One of my favorite vegetables in all of the land is the leafy, cruciferous rapini (also known as broccoli rabe). A bitter green with buds that resemble broccoli and a flavor profile that dabbles toward the turnip, this is a vegetable that stands on its own.
To be honest, it’s not uncommon for a large bunch to feed two of us for dinner. It’s such a simple, straightforward vegetable that doesn’t need a long time over the heat to reach its full potential. It’s a great side dish or addition to soups or stews, but with a little olive oil, lemon, red chile and Parmesan, it’s a delightful meal all on its own.
This is a classic Italian preparation. No fuss, just simple flavors that all work together. And while I’m writing this recipe down, it’s almost a nonrecipe camouflaged as a recipe because truly, after making it once, you’ll likely never need to measure the ingredients here again.
Another way to interpret this recipe is to drizzle a bit of olive oil in a hot pan. Add some thinly sliced garlic. Then add some clean rapini (cut or uncut is fine). Cover and cook just until it’s tender (this will take just a few minutes). Add a generous squeeze of lemon and zest, red chile flakes, Parmesan and salt and pepper.
Cover and let cook just a few more minutes, until the rapini is just tender, but still has a bite. Add the lemon peel. Season with red chile flakes, lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan right before serving.
Marianne Sundquist is a chef, writer and co-founder of Stokli, celebrating nourishing goods from the high desert (stokli.com). Find her on Instagram @marianne__sundquist and email her at marianne@stokli.com.
The Santa Fe New Mexican observes its 175th anniversary with a series highlighting some of the major stories and figures that have appeared in the paper's pages through its history. The collection also includes archival photo galleries.
