Real Food, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, IBD-AID (Phase III), Paleo, Whole30
Broccolini is one of my favorite cruciferous vegetables. While broccoli can sometimes be a bit bitter, broccolini has just a hint of natural sweetness. It’s much more mild and easy on the palate. Officially, broccolini is a hybrid cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. While it may not be available at every store, it seems to be a staple at my Sam’s Club. I love to roast broccolini so that the tops become crispy and crunchy. While I often do this with just olive oil and salt, I sometimes like to add additional flavor to change things up. This recipe for crispy honey chipotle broccolini is one of my favorites.
PREPARE THE BROCCOLINI AND OIL
This recipe for crispy honey chipotle broccolini really is quick to prepare. If the broccolini looks especially fresh, you can just dump it from the bag and go. If the ends have browned at all, simply trim the ends before using. If I’m roasting the broccolini in just olive oil and salt, I lay the broccolini out flat on a parchment lined pan and pour the oil directly over top. When I want to make honey chipotle broccolini, I find that it works best to mix the honey and oil together over heat. This only takes about 30 seconds in a sauce pan. As the honey melts, you can whisk in the oil, chipotle powder, and salt. Then, when you pour this over the broccolini, all of the ingredients are well combined.
TIPS AND TRICKS
I mostly pour the oil mixture over the broccolini tops. I don’t leave the stems dry, but you really want to be sure and coat the tops well. It’s a necessary step to achieving that crispy, crave-able crunch. If you pour the prepared oil mixture over the broccolini and the pan seems dry, add a bit more oil over the broccolini tops. I’ve found that there’s a fine line here. You don’t want the tops soaking in a puddle of oil. Too much oil will leave them soggy. But if you don’t use enough oil, they’ll roast without crisping. I like to see just enough oil on the tops to leave a few drops on the parchment paper. It’s sometimes surprising how much the tops can soak up. Use your judgement.
This crispy honey chipotle broccolini would be a great addition to a Barbacoa salad bowl.
How to Make Crispy Honey Chipotle Broccolini
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs broccolini
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- Squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If need be, trim the bottoms of the broccolini so that the cuts appear fresh without any browning. Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay out the broccolini so that it is flat against the pan and not piled high.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the olive oil, honey, sea salt, and chipotle powder. It only takes about thirty seconds to melt the honey enough for everything to whisk together well. If using the optional fresh citrus juice, add a generous squeeze to the pan and mix well.
- Slowly drizzle the oil mixture over the broccolini. Drizzle a bit over the stems, but save most for the broccolini tops. After exhausting the entire oil mixture, nestle the broccolini into the oil. If the tops seem to have absorbed all of the liquid, drizzle a bit more plain olive oil over the tops. You don’t want the broccolini sitting in puddles, but want enough oil to crisp the tops. See the “Tips and Tricks” section above.
- Place the pan on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. You want the bottoms to crisp but not burn. If you tune in your nose, you’ll likely be able to smell when your broccolini is done.
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