Brocoli+Spigarello

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Geert Teuwen In early October, during the opening weeks of [|Lincoln], the $20 million, 150-seat restaurant at Lincoln Center that was five years in the planning, Jonathan Benno, the chef, said he would be happy to demonstrate one simple, tasty side dish. It was broccoli spigarello, a broccoli native to Italy. Mr. Benno buys the broccoli, crates at a time, from Rick Bishop of Mountain Sweet Berry Farm in Roscoe, N.Y., who brings the broccoli spigarello to the Union Square Greenmarket on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mr. Bishop sells it for $3 a bunch, which, stems discarded, makes one and a half cups of leaves, or one good-size serving. Leaves come large or small. Mr. Benno chooses the smaller, more tender ones. “The star of the show is the broccoli,” Mr. Benno said. “It’s between a broccoli and a rapini. It has a slightly peppery flavor, like a broccoli rabe.” What it also has is moments of an underlying sweetness, especially at the end of the season, which is mid-November. “The cold weather brings out the sweetness,” said Mr. Bishop, who grows 4,000 pounds a year, from May through mid-November. Mr. Benno’s preparation of the broccoli, which he offers as a small plate when in season, is simple. He blanches it until tender in heavily salted water. “It should taste like the sea,” he said. “No — the Dead Sea.” He plunges it into an ice bath to stop the cooking and retain the brilliant emerald green color. Then he sweats garlic in olive oil, adds the broccoli and a pinch of chili flakes, and voilà. With the broccoli, he served tender, melt-in-your-mouth potato gnocchi. The combination worked.

Vegan Broccoli Spigarello
//Yield// 2 to 3 servings //Time// 15 minutes Adapted from Jonathan Benno, Chef, Lincoln

Ingredients

 * Salt
 * 3 cups broccoli spigarello leaves, or broccoli rabe leaves (stems discarded)
 * 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 * 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
 * pinch of chili flakes.

Method
Source: Adapted from Jonathan Benno, Chef, Lincoln
 * 1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water, and set aside. Fill a large pot with water, salt heavily (it should taste like seawater), and bring to a boil. Add broccoli spigarello, and blanch until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, immediately plunge into ice water until cooled, and drain again.
 * 2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add garlic, cover, and cook until tender but not browned, about 1 minute. Add broccoli spigarello and chili flakes. Stir slowly to gently reheat. Serve hot with, if desired, gnocchi or risotto.
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