The Best Roasted Broccoli

So, I finally did it. FINALLY!!!

Over the past 3 years I have been going to school full time to finish my undergraduate degree in Global Studies at the University of Washington Bothell while working full time. Readings, papers, presentations, and work events have kept me very (and I mean very) busy, not to mention trying to find time for my family and myself. Basically, over the past 3 years I have at least slightly neglected my poor husband and our pets, and completely neglected any household duties that I had taken on prior to that. I’m now back to cleaning, doing laundry, you know, all the things that people LOVE doing.
But, one of the best things about being done with school is that I now get to cook and eat and really enjoy it. No rush, I can pour a glass of wine and really take it all in. I don’t have to worry about getting done quickly because I have to finish a 10 page paper or have a test to study for the next day. It means that I can enjoy food like I haven’t been able to for a long time.

It also means that I can go out with friends more often! And that’s where this recipe stemmed from. A friend of mine, Jenny (www.twoseattlefoodies.com), and I went for dinner and drinks at a restaurant called Black Bottle in Bellevue, WA (http://blackbottlebellevue.com). It was my first time, but Jenny had been before and recommended that we get their “blasted broccoli.” Now, I love most veggies, and broccoli is at the top of my list. But I don’t typically get a pure veggie dish at a place that has things like pork belly and ceviche with house made tortillas. But Jenny insisted that it was fantastic so we ordered it. And boy was she right! Who would have thought that such a simple thing as roasted broccoli would be so good. It was almost like they deep fried it and then added some extra oil on top, but it still didn’t feel heavy. I decided that I had to figure out how to make this spectacular dish.

The first time I made it I used only olive oil and threw a clove of garlic that I grated and some lemon zest, but that just wasn’t quite right. The taste of the olive oil was too strong and it overpowered the broccoli, and the garlic and lemon added nothing. So I rethought it. Who would have thought that it was even more simple than that? You only need 5 ingredients if you count salt and pepper each as there own. It’s super cheap, it’s easy, although as my husband argued, adding butter does remove some of the nutritional value, it’s still a healthy vegetable and  it’s oh-so-good.

The Best Roasted Broccoli

2 large heads broccoli, cut into florets

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Heat your oven to 425°.  While the oven heats, add your broccoli to a medium bowl and pour the melted butter and oil over it and mix. Once the broccoli has a nice even coating, sprinkle some salt and pepper over it and toss one final time. Pour the broccoli onto a baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
2. Toss the baking sheet in the oven and cook 20 – 25 minutes, tossing it every 5 minutes to ensure somewhat even cooking. Although if you have a desire for some really darkly roasted spots don’t toss it. I personally like a nice crispy texture over the whole surface of the broccoli so I toss it. Once you pull the broccoli out of the oven do a quick taste test and add more olive oil, salt or pepper if needed. And ladies and gentlemen, it is as easy as that.

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