Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli Rabe

Many years ago a new Italian restaurant opened up in my town. It was very close to my home and was reasonably priced. I like to support local business, so within the first two weeks we hosted a dinner for family and several close friends, about 18 people. When the big night arrived we were all excited to welcome the new establishment and sample the fare.

It started off well; good table, plenty of friendly staff, nice menu and great ambiance. All in our party were in a good mood and when the ordering started, it was obvious that everyone brought their "A" appetite & thirst. When the food arrived at our table, the initial reviews were very good... with one exception, the broccoli rabe side I ordered was awful! When the waiter circled back to ask how everything was, I told him we were happy with everything but the Rabe. He apologized and asked if I would like a different side, I assured him we had more than enough food, and he could just take the rabe away. He did so without further adu, that is, until the manager came over to weigh in on the rabe.

He asked, with a bit of an edge, if everything was OK and I told him it was. Unfortunately he sharpened his edge, raised his voice a bit and asked, "then why did you send back the Broccoli Rabe?" I motioned for him to come a bit closer as I did not want to raise my voice, and told him that the rabe tasted old. He then blew up the good time by asking,"Sir, do you know what broccoli rabe is supposed to taste like?" Asking that question to a guy like me, is like stepping on Elvis' blue suede shoes. My children dove under the table in anticipation of my response. I assured him that I was aware of how fresh, properly prepared rabe should taste. Fortunately, my mother was one of the guests, and my response was PG. I told him that he should leave the charge for the dish on the bill as he would never get the chance to touch my credit card again. I informed my guests, while he was still in earshot, to take a good look around as "this place will be closed in six months!" I think they made a year.

Selecting very fresh vegetables is essential to good results. Broccoli rabe is a very easy green to prepare, and an even easier dish to ruin. When shopping for rabe, or any other veggie, shop at a market that has a reputation for excellent produce. If you observe any obviously old/spoiled produce on display, you need to shop elsewhere for your vegetables. Broccoli rabe should be very green through the leaves, sprinkled with water and the stems are often packed in ice. Turn the rabe over and make sure the ends of the stems are white. If the tips are brownish, buy something else. Also, remember it will shrink down when it's cooked. Buy enough!

Ingredients

2 heads Broccoli Rabe

1/4 dry measure cup salt

4 garlic cloves

1/3 cup EVOO

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Directions

Trim about 1/2 inch off the stem ends and discard. Cut the head through about 2 or 3 times. The stems should be cut about 3 inches long, then cut the remaining head in half. Place the trimmed rabe in a large colander and rinse thoroughly. Bring 8 to 10 quarts of cold water to boil in a covered pot. When the water is boiling rapidly, place the washed rabe in the water and add the salt. Stir the salt and rabe and cook on high heat for two minutes. After the two minutes of cooking, transfer the rabe into a pot of cold water to stop the cooking. I use a large spider to transfer the greens. Make sure the greens are cooled completely in the cold water. Add more cold water if the water gets too warm. Drain the rabe completely in a colander. Once drained place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the blanched rabe until ready to saute.

To saute the greens use a heavy bottom saute pan. Put the EVOO in the pan on medium low heat. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef's knife and place in the heated oil. If you choose to spice the rabe with the crushed red pepper, add it here. Tend to the garlic cloves to insure the do not burn. If the garlic burns it will make the rabe bitter. Once the garlic is browned, fish it out of the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Raise the oil to medium high and carefully add the drained rabe to the oil. Make sure there is no water at the bottom of the rabe bowl before you put it in the oil. Water and hot oil will splatter and you could get burned. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Buona Fortuna