Jacques Pepin's Cheap Broccoli Method You'll Start Making Every Week - Tasting Table

"To make Pépin's dish, heat about three tablespoons of good olive oil, as the chef recommends, in a skillet or large saucepan. Add a generous amount of sliced garlic, pinch of chili flakes, and once aromatic and softened, add cut broccoli rabe. Pépin cooks the broccoli rabe for a few minutes before adding julienned ham and a can of beans."

"The beauty with Jacques Pépin's broccoli rabe dish is how easy it is to transform to suit almost any palate. Let's say you're not a ham lover. Instead of using ham, you could incorporate another umami-rich protein or ingredient, like pancetta, bacon, anchovies, or a vegan chorizo. And if you've run out of olive oil or it's a bit heavy on the budget, you can use melted, unsalted butter."

Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, sauté sliced garlic and a pinch of chili flakes until aromatic, then add cut broccoli rabe. Cook the broccoli rabe briefly, add julienned ham and a can of beans, season with salt and pepper, heat until the beans are warm, plate and drizzle with olive oil. The dish balances broccoli rabe's crunch and bitterness with savory ham and creamy beans for rustic, comforting bites. Serve as an accompaniment or main. Variations include pancetta, bacon, anchovies, vegan chorizo, butter for oil, a drizzle of honey to offset bitterness, or blanching the greens first.

Read at Tasting Table