Grilled Broccoli

with Orange Aioli and Pistachio Vinaigrette

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I was staying at a friend’s beach house one weekend and found some gorgeous broccoli at the local farm stand. I wanted to turn the broccoli into something as satisfying as grilled meat, so I cut it into big pieces and cooked them over a fire until they were deeply charred. We now serve this version of the dish at Loring Place, and our guests often tell us that if they could eat vegetables like this all the time, they wouldn’t need meat. Because the broccoli has such a big flavor, it needs an equally intense dressing to balance it out. Infusing olive oil with toasted pistachios and mint makes the base for a deeply flavored vinaigrette, while miso adds umami to the orange aioli.

Orange Aioli

Makes 1½ cups

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon yellow miso
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 cup sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Crack the egg into a tall mixing cup. Add the marmalade, orange zest, mustard, miso, salt, and garlic. Pour half of the oil on top and wait 15 seconds. Insert an immersion blender to the bottom of the cup, turn it on, and blend until emulsified. Transfer the aioli to a bowl and slowly whisk in the remaining oil, followed by the lemon juice and vinegar. The aioli can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.

Pistachio Vinaigrette

Makes about ½ cup

• ½ cup roughly chopped unsalted raw pistachios
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint

In a small saucepan, combine the nuts, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until the nuts are toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and mint. Season to taste with salt.

For Serving

• 1 pound broccoli, stems peeled, cut into long, thick spears
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Orange Aioli
• Pistachio Vinaigrette
• ½ jalapeño chile, finely diced (include some seeds if you like the heat)
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced mint leaves
• Freshly grated orange zest

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli until crisp-tender (but not soft), 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare a hot grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Toss the broccoli with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the broccoli, turning once, until charred, about 2 minutes per side.

To serve, spread a thin layer of the orange aioli in a large, shallow bowl or platter. Arrange a pile of broccoli on top, then spoon some of the pistachio vinaigrette over the top. Garnish with the diced jalapeño, sliced radishes, mint, and some freshly grated orange zest, and serve.

The Takeaway

A ripping-hot grill is my favorite tool for coaxing the best flavor out of broccoli, but if you throw a dense vegetable like this on the grill, you’ll dry it out before it’s tender. To keep broccoli (and other hearty vegetables like carrots) moist, I’ll first blanch them until they’re crisp-tender, then throw them on the hottest grill possible. That way I can concentrate on giving them a good char without worrying about cooking them through.