Crispy and Garlicy Oven roasted Broccoli

Broccoli is not a favored vegetable at my place. S and Purvi share a huge dislike for this green vegetable which I find very surprising because I absolutely love it. Since this vegetable is packed with healthy nutrients, I try and serve Broccoli in different avatars, hoping that at least S will take a liking to this vegetable. But this did not happen for a long time. I tried cooking this vegetable in the form of stir fries, in gravies, tried spiking it up with Indian spices, I did it all. Despite all my efforts, his dislike for this vegetable never budged. I almost gave up cooking broccoli and that is when I found this recipe on food network.com. 

I had never tried baking broccoli before and the recipe seemed way too delicious to resist. I went to work the very same day. And I must say that this incarnation of broccoli was liked by both S and Purvi as well. It was the first time that S ate this vegetable with such enthusiasm. That day I learnt that oven roasted broccoli tasted much better than steamed broccoli. Tender, green florets, tossed in olive oil (or butter),  and garlic and baked till brown and crisp and then sprinkled with some cheese. What's not to love about this? I think that this avatar of broccoli is something that will be loved  by all.

Crispy and Garlicy Oven roasted Broccoli recipe:

Preparation time: 10min

Baking time: 20min

Serves- 2

Ingredients:

Broccoli- 1med or 200gms, separated into florets

Olive oil- 2-3tbsp

Garlic- 2 cloves, chopped fine

Fresh bread crumbs- 4tbsp

Salt- to taste

Freshly ground Pepper- 1/4tsp

Grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Method:

• In a large bowl, combine the broccoli florets along with the olive oil, bread crumbs, Garlic, salt and pepper and toss till the florets are coated with bread crumbs
• Spread the florets in a single layer on a Parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200C for 10min. Toss the florets and bake for 10min more.
• Transfer the florets to a serving dish, garnish with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Notes:

• For the bread crumbs, Blend a slice of brown or white bread till fine and add the same to the broccoli.
• Butter can also be used instead of olive oil
• You can also add a tea spoon of lemon juice if you want a hint of citrus.