ lemon
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated (I use a microplane)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Add the broccoli to a pot of boiling, salted water (if you’ve just made pasta, add the broccoli to the same pot after you’ve strained your pasta out). Blanch until the broccoli turns a bright, neon green, about 30 seconds. If you’re adding frozen peas, add them now and cook for another 30 seconds. Strain and transfer to a plate.
2. Squeeze some lemon juice and grate garlic over everything, giving it a toss to combine. Taste a spear— it should be tangy, salty, garlicky, not unlike an aggressive salad. Season with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper.