Culinary Guides

The trick to tame the natural bitterness of rapini (broccoli rabe) is to blanch it first, then finish it in a hot pan with garlic and olive oil. You get bright green, tender greens with just a pleasant edge left. It is a simple Italian side that goes with almost anything.

• 1 bunch rapini (broccoli rabe), trimmed and cut into pieces, or 1 broccoli cut into florets
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Blanch

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rapini and blanch 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm.
2. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and keep the color, then drain again and pat dry.

Saute and serve

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the blanched rapini and toss to coat, seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you like heat. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until heated through.
3. Transfer to a dish and finish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino if using. Serve warm.

Grower's tip: harvest rapini before its yellow flowers open. Cut it young, when the buds are still tight, and the greens are at their mildest. Once it flowers in warm weather the bitterness sharpens, so pick often through the cool part of the season.

Grow your own greens for this. Start our broccoli rabe seeds, or use regular broccoli from the garden the same way.