Tag Archives: broccolini

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Broccolini

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This sheet pan dinner features yogurt-marinated chicken thighs with charred broccolini and potatoes. Juicy chicken thighs and roasted vegetables come together in this effortless sheet pan dinner. The lactic acid in yogurt, responsible for the dairy’s characteristic tang, gently tenderizes the chicken thighs as they marinate.

To ensure crispy potatoes and charred broccolini, prevent overcrowding by roasting the vegetables and chicken on separate sheet pans. The flavorful chicken drippings are liquid gold — drizzle them over the chicken and vegetables just before serving.

Yogurt is ideal to use in a marinade for both its flavor and ability to tenderize meat. It contains lactic acid, which tenderizes more slowly and gently than a citrus juice – or vinegar-based marinade. However, in this recipe, we also add a bit of lemon juice to bump up the marinade’s acidity and reap some of its benefits in a shorter time frame.

OK, yeah so it is two sheet pans instead of one. But, roasting the vegetables and chicken on two separate pans means you get the best of both worlds: crispy and tender vegetables and juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin and lots of schmaltzy pan drippings. Can’t argue with that.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Broccolini

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plain whole-milk strained (Greek-style) yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 tsp. coarse-ground Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
  • 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
  • 3 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 small thighs)
  • 1 lb. baby gold potatoes, halved
  • 1 8-oz. bunch broccolini, trimmed
  • 2 lemons, halved crosswise

Directions

  1. Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, paprika, coriander, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add chicken thighs; toss to coat, rubbing yogurt mixture evenly over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower third positions. Toss potatoes and broccolini with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated. Arrange potatoes, cut sides down, in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet; set broccolini in bowl aside. Remove chicken thighs from marinade; place chicken, skin side up, on a second large rimmed baking sheet; discard marinade. Arrange lemon halves, cut sides down, around chicken.
  3. Place baking sheet with chicken on upper rack and baking sheet with potatoes on lower rack of oven; roast for 25 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven, and flip using a thin metal spatula; arrange broccolini on baking sheet with potatoes, making sure to drape some stalks over the potatoes so as not to completely char. Return to oven; continue roasting until potatoes and broccolini are tender and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, 12 to 15 minutes. (Ours only took another 11 minutes.)
  4. Skim off fat from chicken pan juices and discard. Drizzle pan juices over chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Nicole Hopper for Food & Wine

Spicy Broccolini with Seared Tofu and Sesame Oil

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This hearty vegetarian main (recipe courtesy of Milk Street) gets its spicy-salty earthiness from chili-bean sauce, or toban djan, a common ingredient in Sichuan cooking. The brownish red sauce is sold in jars; if it’s not available, approximate the flavor by mixing 2 tablespoons red miso with 1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce.

A sear-then-steam skillet technique is used to cook the broccolini; it builds flavor with browning but also allows the vegetable to cook up succulently crisp-tender. Serve with steamed rice and optional garnish of toasted sesame seeds and/or chili oil. So very simple.

Don’t use medium firm tofu, as it’s too delicate. Firm or extra-firm are the best options. After slicing the tofu, press the slices between paper towels to wick away excess moisture. To maximize moisture removal, we put the block of tofu on a moated cutting board, topped by a smaller cutting board with a large heavy cast-iron skillet resting atop that. The more moisture removal, the crisper the tofu slices will become.

Finally, when adding the tofu to the skillet, don’t simply dump it in with the marinade. Rather, lift out the slices and place them in a single layer in the pan; reserve the marinade for cooking the broccolini.

Spicy Broccolini with Seared Tofu and Sesame Oil

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2-3 Tbsp. chili-bean sauce (toban djan, see headnote)
  • 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 14 oz. container firm or extra-firm tofu, drained, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices and pressed dry
  • 3 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1 lb. Broccolini, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
  • Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
  • chili oil (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the soy sauce, chili-bean sauce and sesame oil. Add the tofu and toss to coat. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil until barely smoking. Remove the tofu from the bowl and place the slices in the skillet in a single layer; reserve the marinade.
  2. Cook the tofu, turning the pieces once with tongs or a metal spatula, until well browned on both sides, about 3 minute per side. Transfer to a serving platter and wipe out the skillet.
  3. In the same skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil until shimmering. Add the broccolini and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to char, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup water and the reserved marinade, then immediately cover and reduce to low. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the broccolini is tender-crisp and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
  4. Transfer the broccolini with sauce onto the tofu and sprinkle with the cilantro.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Calvin Cox for Milk Street

Honey-Miso Salmon and Broccolini Traybake

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Here is a wonderful fish and veggie dish from Milk Street. Miso, soy sauce and honey make a savory-sweet, umami-rich marinade for meaty, fat-rich salmon. Some of the mixture is set aside and combined with orange juice and zest, creating a savory-sweet sauce for drizzling over the finished dish.

While the fish marinates, the broccolini gets a head start on roasting. Then once the quick-cooking salmon is added, the traybake is nearly done. Serve with steamed rice if desired (we didn’t), and perhaps a leafy green salad alongside (we did).

Traybakes are a wonderful weeknight option because you are using only one pan in the cooking process and they tend to be quick. But let’s talk about the broccolini. In the end, ours was over-charred, and that is even after removing it from the sheet pan before the salmon was finished.

The directions indicate to cook the broccolini spears in a 425°F oven for 15 minutes before turning and adding the salmon. Well, it was perfectly cooked at that point, so we should have removed it to a plate and covered it with foil until the salmon was ready, but against our better judgement, we let the broccolini cook longer.

After about 8 minutes of cooking the traybake, we yanked the over-charred broccolini and let the salmon cook longer. Instead of four pieces, we cut our fillet in half which added to a bit of time to come to temperature. Word to the wise, if your broccolini stems are on the narrow side, perhaps only cook them about 5-8 minutes before adding the salmon.

Honey-Miso Salmon and Broccolini Traybake

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. white OR red miso
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 3 Tbsp. neutral oil, divided
  • 4 6-oz. center-cut salmon fillets (1 to 1¼ inches thick), patted dry
  • 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 lb. broccolini, trimmed OR broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch florets
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, soy sauce, honey and 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer half of the mixture to a wide, shallow dish; add the salmon skin-side up and set aside. Stir the orange zest and juice into the mixture remaining in the bowl; set aside.
  2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the Broccolini with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Distribute in an even layer, then roast until beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a wide metal spatula, scrape up and flip the Broccolini, pushing it to the edges. Add the salmon, skin-side down, to the center of the baking sheet. Roast until the fish flakes easily and the Broccolini is lightly charred and tender-crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with the miso-orange sauce.
  4. Optional garnish: Toasted sesame oil OR toasted sesame seeds OR sliced scallions OR red pepper flakes OR a combination

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Recipe from Malcom Jackson for Milk Street

Orecchiette with Broccolini

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There’s been numerous indications, due to the COVID-19 spread and the shutdown of meat processing plants, we’ll likely see meat and poultry shortages in the near future. With foresight, we are starting to compile a reservoir of meatless dishes that could come in handy. For those of you who follow a plant-based diet, you are already ahead of the curve.

Taken from the MilkStreet.com website, it is noted orecchiette with broccoli rabe (orecchiette con cime di rapa) is a signature pasta dish from the Puglia region of southern Italy. The bitterness of rabe is challenging for some palates, so using sweeter, milder broccolini addresses that. However, if you like the assertiveness of rabe, it can easily be used in place of the broccolini, though rabe will cook a little more quickly.

The pasta gets boiled in a minimal amount of water, then the starchy liquid that remains becomes the base for the sauce that marries the orecchiette and broccolini. A finishing sprinkle of toasted seasoned breadcrumbs adds a crisp texture. But don’t use fine dried breadcrumbs in place of panko. Their sandy, powdery texture doesn’t offer the light, delicate crispness of panko.

I decided to adjust the ratio of pasta versus the other ingredients by only using 2/3 the amount of orecchiette, 8 ounces instead of 12. Of course this decision necessitated that the amount of water be reduced also, from 5 cups to 3 cups + 2 ounces. (The original recipe amounts are listed below.) As an additional topper, we sprinkled on some grated Pecorino Romano cheese along with those fabulous bread crumbs. In the end, we loved this dish. There was so much flavor with so few ingredients!

Orecchiette with Broccolini

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 8 Medium garlic cloves, 4 minced, 4 thinly sliced
  • 8 Oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced
  • ¾ Cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1½ Lbs. broccolini, trimmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
  • ½-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 12 Oz. orecchiette pasta
  • 5 1/2 cups water
  • Grated cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and half the anchovies, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
  2. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside; wipe out the pot.
  3. In the same pot over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil until shimmering. Add the broccolini, pepper flakes, sliced garlic, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccolini is crisp-tender and the garlic is golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.
  4. Add ½ cup water and continue to cook, stirring, until most of the moisture has evaporated and the broccolini is fully tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
  5. In the same pot over medium-high, boil 5 cups water. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the pasta, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
  6. Stir in the broccolini mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the remaining anchovies. Continue to cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until the liquid has thickened enough to cling lightly to the pasta and broccolini, about 1 minute.
  7. Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and grated parmesan if desired.

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Adapted from a recipe by Milk Street