Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli -- for whatever reason if you don’t like broccoli, you have to try this. So it’s in two parts. First I’m going to roast the broccoli and the next thing I'm going to is toss them with some lemon juice, pine nuts, basil, give it lots of flavor. So, it’s up to you how much of the stalk that you use. But I like a little bit of stalk, I wanted to look like broccoli.

That’s two and a half cups of broccoli, that’s enough for two. So I need garlic. I’m just going to slither it. Slice it really thinly, giving lots of flavor. Good thing about roasting vegetables is you want to do it at high temperature, so it really caramelizes the flavors. Just toss it together with the broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil, good for cooking, lots of salt and pepper, just toss it all together with clean hands and into the over 425 degrees for about 25 to thirty minutes, and they’re going to have lots of other flavors, lemon juice, basil -- it’s going to be great.

So we’re going to make a topping for the broccoli. Broccoli is roasting in the oven, a little garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I’m going to start with half a teaspoon of lemon zest and two tablespoons of good parmesan cheese. I would use a good edge grater on a parmesan. It makes such a difference. It doesn’t have to be the exact amounts. And these basil like six leaves of basil, these are big leaves. Lets give them a quick julienne. So what I'm doing is I’m roasting the broccoli and when it comes out of the oven, I'm just going to put this little topping on it, it really flavors it. Just cook it for a minute until the cheese melts. Even kids would eat broccoli this way.

Okay, and then the last thing is one and a half tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. And just toast it in a dry pan and it really brings out the flavor of the pine nuts. You know, when they’re on the jar, they sort of blend when they toasted it, just delicious. I'm just going to pick one and mix it here on the board. Just toss it altogether. Okay next, the broccoli. Now it’s great. Lots of toppings. Let’s give it more flavor. The parmesan cheese are going to melt into it, the leaves, the lemon zest, and then a little olive oil and lemon juice just kind of like putting a little vinaigrette on it. Give broccoli as much flavor as possible. Squeeze the lemon juice. Okay, into a serving bowl.