Sunday, January 4, 2015

Roasted Broccoli with Carmelized Onions and Pine Nuts

Cruciferous vegetables are fabulously healing with their tremendous anti-inflammatory powers.

What are cruciferous? Think broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage and kale.  A lot of these are grown in the winter time, so they are in season right now.  It's broccoli time, folks!

President Bush the 1st made war on broccoli with his famous statement that he was President of the United States and he didn't have to eat broccoli if he didn't want to.  Perhaps he was served one too many soggy broccoli side-dishes during the endless stream of dreary chicken dinners at all those political fundraisers.  That would be enough to make anyone throw up their hands in disgust for broccoli.

It's true that broccoli can have a very strong taste.  So why not go with it?  Here we've paired caramelized onions, Italian herbs and pine nuts with roasted broccoli for an intensely flavored delicious dish.  This is a dish that broccoli-haters could love.  Come 'on President Bush...give broccoli another chance.



Roasted Broccoli with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts 

Caramelize the onions:
3 T pastured butter
2 sweet onions halved and then sliced into crescent strips

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally.  Keep the pot covered when not stirring to keep the moisture in.  Cook for 20 minutes or so, checking regularly until onions begin to turn brown and caramelize.


Roast the broccoli and pine nuts:
2 clumps broccoli cut into florets
3 T olive oil
generous sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 t  dried Italian herb mix
1/4 c pine nuts

Set oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, place the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil and add herbs.  Stir until broccoli is well coated.  Place broccoli on a cookie sheet with a silpat lining  Roast in the oven until broccoli is slightly golden and a little crispy on the tips.  Put the pine nuts in a baking dish and add them to the oven separately.  Roast the nuts for a few minutes, keeping a careful watch until they are golden.  Toss the broccoli, onions and pine nuts together and serve.


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