Broccoli can inspire extreme dislike; just ask George H.W. Bush, who said: 'I'm president of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.'
For broccoli lovers, it's hard to understand why the vegetable is so vilified. Perhaps its detractors were traumatised by childhood encounters with broccoli boiled until it turned an unappetising khaki-grey, with the texture and flavour of baby food. Or maybe they were forced to eat it by parents who insisted that 'it's good for you' rather than attempting to make the broccoli taste good.
A member of the brassica family, broccoli is good for the immune system, particularly in the fight against cancer. It's available year-round but tastes best when grown in cooler weather.
Some people like to serve broccoli raw on a crudit? platter but cooking it - or even blanching it briefly - rids the vegetable of its grassy taste. Serve blanched broccoli pieces with a salsa verde (parsley, lemon juice, capers, anchovies and garlic) or a lemony mayonnaise made by slowly whisking lemon-flavoured olive oil into a room-temperature egg yolk. For an easy dish, toss blanched broccoli pieces with sesame oil, soy sauce, sliced mild red chillies and toasted sesame seeds.
For soup, blanch broccoli briefly in salted water then drain, plunge into ice water to stop it cooking and drain again. Reserve some florets for the garnish. Saute chopped shallots and garlic in butter until soft, add the remaining broccoli and an anchovy fillet (you won't taste it, it just adds complexity to the soup) and stir to coat with the fat. Add unsalted chicken or vegetable stock to the pan and simmer until the broccoli is al dente. Pur?e the soup then pour it back into the pan, stir in some cream and heat until simmering before serving with croutons and the reserved florets.
Broccoli flan is a refined, elegant dish. Blanch the broccoli in salted water then drain. Put the broccoli back into the pan with some milk and cream and simmer until tender. Pur?e the mixture then sieve through a fine-meshed food mill. Whisk in some egg yolk, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg. Pour into well-buttered individual moulds and bake in a bain-marie (water bath) until done - they will be just a little wobbly at the centre. Allow the flans to cool slightly before inverting onto plates.
