SMOTHERED BROCCOLI WITH PEPPERS, ONIONS, AND RAISINS
- 1½ to 2 pounds broccoli
- Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 medium red onion, thin sliced
- Leaves from a 4-inch sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
- â…› teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ÂĽ cup raisins (golden preferred)
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Instructions:
Broccoli takes on great character when cooked beyond crisp.
- Peel the broccoli stalks. Cut the florets into 1-inch pieces, and slice the stalks into ½-inch-thick rounds.
- Place a steamer basket in a 6-quart pot. Add water up to the base of the steamer. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli, cover, and steam for 4 minutes, or until a stalk barely resists being pierced with a knife. Immediately turn the broccoli into a colander and drain it. Transfer the broccoli to a serving platter and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the empty pot back on the burner, lightly film it with the olive oil, and set it over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, stir in the bell peppers, onions, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and some salt and black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until the onions pick up color. Stir in the raisins. Cook another moment to soften them. Pour everything over the broccoli. Scatter the pine nuts over the vegetables, and moisten them with a little olive oil if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.