I have fond memories of Mom making chicken and broccoli casserole when I was a kid. I hadn't had it in years. But found myself suddenly craving it while pregnant, so I asked her for the recipe. Turns out it was chicken divan + rice! She pointed me at a recipe from the Cozy Cook as something that looked pretty close to her version. I tried it out and it was nice, but came out a bit stodgy. I think that was probably down to the rice that I used though. I only had jasmine rice on hand, so I went with that, but I think that basmati would probably give a better result. Or maybe even a long-grain brown rice. I also think that her version went heavier on the broccoli and maybe a bit lighter on the chicken. Not that this version wasn't good, but I did find myself missing the extra broccoli a bit. So I might try adjusting the proportions slightly next time. Otherwise, it was quite nice though.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Adapted from The Cozy Cook

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 750g skinless boneless chicken breasts (or ~3 c. chopped cooked chicken)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 celery stalks, chopped
• 5 c. broccoli florets
• 1 can (~300mL) condensed cream of celery soup
• 2/3 c. sour cream or mayonnaise
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika (optional)
• ~2 c. grated cheddar cheese, divided
• ~2 c. cooked rice
• 1/2 c. crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a large casserole dish.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat.
4. Add the chicken, onion, and celery and cook until chicken is about halfway done (~3 minutes).
5. Add the broccoli and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
6. Add the soup, sour cream/mayo, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, and paprika (if using).
7. Stir in half of the cheese.
8. Spread the rice in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and top with the chicken and broccoli mixture.
9. Top with remaining cheese, cover, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat and add the crushed Ritz crackers/breadcrumbs and stir to coat.
11. Remove casserole from oven, increase heat to 200°C (400°F), uncover, and top with buttered crumbs.
12. Return to oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
13. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli and Mushroom Frittata

This was meant to be a broccoli, mushroom, and tomato frittata, but seeing as I was trying to avoid poisoning Reiver this trip, I figured I'd just skip the tomatoes this time.

Photo goes here.

Broccoli and Mushrooms Frittata

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfasts by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• ~150g white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 shallots (or 1 onion), chopped
• 1 c. (or a bit more) broccoli florettes
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6-8 large eggs
• 2-4 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. Roman or Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 large tomato, sliced (optional)
• 1 c. grated Havarti¹
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan²

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in an oven-safe skillet/pan.
3. Add the mushrooms and saut&eactue; for a few minutes.
4. Add the shallots/onion and cook until softened (3-5 minutes).
5. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook until the broccoli turns bright green.
6. Beat eggs with the milk, mustard, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
7. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the vegetables and cook for a minute or two.
8. Add the tomato slices on top (if using).
9. Sprinkle with the cheese(s) and transfer to the oven.
10. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until eggs are set (20-25 minutes).
11. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
12. Transfer to a plate, cut into wedges, and serve.

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¹ We didn't have any havarti on hand, so I just used a bit of "tasty cheese"/old cheddar instead. ^Back
2 Since tasty cheese is both stronger and firmer than havarti, I just omitted the Parmesan from my version. Feel free to use both if you'd like though. I was just feeling a bit rushed and lazy and didn't want to get out another cheese or the Microplane. ^Back

I've had this recipe in my queue for a while, but kept failing to actually make it. It was alright in the end. Not amazing, but not bad either. And I did quite enjoy the almonds in it. A decent side dish all-in-all, even if it's not the star of the show.

Photo goes here.

Roasted Broccoli with Almonds and Orange

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 500g broccoli, cut into florets
• 4 tsp. olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 2 Tbsp. almonds, toasted and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Toss broccoli with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
4. Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 20-30 minutes, flipping and stirring halfway through.
5. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil and orange juice.
6. Sprinkle with orange zest and almonds and serve.

Symbol: I made this broccoli salad way back at the beginning of January. But I haven't been great at staying on top of the write-ups so far this year, so it had kind of fallen through the cracks. (Thank you, Reiver, for helping to make sure this recipe made it onto the blog!)

This was our salad for the picnic we had out at the Otorohanga Kiwi House. I ended up doing a tuna melt, PB&J, grilled cheese, pickle & cheese, and egg salad sandwiches on feather bread. And those sandwiches plus a few apples and this salad made for a lovely lunch spread!

Broccoli Salad

From Love and Lemons

Ingredients

• 450g broccoli
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. grainy mustard
• 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. almonds
• 1/2 c. pepitas
• 1 Tbsp. tamari
• 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or coarse parts from the stem first.
3. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, 1 tsp. of the maple syrup, garlic, and salt.
4. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.
5. Place the almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet and toss with the tamari, remaining 1/2 tsp. maple syrup, and smoked paprika.
6. Spread into a thin layer on the baking sheet.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
9. Toss the almonds and pepitas into the salad and serve.

I really liked this broccoli! It had an excellent deliciousness-to-effort ratio. You just mix up all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, then boil the broccoli for a couple minutes, drain it, toss it with the dressing, sprinkle with some sesame seeds, and you're done!

The broccoli is cooked, but still has a bit of bite to it. The miso and soy sauce give you a bit hit of salt and umami that nicely balances the very slight hint of bitterness from the broccoli. The lemon juice lends a note of sourness without being overwhelming. And the toasted sesame oil and seeds give a mild nuttiness to round things out.

It's honestly great just like that. But if you want to add another layer to the flavours, you can go for something a bit spicy as well. I think Laoganma goes particularly well here. (Then again, I think Laoganma goes well just about everywhere, so maybe take my opinions on this with a grain of salt.)

Broccoli with Sesame-Soy Dressing

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. miso paste¹
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar²
• 500-600g broccoli florets
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, miso paste, lemon juice, and sugar (if using) and mix well.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Add the broccoli and boil until tender-crisp (2-3 minutes).
4. Drain broccoli thoroughly and toss it with the dressing.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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¹ The recipe didn't specify what type of miso to use, so I just used white because that's what I had on hand. Feel free to experiment with different types of miso paste if you have them available though! ^Back
2 So... I completely forgot to add the sugar to my dressing. That said, I liked it just fine without the sugar. I might try adding it next time just to compare. But, personally, I would consider the sugar optional here. Follow your heart! ^Back

This was very quick and easy to make and quite tasty! Especially for the small amount of effort it required. That said, there was definitely way too much sauce for the amount of broccoli. And it also didn't thicken up noticeably at all. So, I've halved all of the liquids in the sauce, but left the cornstarch unchanged. Hopefully that will produce better results next time.

Broccoli Stir-Fry with Dark Soy Sauce

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. raw cashews
• 1/4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1-2 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil
• ~500g broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and toast the cashews until browned (5-6 minutes).
2. Combine the stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, mirin, and cornstarch and mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok over medium-high heat.
4. Drizzle in the oil and swirl to coat.
5. Add the broccoli and stir-fry until bright green (2-3 minutes).
6. Add the garlic and stir-fry for another minute or so.
7. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until broccoli is tender (3-5 minutes).
8. Serve with rice and protein of your choice.

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Variants

Vegetarian Version¹

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. raw cashews
• 1/4 c. vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp. vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1-2 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil
• ~500g broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

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¹ This version is probably also vegan, but you'll need to check your ingredients to be sure. Most soy sauces and vegetarian oyster sauces are vegan, but some are not. Traditional mirin is generally vegan, but some modern variants may contain honey. ^Back

This was okay, but not amazing. It made a decent side dish to go with our braised chicken. But I did feel like it wasn't as flavourful as I would have liked for a dish full of umami-rich fungus.

I was disappointed to find that the only mushrooms it contained were in the stock. You make a stock with a mix of fresh and dried mushrooms, then strain it and throw away the solids and use only the broth in the rice. I wanted there to be actual mushroom in my mushroom pilaf, so I used some ready-made mushroom stock and then thickly sliced the fresh mushrooms called for in the stock and put them into the pot with the rice instead. Possibly I should have added the dried shiitakes as well!

As far as other changes go... I doubled the broccoli. Both because that's how much broccoli I had and because I wanted it to be more vegetable-y.
I also omitted the chickpeas. Not because I had intended to. But because I misremembered whether or not I had canned chickpeas in the pantry. And, by the time I realized that I was all out, it was too late to cook any from dried. So, I just skipped the legumes for this rendition. If I end up making this again at some point though, I will try to make sure I add them though. I think it would be a nice way to make it a bit more substantial.

And one change that I didn't make, but wish I had: reducing the liquid called for. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 c. of stock, so that's exactly what I used. But I found that my rice came out much too wet. I ended up having to give it an extra 10 minutes in the oven with the lid off just to try to dry it out a bit (and finish cooking the broccoli). Next time I'd try making it with just 2 c. of stock (and reducing the cooking time slightly).

Mushroom and Broccoli Brown Rice Pilaf

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Stock

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 225g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 7g dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 4 c. water

Pilaf

• 2 c. mushroom stock (from above)
• 2 Tbsp. dry sherry or white wine
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 225g cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1 c. brown basmati rice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1-2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 c. cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 c. cashews, toasted
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

Stock

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until browned (10-15 minutes).
3. Add the fresh and dried mushrooms, celery, peppercorns, and water and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for ~40 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool for ~1 hour.
6. Strain. Discard solids.
7. Set aside 2 c. of stock for the pilaf. Reserve the rest for another use.

Pilaf

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Stir the sherry/wine into the stock and gently warm the mixture over low heat.
3. Melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and cook until softened (4-5 minutes).
5. Add the mushrooms and rice and stir to coat.
6. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, and warm stock and bring to a boil.
7. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.
8. Add broccoli and cashews, cover, and bake until broccoli is tender (10-15 minutes).
9. If your cashews are untoasted, you may spread them out on a small baking sheet and place in the oven for the last 10 minute of baking.
10. Stir in the cashews and pepper flakes and serve.

Classic combination!

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 3 heads broccoli
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne or Kashmiri chilies
• 90g sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

1. Cut the broccoli heads into halves or thirds and steam until tender (5-7 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
2. Melt the butter over medium-high heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly (7-10 minutes).
6. Stir in the salt, pepper, and cayenne and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (~10 minutes longer).
7. Stir in the cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli and serve.

Nariyal Hare Phool Gobhi (Broccoli-Coconut Curry)

I forgot to tweak our produce basket last week, so we ended up with a bunch of surprise veggies, including a head of broccoli. Conveniently, this curry doesn't need much else besides broccoli to go into it. And it made a convenient veggie dish to go along with the leftover spaghetti from the previous day.

Photo goes here.

Nariyal Hare Phool Gobhi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 450g broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. sambhar masala
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. shredded fresh coconut or 1/2 c. shredded dried coconut, rehydrated

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add cumin seeds and sizzle for 15-30 seconds.
3. Add ginger paste and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
4. Add the broccoli, salt, and sambhar masala and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
5. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is fork tender (~8 minutes).
6. Add the coconut and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

The searing on this recipe didn't quite work as I had hoped. The broccoli was a bit too wet to sear properly. But it was good otherwise. And I appreciate the simplicity: just broccoli, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a bit of olive oil.

Pan-Seared Broccoli

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 680g broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Get a bowl of ice water ready.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
3. Add the broccoli and blanch for 30 seconds.
4. Drain and trasfer to the ice bath.
5. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add the broccoli and cook for a minute or so until it gets a bit of colour on it.
7. Flip/stir and cook for another minute or so.
8. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve.

I've made similar roasted broccoli dishes before, but I hadn't tried this one specifically. And since I needed a vegetable side to go with dinner, I figured this was a good time to try it out.

The recipe implied that you were meant to leave the broccoli in large pieces. I roasted it in large pieces, but then cut it up before serving to make it easier to eat. Next time, I think I'd just cut it up from the get-go though as trying to cut it afterward was a bit fiddly.

Roasted Broccoli with Soy Sauce & Rice Vinegar

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. peanut or corn oil
• 2 tsp. garlic paste
• 450g broccoli (stems and florets), cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°C (475°F).
2. Combine the oils and garlic paste and toss with the broccoli.
3. Spread the broccoli out on a rimmed baking sheet and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Roast the broccoli at 250°C (475°F) for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame seeds.

This was alright. It wasn't amazing, but it made a decent vegetable side. And it was pretty easy to put together. I'm glad I tried it, but I probably won't be making it again. There are tastier things that can be done with a head of cauliflower.

Broccoli and Cauliflower with Pickled Onions and Bacon

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 c. cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 8 black peppercorns
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 5-6 slices bacon
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, cloves, and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add onion, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp, drain, and coarsely chop. Set aside.
5. Prepare a steamer and an ice bath. Stir a bit of salt (~1 Tbsp.) into the ice water.
6. Steam the cauliflower until tender-crisp (~8 minutes), then transfer to the ice bath.
7. Steam the broccoli until tender-crisp (~4 minutes), then transfer to the ice bath.
8. Drain the broccoli and cauliflower and transfer to a large bowl.
9. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Toss to combine and top with chopped bacon and pickled onion.

We still have a few steaks left in the freezer, so I've been keeping my eye out for good recipes to use them up. This recipe is really meant to be made wiht filets mignons, but we didn't get that cut with this beef, so I decided to try it with a rib steak instead. Sadly, this was a bit too tough for this particular preparation. But it was tasty otherwise.

Miso Butter Steaks with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2021

Ingredients

• 2-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter¹, divided
• 4 tsp. red miso paste²
• 4 (170-225g) filets mignons, trimmed
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 450g mushrooms³, sliced
• 450g broccoli florets
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Mash all but 1/2 Tbsp. of butter with miso paste in a 3:1 ratio (ie. 1 Tbsp. of butter to 1 tsp. miso) and set aside.
3. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.
4. Melt the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat.
5. Add the steaks and cook until well-browned (~3 minutes per side).
6. Transfer steaks to rimmed baking sheet and roast at 180°C (350°F) until meat registers 50°C (~120°F) for medium-rare (10-15 minutes). (Cook longer and to a higher internal temperature if you would like your steak more well-done.)
7. Tent with foil and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, add mushrooms to now-empty pan, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown (~5 minutes).
9. Add broccoli, garlic, and 1 Tbsp. of miso butter (or simply 1 tsp. of miso if your mushrooms were oil-packed).
10. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender (~6 minutes).
11. Add 2 more Tbsp. miso butter (or 2 tsp. miso paste for oil-packed mushrooms) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
12. Top the steaks with the remaining miso butter.
13. Serve the steaks with the mushroom mixture.

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¹ The original recipe calls for 6 Tbsp. of butter: 1 Tbsp. to cook the steak, 3 Tbsp. to cook the mushrooms and broccoli, and 2 Tbsp. to dress the steak. I used only 2 Tbsp. of butter in my rendition: 1 Tbsp. to cook the steak and 1 Tbsp. to dress the steak. Personally, I think that I probably could have cut the cooking butter back to 1/2 Tbsp. That said, had I been using fresh mushrooms rather than jarred ones (which were packed in a mixture of oil and vinegar), then I would have used at least 2 Tbsp. for cooking the mushrooms and broccoli. So, do with that what you will... ^Back
2 I didn't have any red miso, so I just used some of the white that I already had in the fridge. ^Back
3 The original recipe calls for shiitake mushrooms here. However, I had a jar of mixed "wild" mushrooms in the pantry, so I opted to use them instead. I think shiitake would have been great, but this mix also worked well here. ^Back

I made this one before we went on our big camping trip, but I didn't end up getting a chance to write it up before we left. The recipe called for either pancetta or bacon, so I decided to try using some chicken "bacon". It worked pretty well!

Pancetta, Broccoli, and Sweet Onion Frittata

Slightly adapted from The Good Egg by Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• 3 slices pancetta or thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 c. thinly sliced sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
• 2 c. broccoli florets
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Combine the pancetta and oil and cool over medium heat until golden-brown (~3 minutes).
2. Add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli and about half of the peper and cool for another minute or so.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the salt and the rest of the pepper.
5. Pour the eggs into the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for ~4 minutes.
6. Gently lift the edge of the frittata and let the raw eggs run under. Repeat several more times around the edge of the pan.
7. Sprinkle with cheese, cover, and cook until set (10-15 minutes).
8. Preheat the broiler while the frittata is cooking. Once it's set or nearly so, transfer it to the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes.
9. Cut into wedges and serve.

This tofu was AMAZING! I mean, with 15 cloves of garlic, how could it not be?! And, of course, the gochujang and sesame oil and frying didn't hurt either. That said, I think it also would have been very good baked.

I over-cooked my egg, but it was still tasty!

Gochujang Garlic Tofu

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. gochugaru
• 1 tsp. dasida
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 Tbsp. gochujang
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 350g extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 2-4 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 2-4 green onions, chopped, greens and whites kept separate
• 10-15 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 2 fresh chilies, sliced (optional)
• cooked rice, to serve
• soft-boiled or fried eggs, to serve

Directions

1. Combine the goochugaru, dasida, sugar, pepper, gochujang, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, corn syrup, and mirin in a large measuring cup.
2. Stir in the water and cornstarch and set aside.
3. Drain the tofu and press out as much liquid as possible.
4. Cut the tofu into cubes and dry it a little more.
5. At this point you can either proceed with the recipe as written, or make a batch of extra delicious tofu and use that as the tofu component of this recipe. The tofu won't be quite as crispy, but you'll use a lot less oil.
6. Coat the tofu in potato starch (if not using the "extra delicious tofu recipe").
7. Heat 2-3 Tbsp. of oil over medium heat and add the tofu.
8. Cook, turning occasionally, until tofu is crispy on all sides (7-8 minutes).
9. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, then shock it in cold water.
10. Toss the broccoli with the garlic paste, dark soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp. of the sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds and set it aside.
11. Once the tofu is cooked remove it from the pan and set it aside.
12. Add a bit more oil to the pan (1/2-1 Tbsp.) and fry the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions for a minute or two.
13. Pour in the gochujang sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes.
14. Add the fried tofu and stir until it's well-coated in the sauce.
15. Stir in the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of sesame oil.
16. Place some hot rice in a bowl and top it with tofu and broccoli.
17. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions, toasted sesame seeds, sliced chilies, and a halved soft-boiled (or fried) egg and serve.

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Variants

Vegetarian Version

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. gochugaru
• 1 tsp. vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 Tbsp. gochujang
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 350g extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 2-4 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 2-4 green onions, chopped, greens and whites kept separate
• 10-15 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 2 fresh chilies, sliced (optional)
• cooked rice, to serve
• soft-boiled or fried eggs, to serve

Warm Broccoli-Chickpea Salad

Broccoli has been on sale lately, so I've been looking for good ways to work it into the meal plan. I hadn't tried this "garlicky broccoli salad" yet, so I figured now was a good time to give it a try.

You start by making a caesar-esque dressing of Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mayo, and red pepper flakes. You then toss that with your cooked chickpeas and add in some sautéed onions. The last step is to char the broccoli and let it get nice and dark on the bottom while the top layer steams. That gets tossed with everything else and, voilà, you have your salad.

Photo goes here.

Broccoli-Chickpea Salad

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2021

Ingredients

• 14g¹ Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 c. olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. (1/2 fat) mayonnaise
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 (445mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground, divided
• 680g broccoli, stems cubed and florets cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions

1. Whisk together Parmesan, 2 Tbsp. of the oil, lemon juice, garlic, mayo, and pepper flakes until combined.
2. Stir in chickpeas and set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 Tbsp. of the remaining oil over medium heat.
4. Add onion, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes.
5. Add onion to chickpeas.
6. Add remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to the pan.
7. Add broccoli, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring once every 5 minutes.
8. Add broccoli to chickpeas and toss to combine.

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¹ More if you're not on a diet. The original recipe called for 28g of Parmesan. It also called for 1/2 c. of oil! (1/4 c. in the dressing, 1 Tbsp. for the onion, and 3 Tbsp. for the broccoli.) ^Back

I modified and abused this recipe quite a bit. The original was meant to be a 30-minute meal. It used pre-cooked chicken sausages along with "quick-cooking barley" (which I'd never heard of before). I had some regular old pot barley and some beef and barley sausages, so I made it with that. And, since my sausages were not pre-cooked, I decided to cook them on the stovetop. And since I already had the pan out for that, I decided to just convert the whole recipe to be done on the stovetop. Oh, and I also omitted all but 1 Tbsp. of the oil called for (1/3 c. in the original recipe). And, because I'm trying to be a bit health-conscious, I also cut back (slightly) on the Parmesan and the pistachios. Personally, I think it worked quite well! But I realize that it's quite a bit different from what the original recipe described.

Also, I didn't think of this until after I was already eating a bowl, but I think some pomegranate seeds/arils and/or a drizzle of pomegranate molasses would go quite nicely with this dish. Pistachios and pomegranate are such a nice combination! I've listed pomegranate as an optional ingredient below. Feel free to give it a try!

Photo goes here.

Barley with Broccoli and Sausage

Adapted from Cook's Country October/November 2018

Ingredients

• 1 c. pot barley
• 1-2 c. chicken stock
• 1-2 c. water
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 450g beef, chicken, or lamb sausages
• 340g broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 c. shelled pistachios
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. pomegranate arils (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the barley with the chicken stock and water. You want a total of 3 c. of liquid, but the exact proportions aren't super important. If you're using mostly water, or if your chicken stock isn't very salty, add ~1/4 tsp. of salt as well.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, cook the sausages.
4. Once the sausages are mostly done, add the broccoli and continue cooking.
5. Once the sausages are nicely browned on all sides and cooked through, remove them from the pan.
6. Season the broccoli with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper and drizzle with the oil and continue cooking over medium heat until broccoli starts to develop some good browning.
7. Reduce heat slightly and add the pistachios and cook until they are toasted and dark, but not burnt.
8. Remove from heat and add the garlic. Let it sizzle in the residual heat of the pan.
9. Chopp the sausages and return them to the pan.
10. Once the barley is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed, remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
11. Stir the contents of the pan into the barley.
12. Stir in the basil and pomegranate (if using).

Just a quick vegetable side. Not too much to say about it one way or the other. It was easy. The anchovies and garlic added some nice salty and savoury notes. It didn't bowl me over, but it wasn't bad either.

Broccoli w/ Anchovies & Garlic

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2016

Ingredients

• 340g broccoli
• 1 whole anchovy with chilies¹
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Cut broccoli into 2cm florets. Trim off and discard the bottom 2-3cm of the stalk. Peel the outer layer off the remaining stalk and cut onto 1cm chunks.
2. Place anchovy and broccoli in a bowl and microwave, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
4. Drain broccoli and toss with oil, garlic, and pepper.
5. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

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Variations

Broccoli w/ Lemon & Oregano

Ingredients

• 340g broccoli
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp. minced fresh oregano

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¹ If you don't have whole anchovies, then two anchovy fillets + a pinch of chile flakes should do the job. Although, in this case, you should mince the fillets and mix them in at the same time as the garlic and olive oil. ^Back

Pardesi Hari Phool Gobhi aur Gajar ki Subzi (Foreign Green Cauliflower and Carrot Curry)

I picked up some "foreign green cauliflower" (aka broccoli) on sale at the grocery store a few days ago. I figured I'd give it a try in this curry. It looked like it'd make a nice accompaniment to the rest of our dinner. And it did!

Pardesi Hari Phool Gobhi aur Kajar ki Subzi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil¹
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/urad dal)
• 450g broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 large carrot, cut into planks (1cm x 2cm x 0.5cm)
• 2 tsp. sambhar masala
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 430mL diced tomatoes
• 1/2 c. water
• 15 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds stop popping (30-60 seconds).
3. Add the lentils and stir-fry for ~20 seconds.
4. Add the broccoli, carrots, sambhar masala, and salt and stir-fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes, water, and curry leaves and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fork tender (~15 minutes).

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¹ Iyer calls for neutral canola oil here. And that works fine. But I think I'd be tempted to double down on the mustard angle and pop the mustard seeds in pungent mustard oil the next time I make this. I think it would really complement the broccoli. ^Back

Very good, everyone liked this one. I found frying the meat a bit tedious, but it was very simple to put together otherwise. I ended up using some very thinly sliced beef from the Asian grocery store. I think it's normally meant to be for hotpot/shabu-shabu. I think it was probably a bit too thin for this dish. If I did it again, I'd slice my own. That'd probably make the dredging and frying a bit less annoying too.

Orange Beef

Slightly adapted from The Woks of Life

Ingredients

Beef

• 350g thinly sliced beef (flank steak or top sirloin)
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. orange juice
• 2 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. five-spice powder

Sauce

• 1/3 c. warm water
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. orange marmalade
• 1/3 c. orange juice
• 3 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 2 tsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground

Everything Else

• 1/3 c. oil
• 1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3-4 c. broccoli florettes
• 2 slices ginger
• 4-7 dried red Thai, arbol, or cayenne chilies
• 5 pieces dried Mandarin orange peel (~4cm each)
• 1 star anise
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 green onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. water

Directions

Beef

1. Slice the beef and combine it with the water, cornstarch, orange juice, oil, oyster sauce, baking soda, and five-spice powder.
2. Mix well, cover, and chill for 1-2 hours.

Sauce

1. Combine the water, sugar, and marmalade and stir until dissolved.
2. Add the orange juice, soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, and white pepper and mix well. Set aside.

Everything Else

1. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat.
2. Use 1/4 c. of the cornstarch to dredge the beef.
3. Immediately fry the beef in the hot oil. Cook ~45-60 seconds per side. Set aside.
4. After frying the beef, pour all but 1 Tbsp. of the oil off.
5. Meanwhile, bring 4 c. of water to a boil.
6. Add 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to the water. (I just used some residual beef frying oil for this.
7. Add the broccoli and boil for 45-60 seconds.
8. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
9. Heat wok (with residual 1 Tbsp. of frying oil) over medium-low heat.
10. Add the ginger, chilies, orange peel, and star anise and cook for ~1 minute.
11. Add the garlic and green onion and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
12. Stir in the sauce.
13. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
14. Make a slurry out of the water and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch.
15. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and cook until thickened.
16. Add the beef and broccoli and stir to coat with sauce.
17. Serve immediately!