I can’t remember the first time I had broccoli rabe. My guess is it was at a restaurant, and its bitter, spicy flavor had the same pleasant jolt to me as Italian radicchio or bitter negroni did in later years. My mother’s family is from Campania and that might be why I’m drawn to that kind of thing.
Despite the name, broccoli rabe does not taste like broccoli and is more closely related to turnips and mustard greens than anything else. In Italy it is simply known as rapini.
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Every time I find it in the grocery store aisle (much less often than I would tolerate), I grab a bunch so I can take it home and sauté it in olive oil with garlic and red. Add (here usually found under the Andy Boy label) pepper flakes. It’s a special treat for me, so I want to reward myself more often.
At Daylily, Jose Salazar’s deli and bodega in Tusculum, Colombia, chef Abby Romero sautés broccoli rabe before tossing it with minced garlic and sautéed onions. It’s mixed with smoked gouda, finished with an Italian vinaigrette, and served on toasted wheat bread. It may sound strange, but sinking your teeth into this soft, cheesy sandwich will remind you of biting into a delicious pizza. But in this case, its bitter, garlicky flavor reminds me of a country or region I’ve only visited a few times and know, but that will forever be a part of me.
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“Highly recommend” is a new weekly feature that spotlights food writer Keith Pandolfi’s favorite dishes he discovers while eating his way around Greater Cincinnati. Learn more about his recent culinary writing here or from the list below.
