Raw Broccoli and Basil Salad with Shallots and Peanuts by Alison Roman

I’m a huge fan of The Office. If you are too, then you also probably think of this show whenever someone mentions raw broccoli. I’m thinking of the scene where the office is gathered in the conference room, and Michael is trying to persuade everyone why they need to live more healthy lifestyles. Kevin admits that he hates vegetables, especially broccoli. So Michael decides then and there to change that. He hands Kevin a massive raw broccoli tree and tells him to eat it in front of everyone. Of course, Kevin sticks the top of the tree straight in his mouth and begins to choke on the dry greens before spitting it all back out. It’s gross, but also hilarious. And since that scene, I’ve avoided raw broccoli in veggie trays ever since. 

Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to this recipe. Hence why I made it towards the end of this endeavor. 

But boy, was I pleasantly surprised. Instead of feeling like Kevin, repulsed by the dry mealiness of raw broccoli, I couldn’t stop myself from snacking on the broccoli before I served dinner! 

The key was using flowering broccoli (aka broccolini) instead of the stalky, bushy kind you see on a veggie tray. Flowering broccoli is a more physically flexible vegetable with bendy and tender stems and less densely populated treetops. (Sounds funny, but you know what I mean, right?) Once massaged in lime juice and fish sauce (yes, fish sauce) the greens are bursting with flavor and even more tender. I did decide to follow Alison’s tip and further slice the broccoli lengthwise into smaller strips. 

The lime juice/fish sauce combo and other toppings MAKE this salad what it is. Topping 1: frizzled shallots. Mine took twice as long to become golden like Alison instructs. Perhaps the pot I used was too small. Chopped peanuts add a nice crunch and nutty undertone. And basil, well, I’m sure it’d taste great! Sadly, mine spoiled in the fridge and I didn’t realize it until I pulled it out to use. 

My mom and sister expressed surprise at how much they also enjoyed the salad, both admitting that they were skeptical when I first told them the recipe name. Between the three of us, we finished off the whole bowl of broccoli along with Alison’s Tiny Creamy Pasta and glasses of red wine. 

If you, too, feel a hesitancy toward this salad — don’t. I think you’ll love it.

186 recipes cooked, 39 to go.

Spelt with Crispy Sausage, Flowering Broccoli, and Green Garlic by Alison Roman

I went gluten free in July 2020. As if a pandemic wasn’t enough of a strain, I committed to saying farewell to many foods I enjoyed and, frankly, depended on. The transition took an emotional toll. Meals I relied on as quick-and-easy staples were suddenly off limits, and I grieved the fact that my body could no longer digest those meals without consequences. I remember a meltdown, very early on, when I became somewhat irrationally frustrated that I had eaten black beans three nights in a row because the only other thing I had on hand was pasta. I could have easily walked to the store to buy other options, but the conundrum overwhelmed me. The most likely explanation for my meltdown is the fact that I was actually coming to terms with the underlying conditions that caused me to go gluten-free. I had just been diagnosed with endometriosis. But that was out of my control. Instead, what I ate for dinner each night was inside my control, and suddenly that too had become limited.

No matter why someone makes a dietary change, it’s always a hard, and emotional, transition. When safe foods become unsafe, we experience a real loss of something that brought us pleasure and sustenance. It takes time to adjust to the new normal and all that it implies. Since that pasta meltdown, I’ve made many strides. I still miss real pizza and bagels. But I’ve found decent alternatives like cauliflower crust pizza and gluten-free frozen bagels that mostly scratch the itch. I’ve had to make some real changes for this project to accommodate my dietary needs, especially when it comes to Alison’s desserts. King Arthur’s gluten-free baking guide has been hugely helpful. Other recipes I’ve simply had to swap or eliminate ingredients all together. 

For this recipe, I had to substitute brown rice for spelt because spelt is a form of wheat. However, I’d say that the rice did a fine job of mimicking the chewy texture of spelt, and I didn’t miss the spelt at all. I chose Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice. They come in packages of 2-cups worth of rice and require three minutes in the microwave. A yummy substitute AND a time saver. 

I used Trader Joe’s hot italian sausage here, and started by browning the meat fillings. Before turning on the pan, I tried to separate the meat into smaller pieces, because I find breaking up sausage meat with a wooden spoon to be quite difficult and sticky. Once the meat was browned, I added garlic (I used regular garlic cloves, not green garlic) and the rice, and let the rice get toasted and crunchy. At one point, I began adding the broccoli rabe into the pan, bit by bit, until dark green. I topped the whole pan with a bit of parmesan and called it a day. 

This is a quick, satisfying, and well rounded meal that I quite enjoyed eating. I love when one pan can hold a vegetable, a protein, and a starch. This recipe provides all three in a cohesive effort, and it can be made entirely gluten-free! I call that a win-win meal. 

155 recipes cooked, 70 to go.

Pot of Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chorizo Breadcrumbs by Alison Roman

Making this dish was a bonafide relay race that I was not prepared for. It’s silly, really. I glanced at the ingredients and the overall process (which is like a lot of other pasta+veggie dishes) and figured this would be one of the most simple recipes I’d attempt in this project. In one sense, it was easy - no new techniques, no crazy ingredients. 

On the other hand, everything happens so fast. Because I didn’t prep most of the ingredients ahead of time, the assembly had me flying around the kitchen at a stress-inducing pace. When one thing needed to be added to this pan, something else had to be stirred in the other, or chopped, or drained. At one point, I didn’t have enough hands to keep it all going, so I yelled at Jordan to come stir some tomato paste so it didn’t burn. (Yelled at? Politely asked? You can ask him.) 

My lowest moment was while cooking the chorizo, a drop of oil splattered and hit me right above my eye. A close call, and quite painful. I had to laugh though. I was so sure it’d be a breeze! 

There are five separate elements that all happen on their own and come together at the end. 1. Tomato paste/garlic/spices, all sautéed in a pan until nice n’ toasty. 2. Baby broccoli, trimmed, chopped and coated by the tomato paste mixture. 3. Chorizo (or spicy Italian sausage), cases removed and cooked until fully browned. 4. Breadcrumbs, sautéed in a pan with oil, salt and pepper, until golden and crunchy. 5. Pasta with some saved cooking water.

For all of the hullabaloo, it was a nice meal. I like that I didn’t feel the need to make anything else to go with it, too. My only request would be for more tomato flavor. Though a full ¼ cup of tomato paste is used, it seemed to be lost by the time everything else was added. 

The next day, Jordan sheepishly asked if I would ever be willing to make this dish again. I asked why he seemed so hesitant. He said “because you seemed pretty upset while you were making it.” We both laughed. It’s true, I was flustered. Next time, I’ll just be a little more prepared. 

34 recipes cooked, 191 recipes to go.

Garlicky Broccoli and Greens with Hazelnut and Coriander by Alison Roman

Here we have another simple-to-make side that goes well with pretty much any main dish you can think of. Its ingredients are few and flexible, and it’s bursting with flavor and texture. This recipe comes from nothing fancy. 

The tenets of this dish are the greens - broccoli and kale, olive oil, garlic, lemon, a crunchy nut, and chopped coriander seed. Alison tells you that both grilling and roasting the greens are viable options. I’m confident that grilling would be delightful - I’d love to have taste some char marks on the broccoli stems. But alas, I don’t own a grill. Oven roasting it is. 

The torn kale and heads of broccoli are quartered - stem included! - tossed with oil, and roasted until slightly crispy. The inclusion of the stem was a relatively new choice for me - I usually get rid of it because it can be tough to chew and lacks flavor. Because of this dish, I’m no longer afraid of serving broccoli stems. When quartered, roasted and seasoned, they are a filling, tender bite of green that doesn’t overwhelm you with the fact that it’s a hunk of broccoli stem. Cutting them into quarters is really the right call here. 

Quartered broccoli & kale before they get crispy in the oven

While the greens are roasting, the garlic, hazelnuts, olive oil and coriander seeds get mixed together to prepare a seasoning bath into which the greens will eventually dive and relax. A few comments on the titular ingredients, hazelnuts and coriander seeds. 

I just don’t like hazelnuts. Their taste is revolting to me. I think I’ve always disliked them, but I didn’t consciously realize it until last year. I was travelling for work and had an hour to get lunch in the airport before my flight. Since the company was paying, I chose a sit-down restaurant. I ordered a beet and arugula salad with goat cheese and hazelnuts. After the first few bites, I noticed my mouth was scowling. Something in this salad tasted funky. I tried each ingredient separately to deduce the issue, and lo and behold, the hazelnuts were infecting the whole dish. It’s difficult to describe exactly what’s so off-putting to me. The only word that comes to mind is musty? Now that I know about my hazelnut aversion, I understand why I thought Nutella was gross as a kid. 

Anywho, if you too think hazelnuts taste musty, then I say swap those puppies for another nut like chopped almonds or pistachios, and call it a good day. 

If you’ve never purchased coriander seeds (found often at Whole Foods or in the bulk spice section of a place like Sprouts), now is the time. The crunchy texture of these tiny chopped seeds are the X factor in this dish, making it not your ordinary vegetable side. Coriander seeds don’t have to be one of those spices that you bought for one particular recipe and then languish on your shelf for the next 5 years, untouched. Once I discovered coriander seeds a few years ago, I’ve found myself reaching for them frequently. You just have to try them to fall in love. 

Alison tells us one more lovely thing about this side dish: it is still delicious when served at room temp. If you’re like me and you find it stressful to time your cooking so that all parts of your meal are simultaneously piping hot, then put your mind at ease, and make this dish first. It can sit on the table well ahead of mealtime, watching you prep its fellow delicious partners. 

3 recipes cooked, 222 recipes to go.