Broccoli Trees Coming Your Way!
farmers market broccoli
Broccoli is such a beautiful vegetable. It looks like a big strong tree with lots of leaves that you could play under. I think I would like to read a book under it, or maybe do a yoga pose…. if I did yoga poses. I love broccoli when it plays the part in something bigger like a stir fry, but I also love it all by itself with a delicious glaze and crunchy topping.
roasted broccoli with citrus glaze
Winter Fruits Begging To Be In A Glaze…
The idea for this glaze came about when my refrigerator was weighed down with grapefruit, oranges and lemons. Lemons are the natural and obvious choice to be paired with broccoli, but what would happen if a grapefruit joined the party? I started playing with the citrus glaze while the broccoli was roasting in the oven. The tangy zest of the citrus mixed together with the freshly grated ginger made the glaze pop against the roasted deliciousness of the roasted broccoli.
Almonds = Crunch
Equally important is the crunch factor that is the perfect beginning bite of the roasted broccoli. Almonds are irresistible when they are in candy crunch mode! I usually prepare them so they add a sweet crunch to the top of a salad, but this recipe begged for a little cayenne to be added to to the crunch.
I was so excited to drizzle the citrus glaze over the top of the roasted broccoli when it came out of the oven! The brightness of the citrus glaze was especially delicious with the crispness of the roasted broccoli. Crunchy cayenne almonds were the perfect topping to complete the story. This recipe is a perfect way to enjoy the delicious fruits of winter. I can’t wait to serve this recipe at my next dinner party!
PrintRoasted Broccoli with Citrus Glaze
Roasted Broccoli with a citrus glaze and crunchy cayenne almond topping
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Category: vegetable
- Method: oven and stove top
Ingredients
2 medium heads of broccoli
olive oil and salt and pepper for roasting
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
Glaze:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB freshly squeezed orange
grated zest of 1/2 of orange
2 TB freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 Tb freshly squeezed lemon juice
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 TB honey
1 TB white balsamic vinegar
1 TB freshly grated ginger
1 TB chopped lemongrass
Salt and pepper to taste
Crunchy Topping:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 TB butter
2 TB brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Chop broccoli into small “trees” and place on baking sheet, making sure there is space between the florets
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast for 15-20 minutes, or golden brown. If desired, you may loosen with a spatula halfway through cooking time
When golden brown, remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and return to oven until cheese has melted 3-5 minutes
While broccoli is cooking, prepare the topping and glaze
Topping:
Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the cayenne pepper
Add almonds and cook until the almonds are golden brown – be careful to continue to stir so the almonds do not burn
Spread cooked almonds on wax or parchment paper to cool
Glaze:
Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and zests in a medium bowl
Whisk honey into mixture until well blended
Stir in ginger and lemongrass
Remove broccoli from oven when parmesan cheese has melted and place on serving platter
Drizzle with citrus glaze
Top with crunchy almonds
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