Transform Boring Broccoli into an Amazing Dish With Bacon!

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bonnibel june

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 8, 2015
2
10
What better way to eat nutritious broccoli more than cooking it with bacon!

Here's the recipe: 

Figure one big bunch of broccoli for 3 or ­4 people. You will need to chop it down a bit and discard the stalk. How big? One flowerette should respect the size of your dinner fork and or be about one bite or mouthful but not larger than 2. We are going to do this in a 10 or 12-inch sauté pan. Get it on a fire 3/4 full of water to boil. Be sure not to use any salt because it will make the broccoli soft and mushy.

While the water is coming to boil, cut some lardons, 15 or 20, 1/2 a cup, more or less. If the bacon has a thick rind, remove that, but save it and freeze for your next stock or for pasta water. The lardons should be cube­ish, about as big as your pinky nail. If you are using sliced bacon then, small cuts about as big as paper clips. 2 or 3 slices of bacon seems right.

Chop a couple scallions or half a small onion and 2 or 3 cloves of fresh garlic. Your water is boiling. With a colander or strainer at the ready, dump the cut broccoli in the water. A minute is plenty. Get it out.

This is called ‘blanching’, a quick half cook in water. Since you will put the broccoli through another cook, a full cook in the water would result in an unfortunate too soft final result. Once in the strainer, hit it with a little cold water to stop the cooking from residual heat. This is called shocking.

Same pan, same fire, throw in the lardons and let them go until they have released enough of their own fat to saute the onions. If you are using beautiful lean bacon, go ahead and add a drop of oil at this time.

Onions first > 2 minutes > then garlic. If you would like to add a dash of fresh or dry herb, now’s the time. Oregano, marjoram, tarragon etc. all work. Black pepper of course, and if you are going to use salt use kosher or sea salt not table salt and please take into account how much salt the bacon or salt pork is throwing into the mix.

As soon as the garlic starts to color, add the waiting broccoli. One minute and you’re there. Stir it around good so everything is coated with shine and deliciousness. With the flame off, squeeze 1/2 a lemon right on top and transfer to a serving plate.

Source: http://baconutopia.com/2015/05/25/transform-broccoli-with-bacon/
 
Lardons are cut from 1/4" slices of Bacon, cut in 1/4" strips...JJ

Product-Lardons.jpg
 
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That's the first time I've heard that word ( Halushki ) anywhere but out of my wife's mouth, JJ! I thought she made it up! She makes a batch about once a month, basically just cabbage, onions, bacon, noodles and spices. We just eat it as it is the first night and as a side after that until it's gone. Definitely "comfort food".

I'm going to show her your recipe, Bonnibel. Looks good!
 
Chef JJ, thanks for the suggestion. I've never had that, but it sounds like true comfort food.
Halushki is definately a classic comfort food and one of those, middle European,  meals that go a long way on little money. My heritage is Polish and Halushki has been eaten by generations of my family. My Mom, 87, recently INSISTED I make it two nights in a row and ate the leftovers for lunch another two days straight! Leftovers can be sauteed in Butter until the noodles and cabbage brown and crisp a bit. My Wife likes it second day better than straight from the pot...JJ

BTW...I just assumed there was Onion in with your Cabbage. The sweetness of caramelized onion balances against the slightly bitter cabbage. 
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I appologize to the OP for us taking the Broccoli Recipe on a tangent, but mention BACON around here and you get a hundred ways to use it...JJ
 
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Halushki is definately a classic comfort food and one of those, middle European,  meals that go a long way on little money. My heritage is Polish and Halushki has been eaten by generations of my family. My Mom, 87, recently INSISTED I make it two nights in a row and ate the leftovers for lunch another two days straight! Leftovers can be sauteed in Butter until the noodles and cabbage brown and crisp a bit. My Wife likes it second day better than straight from the pot...JJ

BTW...I just assumed there was Onion in with your Cabbage. The sweetness of caramelized onion balances against the slightly bitter cabbage. :biggrin:  
I always use onion and certainly love the sweetness that comes out when the onion gets browned.
 
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