Boiled Broccoli

Bright green broccoli boiled in well-salted water until crisp-tender, then tossed with persillade — a fresh mix of chopped parsley and garlic — stirred in off the heat. Cooked briefly and drained well, the broccoli stays vivid and firm, while the warm garlic and herbs turn a plain green vegetable into a side dish worth eating on its own.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (peel and slice the stalk too — it's the best part)
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

Boiling & Steaming

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Cooking with Water and Vapor→

Method

Boil the broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it heavily — it should taste like the sea. Add the broccoli and boil, uncovered, until the stems are just tender when pierced with a knife but the florets are still bright green, 3–4 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander, let the broccoli steam-dry for a moment, and wipe the pot dry.

Make the persillade and toss

Return the pot to low heat and melt the butter. Off the heat, stir in the garlic and parsley — the persillade — and let it warm gently in the residual heat for a few seconds. Add the broccoli back to the pot and toss to coat, then taste and add more salt if needed.