Garlicky Broccoli Rabe with Almonds and Fried Capers

I attribute my tolerance for bitter foods with my early experiences eating broccoli rabe.  Served next to some chicken or tossed with pasta and cheese, it was one of the vegetables I requested the most when we went to the store. There's something to be said for its abnormal shape, which, compared to the peas and carrots that often graced our table, seemed exotic to us.  But it was the flavor that stuck with me. Even after it was cooked in olive oil and garlic and seasoned with salt, the sharp bite remained prevalent. Those are the foods that I love... where the flavors change as you consume it. It's why I so enjoy things like dandelion greens or arugula. Unlike other greens, these have a lasting impression.

And, yet, it's been years since I've prepared broccoli rabe. It wasn't until I opened Tara's fabulous book, Seven Spoons, and came across her version (which paired it with a delicious bagna cauda, a buttery, garlicky, anchovy sauce) that I was inspired to pick some up. While I sat at our table, stabbing at spears of rabbini, I posted a prep shot on Instagram and Tara and I bonded over our mutual appreciation for bitter greens. It's nice to know that we could connect over this dish. I have a feeling others could fall for this dish, even with the subtle, lingering bite.

Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Source Inspired by Tara O'Brady's Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every day

Yield Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients 2 bunches broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed Olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/8 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. In a pot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and then run broccoli rabe under cold water, to stop it from cooking. Drain and squeeze out excess water.

2. Dry the capers with a paper towel. In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. After 20 seconds, add the capers. Cook, stirring often with a spoon, until browned evenly. This may take up to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.

3. Using the remaining oil in the skillet, heat the pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli rabe and season with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. After a minute, stir in chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 4 minutes.

4. Transfer broccoli rabe to a serving bowl and toss with sliced almonds and fried capers. Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, add a small sprinkle of salt on top (though the capers may do the trick). Before serving, add lemon zest.

Herb and Za'atar Falafel

Some quick thoughts and links to start the week:

1. Two beautifully written books are a must for fans of food memoirs. Over the weekend, I finished Three Many Cooks by my friends Pam, Maggy and Sharon. It's a gorgeous look at the role that food has played in their lives. These stories, all of them written with honesty and a generous dose of humor, have given me so much insight into their backgrounds. Similarly, Ashley Rodriguez's book, Date Night In, shows that cooking and eating (and drinking) can strengthen one's relationship with their partner. Each contain wonderful recipes that reflect their passion for cooking for the ones they love.

2. For some non-food related reading, I highly recommend last year's The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. Growing up in a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood, my knowledge of what it was like living in the poorer areas of New Jersey came from what I saw on the news. This book paints a very detailed portrait of a young man from Orange, NJ, who would ultimately attended Yale, though it's about so much more than that. In addition, there's an episode of This American Life and a New York Times article that cover similar topics. Both are worth checking out.

3. This article about people allowing dogs to sleep in bed with them made me chuckle. This our life.

4. Can't stop listening to this song. And this song.

5. We're hooked on the new Netflix program, Chef's Table. I'm ready to make reservations at all of these.

Herb and Za'atar Falafel

Yield 12 falafel

Ingredients

For the falafel 2-15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons za'atar 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 cup grated carrot

For the tahini dressing 1 cup tahini2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/4 cup lukewarm water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a tablespoon of oil or cooking spray, grease the aluminum foil.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the mint and parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, za'atar, cayenne pepper, chickpea flour, salt and olive oil to the bowl and blend for 20 seconds.  Transfer to a separate mixing bowl and fold in the grated carrot.

3. Roll the mixture into falafel balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, making sure to rotate every 3 minutes to ensure the falafel browns evenly.

5. While they're baking, make the tahini dressing by whisking together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Whisk in the water. Serve falafel with tahini dipping sauce.

Silent Sunday: A Trip to Tabasco (Avery Island, LA)

On Friday, I returned from visiting the Tabasco factory at Avery Island, Louisiana. The attendees of the trip were given an inside (and incredibly detailed) look at their impressive operations.  Tabasco has a very deep and elaborate history, but what hasn't changed since their inception in 1868 is the recipe: a mixture of ground peppers, salt, and vinegar. The blended peppers and salt, known as a "mash," are aged in bourbon barrels for three years. Tony Simmons, Tabasco's CEO, tests the quality of each mash by smelling and tasting it (as a newbie, just standing in the same room as the mash overwhelmed my senses). Once tested, the skin and seeds of the peppers are removed from the mash and then, finally, the vinegar is added. When the sauce is ready, it's bottled, packaged, and distributed around the world (all of which is done on site).

Featured above are pictures from the factory tour, as well as some photographs of a cocktail demonstration by Nick Detrich (Cane and Table; New Orleans) and Chef Aarón Sanchez (owner of Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans and Paloma in Stamford, CT).

Disclosure: While Tabasco covered travel expenses and is in conjunction with the TABASCO® Tastemakers program, all opinions written in this post are my own. The post is an introduction to a series I will be producing throughout the year featuring Tabasco products.  

Note: The images in this post were photographed with both a Canon 5D Mark iii and my iPhone 6 plus