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Broccoli and cheese isn’t just for kids, it’s for everyone! Cover cheese in anything and you are good to go, that’s what I always say. This recipe works with any vegetable. What you should try, even if you aren’t sure is the smoked mozzarella cheese sauce. If you aren’t a fan of smoked cheese, just try this. Melted smoked cheese brings out a different flavour profile and really is a great tasting cheese. Roasting vegetables is another tip for this dish, as roasting any vegetable is a must. You really taste a difference than the usual steaming or blanching of vegetables. We want to bring maximum flavour to this dish with only a handful of ingredients and this delivers.
ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH SMOKED MOZZARELLA AND PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO CHEESE SAUCE
Recipe by Mark Calaminici | Food Loves Company
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
2 ½ lbs Broccoli, broken into florets
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
5 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup of all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk or 2%
Nutmeg, to taste
80g Smoked low moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated
40g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
Method
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place broccoli florets in a large bowl, drizzle extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper, chili flakes are optional. Toss to incorporate all the ingredients. Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven and roast for 15-20, flipping halfway through.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt butter and add the flour whisking continuously. Let the mixture (roux) cook for about 5-6 minutes. You will start to see a golden colour and smell like a pie crust is baking, that’s when you will know to start with the next step. This next step assures no lumps for your béchamel. Remove saucepan from heat and pour just a little bit of the milk in a steady stream while whisking continuously. Once everything looks smooth you can pour in some more and continue or you can just pour in the rest, whatever you like. Just make sure to do the first step correctly to avoid lumps. Bring béchamel to a simmer and cook for about 6-8 minutes, whisking frequently. Season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg, stir and add cheese. Mix until cheese has melted. Plate up the broccoli and pour as much cheese sauce all over. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Until next time, ciao!