Broccoli Rabe with Kalamata Olives
Broccoli rabe is by far one of my favorite vegetables. I love the earthy bitterness the leafy greens have. I usually cook them with pasta and some sausage. I add some pine nuts, garlic and basil and top it off with lots of parmesan cheese. It is the most delicious thing to have. Unfortunately my husband and daughter don’t love the pasta dish as much as I do. They prefer pasta with red sauce- I think a lot of people feel the same. I like pasta with all sorts of sauces and toppings but I have to say, I do like the sauceless ones the best. I like to be able to taste all the ingredients in my pasta.
Anyway, as usual I digress. I decided to use the broccoli rabe as a side dish. I like to pair the bitterness of the greens with super salty ingredients like olives and anchovies. I started with blanching the broccoli rabe and sauteed some garlic in olive oil. I melted anchovies into the mix and added the olives.
The dish was delicious with all the ingredients but I decided to take it to another level and added some crumbled feta on top. It made the dish come alive and gave it a creamy texture.
I could have eaten the whole dish by myself. All I needed was some warm crusty bread and a glass of red wine…
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut the thick stems off and save the leaves and chop
Boil water in a medium saucepan. Add lots of salt and add the broccoli rabe. Boil for a minute and take it out of the water and immerse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Take out of the cold water and keep aside.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 anchovy fillet with a teaspoon of oil from the bottle
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pits taken out and chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the anchovy fillet with the oil and sauté on a medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté on medium heat for a minute. Add the broccoli rabe and sauté on medium heat until the leaves are heated through. Add the olives and salt. Taste for seasonings. Add feta cheese and serve.
