(Not So) Saturday Sides: Citrus Broccoli

I know that it was not very nice of me to leave you all hanging on Saturday. No recipe, no explanation, no nothin’. Well. Here it is. The fact is; I was sad last week. *sigh* You know what I mean? The kind of sad where you just hear a stupid gooey song on the radio and WHAM! you’re crying. No reason, really. Just s-a-d. Well, that was Angie Pangie last week.  Usually I’m not very “girl-like”, being that I don’t typically cry about much of anything, so it was totally annoying to me.

And when I get annoyed, I often get mean. And spiteful. And I think dumb things like “I don’t like blogging anyhow, who cares if I post? Certainly not me.” Even more than dumb, that’s just untrue. And, no matter what I say, and even though I wasn’t in the mood to blog about broccoli, I still like to blog. I just didn’t have it in me last week to blog, that’s all.

My friend Holli tried to cheer me up by taking me out for a romp at the kitchen store. We walked around and goofed off and made fun of people for paying $17 for a bowl to hold garbage. Because that is just not right people.  I love my friend Holli, and I had a great time, but when I got home . . . I was still sad.

So, I didn’t post.  But, as it turns out, I’ve got the greatest hubby in the whole wide world.  He always picks up the pieces for me and prods me to muddle through the best I can when I’m feeling sad, or mean, or just not much like myself. And when all else fails, he buys me stuff to make me happy, which nearly always works. At the end of last week he bought me a car. A great big giant red car. And, honestly? I’m feeling much better now. Funny how that works, huh?

So, now that I’m feeling better and I’m hauling the produce for the Saturday Sides in a bright red shiny car I’m here to make it up to you that I was a super schmuck non-poster last weekend. Oh, and don’t ever, ever doubt that I’m an only child, o.k.? I like presents. Now that I’m older, I just like bigger, more expensive presents.

So I picked a Saturday Side (yes, I know it’s not Saturday now) that was so completely easy to make, yet astoundingly delicious, that I bet you’ll be having it two or three times a month after you try it. Hey, don’t doubt me . . . just trust me.

Citrus Broccoli
Adapted from Everyday Food

1 1/2 pounds of trimmed broccoli florets
1/2 fresh lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

You’ll need a steamer basket to make this broccoli.  These only cost a couple of dollars at the discount stores and are well worth the price for the tasty steamed veggies they turn out.

Place one inch of water in a large saucepan and place your steamer basket inside. 

Bring the water to a full boil, add the broccoli and cover.

Steam until tender, but not mushy - about 7 minutes.  Do not allow your broccoli to cook until it looks washed-out” or very pale.  It should be vibrant and very green.  You don’t want it to be undercooked either, so watch it closely.  You can use the sharp end of a knife to see how “soft” the broccoli has gotten.

Place broccoli in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  And for heaven’s sake, don’t skip this step!  You can cut back, if you must, on the salt, but don’t omit it.  Remember, salt is a flavor enhancer - it gives a much needed boost to the natural flavor of broccoli.  Well, if you do skip this step (and even though I said don’t, I know some of you will because you think salt is unhealthy, which is only true if you use way too much) don’t come whining to me about how this broccoli tastes yucky, and bland, and boring.  Add salt.  Problem solved.

Squeeze the lime juice over the broccoli and add some of the lime pulp, if desired.  I like to use a fork to get in there and break apart the pulp and really get the juice out.  Now.  A certain someone whose name I will not mention (Angie Pangie) thought that if half a lime was good with broccoli that a whole lime with broccoli would be better.

This is how that turned out.

Holli says “Stick to half a lime.”

Mix well, and serve hot.

Without pictures:

Citrus Broccoli
Adapted from Everyday Food

1 1/2 pounds of trimmed broccoli florets
1/2 fresh lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Place one inch of water in a large saucepan and place your steamer basket inside (these cost a couple of bucks at the discount stores, if you don’t have one). 

Bring the water to a full boil, add the broccoli and cover.

Steam until tender, but not mushy - about 7 minutes. 

Place broccoli in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Squeeze the lime juice over the broccoli and add some of the lime pulp, if desired.

Mix well, and serve hot.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to Angies Pangies today!