What if broccoli and fried chicken had a delicious vegetarian baby? You would manage to do the impossible: get super excited about broccoli.
2 broccoli crowns/heads, stems removed, cut into small pieces (Save the stems for a slaw. We don’t waste food here.)
½ cup grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
Glug of olive oil
Punch (not a pinch) of kosher salt
Generous amount of ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set up a bowl of ice water. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Bring a large pot of very salty water to a boil.
3. Blanch the broccoli crowns in the boiling water for 4 minutes, then transfer them to the bowl of ice water to shock them (to set the color and halt the cooking). Once cool, drain the broccoli in a colander.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bread crumbs, egg, oil, salt, and pepper until it forms a paste.
5. Place the broccoli on the lined baking sheet. Spread the paste over the broccoli; you don’t have to cover the whole thing.
6. Roast for 30 minutes.
7. Let cool. Serve, and completely change the way you think about broccoli.