When I was growing up, hating broccoli wasn’t so much a taste preference as it was a birthright. My mother would dutifully serve the stuff to her family, proclaiming its many nutritional benefits, while her three children moaned and held their noses and made “blech” faces.
What did my father do during these weekly dinnertime battles? He led the charge. He hated broccoli as much as we did.
Our hostility wasn’t my mother’s fault. Most of the broccoli found in the upper Midwest in the 1960s and 1970s came packed in flat, frozen little boxes. After you cooked it, it was a brownish-green mush. As fresh broccoli became more widely available, my mother steamed it in a pressure cooker until it resembled the only broccoli she knew: the reheated frozen stuff. On broccoli nights, the whole house would smell like a paper mill.
We kids (and my dad) weren’t the only Americans on an anti-cruciferous crusade. For most of the 1950s and ’60s Americans ate, on average, less than 1 1/2 pounds of broccoli a year, most of it frozen, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (That’s about one head of broccoli per person, consumed over an entire year.)
But as fresh broccoli became more available, those numbers started to climb. In 1975, per capita consumption was about 1 pound each of fresh and frozen broccoli; in 1980 it reached nearly 1 1/2 pounds of each.
That was the last year that frozen broccoli held its own against fresh. In 2008, per capita consumption of broccoli was nearly 6 pounds of fresh and 2.7 pounds frozen. If you are a broccoli lover, chances are that you buy it fresh at least twice as often as frozen.
I can’t say that I’ve completely overcome my childhood hatred of broccoli. But I do mostly tolerate it now, allowing it into my home on a regular basis. I prefer it on the crispy side, either lightly cooked or raw. I actually enjoy it stir-fried — and this recipe, in which the broccoli is saturated in garlic and roasted to crisp-tender perfection, is positively yummy.
I’m pleased to report that my mom abandoned her pressure cooker for a steamer basket many years ago. The last time I had dinner with my folks, my father only mildly complained that broccoli was being served. I, however, remain suspicious of all steamed broccoli. If it comes within a mile of squishy, I am prepared to break out my best “blech” face.
At local farmers markets
Apples, arugula, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, field peas, garlic, herbs, kale, Italian dandelion, Jerusalem artichokes, jicama, lettuce, mixed greens, mustard greens, parsnips, pecans, peppers, radishes, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tatsoi, turnip greens, turnips, winter squash
From farther afield
Looking good: Apples, Florida and Chilean avocados, Georgia and Virginia beans, Mexican beets, California and Mexican broccoli, Mexican brussels sprouts, cabbage, Michigan and California carrots, California cauliflower, California and Georgia corn and eggplant, Georgia and Carolina greens, Texas grapefruit and oranges, Washington pears, Florida and Mexican summer squash, Florida tomatoes, Mexican watermelon
Coming in: Florida and California beans, South American blueberries, Georgia and North Carolina cabbage, Florida corn and eggplant, South American grapes, Arizona oranges, Mexican raspberries, Florida watermelon
Variable quality: California artichokes, Caribbean and Mexican blackberries, Mexican carrots, California lettuce, California and Caribbean peas, California tomatoes
Local reports and the Packer
Roasted Broccoli With Quinoa
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Serves: 4
Toasty, roasty, garlicky broccoli, brightened with lemon and balanced with nutty quinoa. This side dish is so good, you might end up skipping the main course. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), a whole grain that cooks quickly, is sold in most grocery stores – often in the natural foods section.
1 head broccoli
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons grated
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and thoroughly dry the broccoli. Cut it into florets. Place the broccoli in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Toss it well to thoroughly coat the broccoli in the oil. Sprinkle the broccoli with garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Roast in the oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and 2/3 cup water to boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. When done, the quinoa will have a translucent quality and the white germ “tail” will be visible on each grain.
When the broccoli is done, toss it with the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Stir in the quinoa. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.
Per serving: 140 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 4 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 60 milligrams sodium.
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