All the Cool Kids Smash Their Broccoli
The easiest way to make people want to eat broccoli is to pour cheese or sugar on it, and there’s nothing wrong with those strategies. But that doesn’t work for those of us who are trying to cut down on dairy or sugar. (Not me, but I’m sure someone is). But there is a way to flavor the humble green vegetable without adding cheese or sucrose. You just need to break it up before cooking.
Breaking increases the degree of contact of the inflorescences with the pan. As with the hamburger , this increased contact results in increased browning, and browning is non-enzymatic—this is where the flavor comes from. It also creates small crunchy pieces and a tender inside, which is preferable to soft pieces with a soft inside.
I didn’t come up with “broken broccoli” myself. Do a quick search on the internet and you will find many recipes for this. Some use the oven, and some require quick blanching followed by pan frying. I prefer the blanching and roasting method. Blanching makes the broccoli tender enough to smash without making it mushy, and it’s much faster than in the oven. (However, if you prefer fried broccoli, use a wire rack .)
Submerge the florets in salted boiling water for about a minute until they turn bright green, then submerge them in an ice water bath. Dry them thoroughly. I use a salad bowl for this, but you can also place the blanched stalks on a rack in the fridge to get very dry. And the drier they are, the less likely the buds will evaporate when broken, which can lead to smearing, which is what we’re trying to avoid.
Once the broccoli is dry, heat your favorite fat (like bacon fat) in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Take the largest spatula – I use this one – add the broccoli to the pan, then press down as hard as you can with the spatula. Let it fry for a few minutes until it is well browned on the bottom, then turn over and repeat breaking. When both sides are browned, transfer to a plate. You’ve already boosted the flavor, but you can still salt and then garnish with finely grated cheese (a natural combination) and a little lemon zest. A little monosodium glutamate wouldn’t hurt either. It’s broccoli, after all.