Notes
This recipe is a great introduction to the technique of roasting, which is one of the most versatile and common techniques used in cooking, and also the one I turn to most when cooking vegetables.
Roasting makes use of dry heat and is usually (though not always) done at higher temperatures. This means that you can get some Maillard reaction and caramelize the sugars naturally present in many vegetables. That lends itself to more complex flavor than you’d get if you simply boiled or steamed those same vegetables, and it also gets you some nice crispy textures.
Most of the time when I’m roasting vegetables, I cook them around 425°F, which is a high enough temperature to get that Maillard reaction. If you’re doing this, you want to make sure that your vegetables are cut into small enough pieces that they cook through without burning on the outside. Alternatively, you can roast at lower temperatures for longer. This works well if you’re cooking larger vegetables, or if you want to develop softer, sweeter textures and flavors.
Finally, it’s important to note that if you do want browning and crispy textures, you should make sure to spread your vegetables out evenly on the sheet tray, leaving some space between them. If the vegetables are too crowded, they’ll steam (which means wet heat instead of dry heat and no browning). If you have do, use a couple of sheet trays to make sure you’re giving them enough room!
For this recipe I’ve added some balsamic vinegar (which adds acidity, umami, and sweetness), some shaved Parmesan cheese (for more umami), and a couple cracks of fresh black pepper. Feel free to play around with this technique with different vegetables and flavor combinations.
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches of broccoli, cut into small florets
- olive oil
- salt
- Balsamic vinegar (I like Villa Manodori brand)
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Black peppercorn
Process
Pre-heat your oven to 425°F / 220°C.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and place them into a bowl. Toss to coat with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt.
Place the broccoli onto a sheet tray, leaving plenty of room between the florets.
Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning the vegetables once throughout the cooking process, until they’re fully cooked through with some nice browning and crispiness.
Push the vegetables into a pile and drizzle a generous amount of balsamic vinegar over them.
Give them a toss to distribute the balsamic. The residual heat from the sheet tray will also help to “activate” the vinegar a bit.
Taste one of the florets and adjust as needed with more balsamic and/or salt (but know that the Parmesan is also quite salty).
Pile onto a plate, add a twist or two of fresh cracked black pepper, and then sprinkle the shaved Parmesan over the top.
Enjoy!
