roasted rapini

This past week I received some beautiful rapini in my weekly farm share. I had never seen rapini before or cooked with it, so it was fun trying out some new recipes. I am sure some of you are wondering what rapini is and what it looks like. Well, rapini (otherwise known as broccoli rabe) is a cruciferous vegetable and the leaves, stems and buds are all edible. The tops resemble broccoli but they do not form a large head. It is known for its bitter taste and is often associated with Mediterranean cuisine. It is often used in pasta dishes in Southern Italy or braised/sauteed with garlic and olive oil and served as a side dish.

Cruciferous vegetables are a power house when it comes to nutrition and for most of us, the more you can, the better. They are loaded with nutrients, vitamins (especially C, E and K), folate and of course fiber. They also contain a substance called sulforaphane which has been shown to have anti-cancer benefits. To read more about the benefit of cruciferous vegetables and cancer prevention, check out this link.

I decided to keep things simple and roast the rapini in the oven. I love roasted veggies and we finally had a cooler day so I didn’t feel quite so bad turning on the oven. This recipe is quick and easy. I recommend blanching or steaming your rapini for a couple of minutes prior to roasting just to make sure the stems are tender.

Ingredients

1 bunch of rapini

2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Pinch of salt and good pepper

1 lemon - finely slice half the lemon and juice the remaining half

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Creating the Magic!

Preheat the oven to 425F. Then, steam or blanch your rapini for 2-3 minutes. Place the blanched/steamed rapini on a rimmed baking tray, drizzle some olive oil over the rapini and then toss the rapini with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure everything is evenly coated (especially the tips) so that everything gets crispy. Place the lemon slices over the rapini.

Roast the rapini for about 8 minutes - it should turn bright green. Remove from the oven and sprinkle some grated Parmesan over the rapini. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so - the cheese will start to melt and brown.

Remove from the oven, squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the top and serve. Enjoy