Roasted Garlic-Butter Broccoli Rabe with Shaved Parmesan

Check out this easy and colorful side dish! Truth is, I went to the grocery store with asparagus in mind, but saw the broccoli rabe (also called rapini) and changed my mind. It's such a gorgeous vegetable, and incredibly underutilized. So... I stood in the produce aisle for a while, thinking about what I could create with it, and this is the result.

Did you know that broccoli rabe isn't actually the knobby-kneed, scraggly cousin of broccoli? It's not baby broccoli either. Yes, it's a cruciferous vegetable, but it's more closely related to the turnip. The stems are deliciously bitter and the buds are nutty and reminiscent of true broccoli. That said, those flavors partner perfectly with sweet butter, pungent garlic and nutty parmesan. Plus, blanching and roasting (as I've done below) mellows the bitterness. See how it all comes together?

I hope you try this - it's amazing...

About the garlic: I chose dehydrated minced garlic for this recipe because, thanks to the drying process, it's already nutty. I didn't want to add the intensity of fresh garlic because the dish doesn't cook long enough for that flavor to mellow out. If you want to use fresh garlic, cook a few minced cloves in the bubbling butter (as I do with the dehydrated garlic) as directed below; just add a few minutes and get the garlic golden brown.

About the broccoli rabe: You may notice the lack of leaves on this batch of broccoli rabe. That's the way I found it at the grocery store - and that's the way you may find it too. The amount of leaves on the stems varies - be it the variety, harvesting time, or the produce guy. On the other hand, you may find bunches with loads of leaves - which is fine. The leaves are edible and awesome too, so proceed as directed!

Roasted Garlic-Butter Broccoli Rabe with Shaved Parmesan

2 bunches broccoli rabe (rapini), ends trimmed (just trim off about 1/2-inch of the stem ends)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic (not garlic powder, there should be little bits of actual garlic)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-inch piece parmesan, pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and return to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain.
Add the butter and garlic to the same hot pan and set the pan over low heat. Cook until the butter is foamy and the garlic is lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the broccoli rabe. Toss to coat.
Transfer the broccoli rabe to the prepared pan and season with the salt and pepper.

Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the broccoli rabe just starts to brown.
Transfer to a serving plate and shave the cheese over top (I served mine right on the baking sheet - it looked too pretty to move).

Serves 4