Charred broccoli - Burger Burger

📷: Liz Clarkson

“Our charred broccoli has been a fan fave on the menu from day one, and rightfully so! The smoky char, the crunch of the green broccoli and the almonds, and flavour of the garlic all come together to make a nutritious and delicious dish. Everyone who’s tried to recreate this recipe at home has been surprised by its simplicity, but there are a few tips and tricks that will help you nail it.” — Mimi Gilmour

Serves 4

½ tbsp olive oil

1 head broccoli, cut into evenly sized florets (don’t remove the stem, it’s full of goodness)

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp butter

2 large cloves garlic, sliced

2 tbsp slivered almonds

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over high heat, add oil and heat until almost smoking — you will know it’s ready when you hear a faint crackling sound. Add the broccoli and sizzle. Avoid moving the broccoli or the pan too much, to allow the broccoli to char.

Cook for 4–5 minutes until beginning to char on the bottom, then toss broccoli (if you’re a pro pan-flipper) or use tongs to flip each piece over. Cook on the other side for 4–5 minutes, until charred.

Add a dash of water to the pan to lift any stuck pieces of broccoli, and cook for a minute, until water has evaporated.

Push the broccoli to one side of the pan and put butter, garlic and almonds on the empty half. Sizzle for a minute or two, just until the garlic is fragrant and the almonds are evenly toasted, then toss the buttery sauce through the broccoli to coat. Turn out onto a serving dish. Season well with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a good few grinds of black pepper. Serve straight away.

Recipe and image from Auckland Eats Vol.1 published by Lazy Susan. 📷: Liz Clarkson