I Heart Broccoli

Did you know that one of the best things about broccoli is the heart? This is what we call the tender, crisp, juicy center of the stalk. When prepared with the crowns, it’s like adding an entire new vegetable to the mix. Every time someone discards the stalk in our presence you can be sure that they will get an earful.

Ryan prepared dinner last night and it was so delicious and simple, that I thought I’d share his recipe with all you veggie voyagers. We ate our Garlic Broccoli over a wild rice mix from our local co-op. The broccoli probably took no more than 15 minutes to prepare and was super flavorful.

To get to the heart of the broccoli, simply cut off the stalk, and then carefully cut away the sides until the tough bark on the outside is gone. You can eat the hearts raw like you would a carrot or in a salad, or you can toss it into whatever you are cooking. Delicious, and the opposite of wasteful!

getting to the heart of the matter

Here is Ryan’s Garlic Broccoli recipe…

Garlic Broccoli

2 large stalks (with crowns and stems) of broccoli
1 1/2 heads of garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/8 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup olive oil

Chop the broccoli (including the hearts!) into bite sized pieces. Place in a wok or other saute pan along with the garlic and water and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender-crisp. Stir remaining ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the broccoli and garlic. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, and to thicken, about 2 minutes. Serve over rice.