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Bento Recipe: Broccoli with Parmesan cheese

 
   
 

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The Old Spaghetti Factory serves a delicious side dish of broccoli with mizithra cheese. I've tried to backwards-engineer it before, without much success. The last time I went, a friend who just happens to be a chef tasted it and suggested Parmesan cheese as a close match. I tried it, and he was right.

What you'll need:

  • broccoli florets
  • olive oil
  • grated Parmesan cheese - actual grated cheese, not the kind that comes in shakers
  • hot water

I don't have any amounts listed, because this is one of those recipes that it's easy to judge by eye. Start out by heating a deep pan over medium heat. When it's hot pour in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add in the broccoli florets, and stir them around well so they get a thin coating of olive oil, just enough to darken the leaflike part. If you need to add more olive oil, do so. Cover and let cook, stirring it every few minutes to prevent burning. When it turns bright green, pour in about 1/3 cup of hot water, cover, and let it steam. Stir it around every few minutes. After 10 minutes start testing it with a fork. It's done when it reaches the degree of softness you prefer. If the water boils out before the broccoli softens enough, pour in some more.

Take off the heat and keep covered until you're ready to serve. When you serve, sprinkle Parmesan cheese liberally over the hot broccoli as soon as you put it on the plate. I like to cover this with a lid for a minute or two to make sure the cheese melts enough to stick to the broccoli.