Whenever I see a deal on broccolini, I grab it. It’s much easier to prep than regular broccoli and I love the way it looks – the long stalks and branchy tree-like tops. When broccolini is done right it’s caramelized, has a delicious bite, and can really play with different ingredients. I came up with this recipe when I was thinking about colour and stumbled on this delicious combination.  Here I love the mix of tart, brick coloured sumac, with the heat of fire engine red chilli flakes. Once the broccolini is done roasting, I finish it with lemon zest and juice – I feel like you need that hit of citrus after the depth that develops while roasting. It’s a super simple preparation and perfect as a side or as part of a grain bowl.

a word on sumac:

I realize as I write this recipe, that many people may not have sumac on hand. If you do want to get it, it’s easily available at Middle Eastern and Persian grocery stores, of which there are plenty in the GTA (and hopefully in other parts as well). These days you can also purchase it at some mainstream grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, and if all else fails, le internet! Once you do buy it, you can use it to bring a brightness and depth to so many different things – sprinkle it on cucumbers with olive oil and lemon, use it as part of a marinade, or to season chicken or fish, add it to freshly cooked rice, on top of cooked beans or add several pinches to hummus, and on and on. If you haven’t tried it yet, I’d encourage you to!

roasted broccolini with sumac and chilli

serves 2

ingredients:

one bunch of broccolini
1 ½ tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
¼ tsp kosher salt
5 cracks of pepper
½ tsp sumac
¼ tsp chilli flakes
zest of one lemon
1 tsp lemon juice

directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Trim about 1 inch off the bottoms of the broccolini and slice any thicker stalks in half down the centre. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet pan and then drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper, sumac, and chili flakes. Use your hands to toss the broccolini in the oil and seasonings, making sure that each piece is nicely coated, especially the tops of each broccolini – just make sure not to touch your eyes afterward because chili flakes! Now rearrange them again to be spread out nicely on the sheet and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 15-20 mins – I like to flip them at the 10 min mark. The broccolini is done when the tips and leaves are roasted brown and the stalks are deep green, slightly tender, and cooked through. Once they’re out of the oven, sprinkle with lemon zest and drizzle with lemon juice, giving the greens a gentle toss with a fork or tongs. You can also add one final sprinkle of sumac before serving. That’s it!

notes:

•  you can easily double this recipe for a family meal or just to make a bigger batch

• if you want just a hint of spice, reduce the chili to 1/8 tsp

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