The best way to cook broccoli ?

[KurtNYC]

is barely.

I was cooking at my step-mother's recently and she had frozen broccoli. I thawed and microwaved and boy was it terrible. Bad flavor, bad texture. Now I see why so many people hate broccoli. It was so bad I finished the pasta salad I was making without it.

My favorite way to cook broccoli:

bring some water to a boil
cut the (fresh) broccoli down to the florets, get rid of the stems
cut the florets into bite sized pieces
salt the water and then drop the florets in
use a skimmer or strainer to remove all the broccoli from the water after about 90 seconds or so, bite into one of them, if it isn't soft enough for you put it all back in but don't exceed 3 minutes or so totally cooking time.
Let it sit a strainer until it is no longer dripping then season with one of the options below:

- salt,olive oil and vinegar
- lemon juice and olive oil

or
heat olive oil in a skillet, add minced garlic, saute the broccoli (already blanched as above)briefly, salt and then serve

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Nope.

broccoli tempura.

[u4ic]

2. I agree - crisp is best

I steam them lightly.

While boiling the water, add sliced fresh garlic - then steam the broccoli. It will absorb some of the garlic flavour. (sauteeing your way also is great)

(BIG broccoli fan here)

[billyskank]

4. Hi u4ic!

[u4ic]

14. Hey billy!

How's England been treating you these days?

[billyskank]

16. England is okay

the temperature has been moderate to cool, 15-20C. Still haven't quite worked the jet lag out, but it's getting there. (Finding travelling east much harder than going west).

I hope you are well.

[u4ic]

19. Thanks

got a bit of a flu bug I think, bad vertigo the past couple of days. Any more of this, and I'll have to die my hair blonde...

[billyskank]

20. Oh no

the vertigo is probably low blood pressure.

Dye your hair blonde...?

[u4ic]

21. Vertigo = dizzy

(you've heard of dizzy/ditzy blondes?)

I got a bit of a sore throat and a bit achy, too - there's something making the rounds.

[skygazer]

3. I prefer steamed to boiled

And I agree that frozen broccoli sucks - I only buy fresh. It's also really good in a cheesy casserole.

[KurtNYC]

7. I like steamed too

and it can be safer than boiling (in the sense that over-boiled broccoli gets bitter and grassy). I find blanching (boiling) a little faster.

[ThomCat]

5. I only use frozen if I'm making soup and I'll be pureeing it.

Otherwise, you are absolutely right. It has to be fresh, and it has to be either blanched or steamed.

I also like to dip brocoli in curry sauce and then grill. The florettes hold the sauce and char nicely on the grill.

[flvegan]

6. I'm into steaming it, myself.

Same with asparagus.

[LynneSin]

8. Dump into Garbage Disposal

Turn on Water
Turn on Disposal

That's how I would prepare it

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. !

What? Are you five years old?

[LynneSin]

12. Hey, it's the only thing I have in common with some of my relatives

Bush Sr. didn't like Broccoli either!

(he's like my 4th-5th cousin)

[KamaAina]

13. I guess we better be careful next time we take you out for pizza in NYC

Yes, pizza. At hole-in-the-wall pizza joints throughout NYC -- just like the one we went to after last year's DU meetup -- broccoli is considered a standard pizza topping option. My only objection to this is that most such joints don't cut it up small enough.

[KurtNYC]

15. Oh the Humanity!

(or should that be.... Oh the Broccolanity! )

[LeftyMom]

9. Stir fry nt

[Iniquitous Bunny]

24. I agree.

[renegade000]

10. oyster sauce...eom

[billyskank]

17. Really there's no "right" or "best" way to cook broccoli

so long as it is cooked to your satisfaction. Of course all vegetables are bad when they are overcooked.

[begin_within]

18. Broccoli is one of the ten "super foods" - loaded with vitamins

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_good.html

[GalleryGod]

22. Nothing beats the Broc ! Love it ! Love it!

I eat it every meal when at home...and most times when out to dinner

JoeAllen in NYC does a great broc side dish so did the original Spago over Sunset.

[chaska]

23. GET RID OF THE STEMS??? R U CRAZY?

If by stems you mean the stalk... Listen people, peel them suckers and chop 'em up in a stir fry. Believe me, the stalk is the best part. But you have to peel the tough, stringy skin off of it.

[RebelOne]

25. The easiest way is to cut the stalks off just leaving the florets.

Put them in a microwave dish with about 1/2 cup of water and add lots of butter or margarine and cook for about 7 minutes. Then cover with Cheeze-Wiz or any other melted cheese.

[Deja Q]

26. Steamed or on a broiler for a few minutes only. NEVER on a microwave.

The microwave literally zaps the nutrient value.

[SmokingJacket]

27. Stir fry till lightly blackened.

GIves it a nice nutty flavor.

My kids like it raw. No, they LOVE it raw. I have no idea why.

[sbj405]

28. Broiled with olive oil and sea salt. nt