Braising a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli for an hour might sound a bit like asking for trouble but the end result is totally worth it and it’s unexpectedly good.

Yes, you do lose the bright green color you get with lightly steamed or stir-fried broccoli but the loss of intense color is more than compensated for by the sweet, spicy and tender vegetable that you end up with.

Finished with a shaving or two of proper Parmigiano Reggiano or Percorino, this makes an excellent side dish for beef – or just serve it on it’s own with some really good, warm crusty bread.

Use a decent white wine for this – one that you’d happily drink while you’re cooking.

Broccoli Braised in White Wine with Garlic, Chili & Sundried Tomatoes

BROCCOLI BRAISED WITH WHITE WINE, GARLIC, CHILI & SUNDRIED TOMATOES

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs (680g) of broccoli

1/4 teaspoon of dried chili pepper flakes

5 tablespoons of fruity olive oil

6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

4-6 pieces of sundried tomato in oil, sliced thinly

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

8 fl oz (230ml) of dry white wine

Parmigiano Reggiano or Percorino cheese to serve

Action:

Trim and discard the tough ends off the broccoli. Cut the the broccoli into long thin strips no more than half an inch (12mm) wide.

Pour half of the the olive oil into the bottom of a heavy saute pan with a lid. Arrange half of the broccoli on top, then scatter with half of the garlic, half of the sundried tomatoes and half of the chili flakes; give it a good grind of sea salt and black pepper, then repeat, finishing with the remaining olive oil.

Pour the wine gently over the lot, then put the lid on and cook it very gently for about an hour, or until the broccoli is very tender. Take the lid off and turn the heat up a bit to evaporate any remaining liquid.

Transfer it to a warmed serving dish and finish with some shaved Parmesan.

Serve right away.