JOSHUA McFADDEN’S BROCCOLINI

McFADDEN’S BROCCOLINI

I HAVE A LOT OF COOKBOOKS, TOO MANY COOKBOOKS, WHICH I USE MOSTLY AS REFERENCE.  IF I'M TRYING OUT A NEW RECIPE OR TECHNIQUE, I MAY CONSULT FOUR OR FIVE UNTIL I EITHER FIND A FAVORITE OR I STEAL WHAT I LIKE FROM EACH TO CONSTRUCT MY OWN.  MAKING A RECIPE EXACTLY AS WRITTEN IS A RARITY FOR ME.  AN EXCEPTION IS THIS BROCCOLI RECIPE (I SUBSTITUTED BROCCOLINI) FROM JOSHUA McFADDEN'S SIX SEASONS, A New Way with Vegetables.  THE TITLE SUGGESTS A VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK, WHEREAS, IN FACT, IT'S VEGA-CENTRIC COOKBOOK.  THERE ARE MEAT DISHES, BUT THE EMPHASIS IS DECIDEDLY ON VEGETABLES; NOT ONLY FRESH, FARM-PICKED VEGETABLES, BUT SEASONAL VEGETABLES.  SIX SEASONS IS APPLICABLE TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES SUCH AS COASTAL MAINE WHERE McFADDEN RAN FOUR SEASONS FARM FOR ELIOT COLEMAN AND HIS WIFE BARBARA DAMROSCH, AFTER STINTS AS A CHEF AT BLUE HILL, MOMOFUKU, LUPA, AND FRANNY'S AS WELL AS LARK CREEK INN AND ROXANNE'S IN THE BAY AREA.  IN LOS ANGELES WE HAVE MORE LIKE TWO SEASONS THAN FOUR OR SIX.  STILL, I TRY TO COOK SEASONALLY.  AS McFADDEN WRITES IN THE AFTERWARD, "DON'T BUY TOMATOES IN WINTER."  WINTER IS BROCCOLI SEASON.  WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN VEGETABLES SUCH AS BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, ASPARAGUS, AND GREEN BEANS, I TEND TO THINK LESS IS MORE.  WITH BROCCOLI AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS, I THROW THEM IN A PAN WITH A LITLE WATER AND A LITTLE BUTTER, COVER AND STEAM THEM TILL TENDER.  McFADDEN EMBELLISHES ON THAT TECHNIQUE BY TOSSING THE COOKED BROCCOLI WITH LEMON JUICE, SESAME SEEDS AND SHOWERING IT WITH PARMESAN.  SO, IN THIS CASE, MORE IS MORE, SINCE THE FLAVOR AND TEXTURE OF THE BROCCOLI IS MERELY HEIGHTENED BY McFADDEN'S ADDITIONS.  IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BUY HIS BOOK.