4 days Ago By [email protected] (Garrett Palm)
"Eat your broccoli" can be heard from the mouths of most parents, and for good reason. A cup of the cruciferous vegetable contains as much vitamin C as an orange and includes many other much-needed vitamins and minerals. Yet, no matter how healthy it is, many people struggle to eat it.
We think that's because most at-home chefs aren't making it right, so Daily Meal talked with Jon Wood, director of culinary at Lawry's Restaurants, including the famed Los Angeles establishments Lawry's The Prime Rib and Tam O'Shanter , about how to make better broccoli at home. Wood tells us what the professionals are doing that the home cooks may be missing: "It starts with the freshest product, proper cooking techniques, and seasoning." Restaurants often have an advantage when it comes to freshness, as many higher-end restaurants establish relationships with farmers themselves to get the freshest produce available.
But don't worry, if you have access to a farmer's market, you can also establish a relationship with those growing your food! For proper cooking techniques, Wood elaborates that "undercooking or overcooking can dramatically impact the final end product." One of his tips for roasting broccoli just right that applies to any delicious broccoli recipe is simple: "When prepping, cut all broccoli pieces the same size," adding, "This ensures that during the cooking process, everything will cook as evenly as possible so you don't have a mixture of under or overcooked broccoli." When it comes to seasoning, Wood wants to make sure we "don't forget the salt!" Professional chefs get the flavors to really pop by adding salt at the right time.
Make sure your water is well-salted if you're boiling, and pre-salt your broccoli well ahead of time if you're roasting or sauteeing! More broccoli cooking tips Restaurants, of course, do more than just cook the broccoli perfectly. Jon Wood told Daily Meal, "Blanching in salted boiling water and shocking in ice water is probably the most popular method of prepping the product before using a high-heat cooking method to finish the cooking process." This step improves the texture and tones down any bitter flavors in the broccoli.
Once blanched, your broccoli is ready for an easy roasting recipe . And roast them on high heat because, as Wood explains, "building caramelization or charring slightly can create flavor complexity." Professional chefs also know what works well with broccoli.
According to Wood, chefs will use "high-quality butter, extra virgin olive oil for finishing, acidity such as lemon and vinegar, garlic, and even something to add texture like toasted breadcrumbs." Hopefully, this has inspired you to eat your broccoli because it's on our list of foods you should eat every day !.
