Cleanup a breeze with one-pan broccoli side
If you spread food out in a single layer and bake it, you’ll get toasty food with the ingredients evenly distributed.
U.S. cookbook author Raquel Pelzel has made a specialty of this kind of cooking; she’s written more than 20 cookbooks.
Her new cookbook, Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless (Workman/Thomas Allen, $25.95), should help the cook who needs to create dinner in a big hurry. Its 100 recipes show the versatility of this modest pan, and how cooking in it reduces the mess made in a kitchen.
This recipe softens and flavours broccoli florets successfully.
Soups and salads are cooked in this handy pan, as are vegetables, grains, legumes, pasta and desserts.
CHEESY BROCCOLI GRATIN
Serves: 4
■ 11/4lbs (4cups/1L/1
■ medium bunch) broccoli, cut in florets
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
■ 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher or
■ coarse salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
■ 2 medium garlic cloves,
■ minced 1/3 cup (80 mL) panko
■ bread crumbs 3/4 cup (180 mL) grated
■ cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (60 mL) finely
■ grated Parmesan cheese
1. Place one oven rack in the upper-middle position and another rack in the centre. Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C) with empty pan on centre rack.
2. In a medium bowl, toss broccoli with oil and salt. Spread broccoli on preheated pan; it should sizzle. Roast in preheated oven until the bottom of the florets are browned, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and garlic on high power for 15 seconds at a time, stirring and continuing to microwave until butter melts, about 45 to 60 seconds total time.
4. Place bread crumbs in a medium bowl, add buttergarlic mixture, tossing to mix. Add cheddar and Parmesan cheese, tossing to mix.
5. Remove sheet pan from oven and sprinkle broccoli with the cheese mixture. Turn broiler on high, place pan on upper rack of oven and broil until cheese melts and browns, one to two minutes. Keep an eye on pan to avoid burning the bread crumbs.
6. Serve hot.