cellio | broccoli with garlic sauce

Tonight for the choir dinner I made broccoli with garlic sauce. I found a recipe that involved the microwave rather than stir-frying, and thought that would be more resilient for a potluck situation. I'm reasonably pleased with how it came out, though I expected a slightly thicker sauce from the description. But it's something I would definitely make again.

Recipe (adapted from something from the Splenda folks, and scaled for about 20 people):

2 "units" fresh broccoli [1]
2 bunches of scallions, chopped
1 bulb garlic, minced [2]
0.5C water [3]
2T soy sauce
2T cornstarch
2t Splenda (I assume sugar would work :-) )
3T chopped cilantro (about 3/4 of a package)
1-2t sesame oil

Chop broccoli and put in casserole.

Combine everything else except the seasme oil and pour over broccoli. Nuke (covered) for 4-5 minutes, stir (making sure to get sauce up from bottom), repeat. (I ended up going a total of 11 minutes, presumably due to the large volume.) Sauce should thicken to coat broccoli.

Stir in oil and serve.

[1] Locally the grocery store sells bunches of broccoli, usually 2-3 stalks held together with a rubber band. Two of those. Didn't think to weigh -- maybe 3 pounds?

[2] Bulb, not clove. I think this was the right amount of garlic, or a bit on the underpowered side. I get the impression that some folks might have thought it a bit much.

[3] The recipe called for beef broth, but the only buillon I had has MSG in it and one of the attendees is allergic, so I just used water this time.

(I need a food icon, but am not feeling inspired. Any takers?)

Update 12/9/03: Does not reheat well.

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Do you think the lack of the beef boullion made much of a difference? This sounds like something

chaoticgoodnik and I could make, that she could eat. (I suppose vegetable boullion would work too, but hey, figured I'd get your opinion while it was relevant.)

Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Well, some buillon is parve (that is, contains no actual meat), so you could still get the flavor while being friendly to vegetarians if you wanted. (Unless, of course, she just plain doesn't like the taste.) I didn't notice its absence tonight, but haven't tried it with yet to compare. Most of it got eaten, though, so I think it worked. :-)

Well, some buillon is parve (that is, contains no actual meat), so you could still get the flavor while being friendly to vegetarians if you wanted.

I use College brand vegetarian broth, rather than bouillon cubes, because it tastes better. Or, I use the vegetarian broth recipe my vegetarian friends recommended: onion, celery, garlic, carrots, all chopped fine and simmered together with enough water to cover until everything is mushy; put everything in the blender and puree, then put in a filter (I use a coffee filter in a 4.5" sieve) and let the broth drip through. Save the "mush" for stuffings, or whatever (freezes well). Add S&P to the broth as desired. The broth also freezes really nicely.

I often use canned vegetable broth (and have found one that claims no MSG), but in this case I had ~12oz cans and needed half a cup, and I didn't want to deal with it. :-) Thanks for the advice about making my own; I should try that.

This has nothing to do with the topic at hand -- I just wanted to say that that's a really lovely Crossgen icon you've got. I'm a great fan of their stuff...

By the way, cilantro is not very high on my list of "ingredients I might have included were I trying to invent broccoli with garlic sauce", but it seemed to work.

By the way, cilantro is not very high on my list of "ingredients I might have included were I trying to invent broccoli with garlic sauce", but it seemed to work.

I wouldn't include it at all, since I'm violently allergic to it ;-) But the rest of it sounds yummy!

How is this for a food icon?

Proof that even Mother Nature gets horny?

Oh my. Those are...carrots? I don't know if I'm that brave. :-)

It sounds good (I love broccoli), but I'd add hot chili peppers. My beauteous and oft-praised

jungle_goddess has accused me of having burned out my taste buds. :-)

As for a food icon, the one I use (especially if I'm hungry) is the 48-ounce steak I had at Arthur's (a four restaurant chain in New Jersey). :-)

Ooh, chili peppers would be good!

That sounds *really* good - I love broccoli. I may try it myself with chicken bullion, and minus the scallions.

[Bulb, not clove. I think this was the right amount of garlic, or a bit on the underpowered side. I get the impression that some folks might have thought it a bit much.]

I thought it was the right amount too, but I /really/ like garlic

I thought it was really strong, but that didn't stop me from eating it. I would probably cut back on the garlic by about half if I made it.

Sorry to overpower you. :-)

I wasn't so overpowered as to stop eating it - I really love broccoli, and mostly love garlic. Just not as much as you do. :)

Does not reheat well.

In my experience, broccoli never does. When I'm having Chinese food, I'll almost always eat all of the broccoli the first time around, and leave the meat for the reheating...

That said -- sounds very tasty! Thanks for the recipe...

broccoli with garlic sauce

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Garlic

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