Broccoli and garlic are two wholesome vegetables that taste great and go together in almost any cultural dish. Garlic has several antioxidants that benefit the heart and the immune system while broccoli is known to fight all types of cancers including breast cancer. There are so many ways to prepare broccoli and garlic together and very few of them require much effort.
Steamed
Add oil and two well chopped cloves of garlic to a large pot. Add broccoli and quickly coat it in the oil. Add ¼ cup of water per pound of broccoli, bring to a boil, and quickly cover. Let the broccoli steam for 15 minutes uninterrupted. When all of the water has evaporated, stick a fork in the broccoli. If it is difficult to pierce or you like your vegetables softer, add two tablespoons of water and let it steam for another 5 minutes. A bamboo steamer works well with broccoli also. Season the broccoli and garlic with salt and lemon juice to taste and serve as a side dish or as part of a Chinese stir fry.
Roasted
This method can be a little tricky depending on your oven as the broccoli can burn and doesn’t work well with frozen broccoli. Chop one pound of broccoli into 3 inch pieces and place on a nonstick baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Peel and slice two cloves of garlic or use a garlic press. Sprinkle garlic and salt over broccoli to taste. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. If you don’t like the edges of the broccoli crispy or the garlic to be browned, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Sautéed
Frozen chopped broccoli works best when sautéing because extra water is released as the flourettes cook and the excess is evaporated. Chop broccoli into bite size pieces and finely slice 3 garlic cloves or use a garlic press. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a medium frying pan and toss in broccoli and garlic. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until the broccoli is tender or soft. When using fresh broccoli, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water so it does not burn. Add salt and pepper to taste. For an Asian flair, you can also add ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper.
Caramelized
Caramelizing is a mixture of the three methods mentioned above. It brings out the natural sugars in foods and makes them taste sweeter so this is a popular method of cooking vegetables prepared for picky eaters. Start with large pieces of broccoli cut in half lengthwise. Place them in a large heated pan coated with oil with the flat side down. Allow the broccoli to brown on one side, then steam as usual. Add a little more oil and cook the garlic until it is golden and season to taste.
Soup
Making soup is as simple as adding ingredients. Simply puree one pound of broccoli and three cloves of garlic, heat, and season to taste.
