broccoli rabe

Lately, I've been obsessed with homemade pizza. It's my favorite food and now that I've discovered how easy it is to use Whole Foods dough (you don't need a rolling pin; it can be stretched simply with your hands!), I make it all the time. It's a great way to get rid of veggies, meat, and cheese that are in the fridge and comes together in 30 minutes. Inspired by a pie I saw in Everyday Food, I made this pizza with broccoli rabe, pepperoni, shallots, and fontina cheese. There's something about the bitterness of the greens that pairs wonderfully with the spicy pepperoni and salty cheese. It was absolutely scrumptious and hard not to eat the whole thing myself! Ready for the recipe? Read on.

If you think you won't enjoy the cookbook Grilled Cheese Please!, one of our must haves for March, this recipe will change your mind. It's author and cheese expert Laura Werlin's grilled cheese with crispy prosciutto and broccoli rabe.

It's one of the best sandwiches I've ever made: it's gooey, crunchy, cheesy, and just plain delicious! Although the ingredients are simple, this sandwich oozes sophistication. I served it at a party paired with red pepper soup, and it was a sensation.

The key to a perfect sandwich is to follow Werlin's technique exactly. She recommends cooking it low and slow to achieve a beautiful crispness on the outside and delightful meltedness on the inside. Ready to check it out? Keep reading.

We're in the dead of Winter, and that means lots of root veggies and hearty greens are at the farmers market. But there's one ingredient omnipresent during Winter markets that seems to create more than its share of culinary confusion: broccoli rabe. Also known as broccoli raab, rapini, rape, and broccoletti, this confusing little green is actually not related to broccoli at all; it's more of a close cousin to its fellow Winter veg, the turnip.Broccoli rabe has an earthy, nutty, slightly bitter taste, which mellows out considerably as it cooks, and both the leaves and the broccoli-like buds are edible. Wondering what to do with this demystified plant? It's heavenly tossed into a pasta with garlic, chickpeas, and rosemary; it's also delicious simply sautéed and served as a side. Or get creative: my favorite broccoli rabe preparation involves sautéing it over high heat with spicy sausage, cannellini beans, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a little chicken stock, for a super flavorful one-pot meal.

How do you like to use broccoli rabe?

Source: Flickr User Maggie Hoffman

Start your week off on the right foot by making a meal that goes against all the rules. This recipe proves that clams don't always have to be paired with fish or shellfish, and they aren't only ideal in potato chowders or pastas.

Just as a meaty short rib or a bolognese sauce would pair with polenta, do leftover steamed clams with crumbled Italian sausage to tie everything together.

White wine adds acid, and broccoli rabe and baby tomatoes round out the dish. For a one-pot Monday night meal that'll break new ground in your kitchen, read more.

Sometimes when I want to get crazy with my pasta dishes, I swap out the usual spaghetti or penne for orecchiette — it's one of my favorite pasta shapes.

Throw in some nutty broccoli rabe and chickpeas (garbanzo beans), toss in a light, garlicky sauce, and you have a healthy vegetarian dinner that's a cinch to make.

For the recipe, keep reading.

My mom once told me that the fastest way to get dinner on the table is to make a stir-fry. Now that I've been graced with a hectic schedule myself, I've come to realize she's right.

Start off the beginning of the week with a stir-fry that makes use of the weekend's sirloin steak, and relies on evergreen pantry essentials such as sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, and hot peppers for zest. In lieu of the usual steamed rice, opt for ultrathin, quick-cooking angel hair noodles.
Want a well-rounded meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes? Then get the recipe.

After several consecutive weeks of too much celebrating, I'm trying to focus on eating healthful, clean meals. Tonight, I'm taking advantage of salmon left over from last night's dinner and pulling together a light, Cajun-inspired dinner that'll be ready in twenty minutes.

Blackened fish is so easy that even my kitchen-averse boyfriend is able to make it. The key to the dish's healthy flavor is not too much oil and lots of Cajun seasoning, a dynamic mix of seasonings such as salt, garlic, cayenne, chili powder, onion, and paprika. Fill up by pairing the sautéed broccoli with some roasted potatoes.
For a healthy yet satisfying supper tonight, read more.

Depending on where you live, finding good Winter produce can be difficult — this is especially true on the East Coast. Around this time of year, farmers markets lose a bit of lushness and start resembling outdoor root cellars. However, hidden amongst the piles of potatoes, carrots, and turnips is one of my most favorite vegetables ever: broccoli rabe, aka rapini.

I first came across this bitter leafy green while traveling in Italy and quickly learned that it does not taste like regular ol' broccoli. They're similar in color and texture, and even though broccoli rabe sprouts small florets, it's closer in relation to the turnip family. Being a big fan of turnip greens, kale, and chard, I was immediately attracted to its bold, pungent flavor. In Italian cuisine, it's common to saute broccoli rabe with a little bit of olive oil, chili flake, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt. My favorite way to enjoy it is in the classic Italian pasta dish, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and spicy sausage — turkey sausage works great in this dish too, by the way. I love the versatility of this veggie because it can be roasted, braised, boiled, steamed, or sautéed.

Of course anything this dark, leafy, and green has gotta be good for you too. Broccoli rabe is low in calories, an excellent source of vitamin C, and has even more beta-carotene than the standard US broccoli; it's also packed with vitamin K and isothiocyanates, which help in the process of detoxifying cancer-causing substances before they cause harm.

Source: Flickr User cbertel