So now, that Thanksgiving weekend is coming to end and I am thinking about returning to work, I am really sad that Giulia will no longer accompany me on the train for my morning commute. I am very grateful, however, that her book has found her way among my closet o’ cookery books! As you may remember from my last post, I used many of Giulia’s baked goods recipe for Thanksgiving morning. Since we had split the holiday this year,a big change in our Turkey Day Tradition, I decided to give Giulia’s Broccoli di Rape recipe a go. Broccoli Rabe is an incredibly bitter vegetable that was consistently on the table in my italian house. It was also one of those vegetable that was “an aquired taste”, so mostly all of the adults ate it. Over the years, I too have aquired a taste for it, but was interested in Giulia’s blanching technique to get rid of some of that bitterness. I also thought it was an appropriate make since I felt very bittersweet at the end of “I loved, I lost, I made Spaghetti”.

So many of Giulia’s relationships reminded me of my own. There was my first boyfriend, who I felt so safe with but was also very not in love with. There was my second rebound boyfriend who broke my heart (not once, not twice, but three times)..each time by, get ready for it…not calling me. Yup, after several months, he would just stop calling me, I have taken to calling him A$$hole, and had I read Giulia previously probably would have sent some good ol’ Fuck You Cakes his way! (Instead I chose vodka). Then there were the more short term relationships that just kind of left me like “huh”?, and were perhaps the most frustrating…hence my contempt for Lachlan. Prior to meeting my husband, I had seriously stopped dating. I was so intent on fulfilling my own happiness. I cooked for myself, I ate by myself…with good dishes (and good wine) and really began to appreciate being “an independent woman”. I have done many things independently from living alone, to backpacking through Guatemala, to going to the movies. And I certainly appreciated each of those things. I was amazed when I met Matt how easily it was to enter a more “domestic” role after living so independently. I often wonder if I was fooling myself being happy as a single person. I continue to wonder if the most important ingredient in this life is love? And if so, does it need to be romantic love? Then there are also times, where I actually miss the quietness of my own kitchen, making a meal for one. Sure entertaining is great, but there is also a simple pleasure in caring for yourself. Being with one person is wonderful, but there are also bittersweet transitions, like an end to my meals for one, or changes in family holiday traditions, or total control of the remote control. However, not being in a relationship is also bittersweet. It is a continuous struggle for me personally to maintain by commitment to very feminist values while enjoying the very domestic tasks I love. Given all of that bitterness, I am all for blanching bitter stuff out of what I can! Enter, “broccoli di rape”.

2 Lb. Broccoli di Rape (or Broccoli Rabe)

Salt

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1/8 Tsp. Hot red pepper flakes

Place a Large Pot over High Heat. Arrange a bowl with water and ice. Trim the tough stalk from the broccoli di rape, and when water begins to simmer add salt and then broccoli. Blanch for 3 minutes, then place in ice bath.

Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic and hot pepper. When the garlic is golden drain the broccoli, squeeze out excess water, and add to the skillet. Lower the heat and cook for about ten minutes for crunchy broccoli and twenty for soft, add some water if necessary.

I didn’t get to take a picture of this, but trust me…it was phenomenal. I did not have ice, so I wound up doing a “cold water” bath, which was kind of silly since the water just warmed from the blanched broccoli. I also used a lot more garlic (like 12 cloves) and 2 Tbs. butter/2 Tbs. Olive oil. I cooked for 15 minutes and it was the perfect consistency…not too crunchy but not too soft. And, it was not bitter at all…now if we could only get the bitterness out of relationships…