Simple Art of Cooking

Raab Is All the Rage

by Silvia Lehrer

Mention the vegetable broccoli raab and you draw both positive and negative reactions. It appears people love it or hate it.

Broccoli raab, also known as broccoli di rape or rapini, is familiar to the Italian table. In Rome, the leafy, sparsely budded broccoli stalks, are often served cold as part of a vegetable antipasto dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. This preparation, no doubt, removes some of the bitterness of the vegetable, its unfavorable characteristic. Ask any Italian and they will tell you how much they love broccoli raab simply sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil, lots of garlic and hot pepper flakes. For many, the bitterness is still evident in this pungent green, yet when prepared as in the recipe for smothered broccoli raab from my friend and colleague, Linda Romanelli Leahy's, cookbook, 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens, it's delicious. When Leahy suggested serving leftovers over really good bread, I spiked it with a little red wine vinegar and it was indeed yummy.

Orecchiette with broccoli raab is an Italian pasta classic and Leahy's treatment of it in her book, which includes kalamata olives and grated Romano cheese, is made even more special when the ear shaped pasta is served over fresh, creamy ricotta.

366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens, published in 1997, was indeed ahead of its time. With today's emphasis on eating healthy, this book should be in every kitchen.

SMOTHERED BROCCOLI RAAB

Broccoli raab "affogata," meaning drowned, is an old Italian method for cooking greens. When cooking a large bunch, splash the leftovers with good red wine vinegar over bread slices for a snack!

Serves 4

1. Discard the heavy stems of the broccoli raab and coarsely chop the greens. Rinse and then soak the vegetable in cold water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy saucepan with a cover over medium heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and sauté about 2-3 minutes until the garlic is golden. Drain the broccoli raab and add the wet vegetable, with 2-3 tablespoons water, to the pan. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RAAB

Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears." Serve the pasta over fresh ricotta cheese for a unique flavor.

Serves 4

1. Trim broccoli raab of heavy stems and discard. Wash and roughly chop the vegetable. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a small, non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30-40 seconds or until garlic is golden. Remove from heat, stir in the salt. Place 1/3 cup ricotta each in the bottom of four warm pasta bowls.

3. Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water for 9 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Add the broccoli raab during the last five minutes of cooking time. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water before draining and put it into the skillet with the oil mixture. Keep warm over low heat. Return pasta and vegetable to the pot it cooked in. Add the oil mixture and the olives and toss to coat. Sprinkle with grated cheese for added flavor. Divide pasta equally and serve at once over ricotta in the bowls.

Above recipes adapted from Linda Romanelli Leahy's 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens, A Plume Book.

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