Broccoli, Endlessly

It has always surprised me that Broccoli, with it’s pungent greenness, is so appealing to children. However if you leave it in the pan for a minute or two too long, it’s a friend to no one. That is, until you cook it on and on, with a generous dose of garlic, chilli and fennel. It then becomes a fragrant mush that dresses pasta beautifully.

Feeds 4

2 heads broccoli, including (peeled) stalks

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

½ tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ tin anchovies (optional)

½ tsp sea salt

Black pepper

Chop and separate the broccoli into florets. Blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain. In a pestle and mortar, bash together the garlic, chilli, feel and anchovies until you have a rough paste. Warm the olive oil over a high heat in a large sauce pan or frying pan and fry your fragrant paste for a couple of minutes. Add the broccoli, stir around, then reduce the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time, until completely collapsed. Toss with hot pasta or even stir through a plain risotto. Grate over fresh Parmesan and more black pepper to serve.