Why have I never roasted broccoli before?

A few days ago I was in search of a vegetable side-dish recipe that I could make for Christmas with the in laws. Several people suggested roasted broccoli to me, and I ended up using this recipe from Ina Garten. And now I don't think I will ever prepare broccoli another way (aside from the occasional broccoli-cheese soup).

I don't know why I have never attempted to roast broccoli before; roasting is my favorite preparation for so many things. It added such a different depth of flavor to it, and like kale chips, I loved the slightly-crispy browned pieces along the edges. Even my brother-in-law, who claims to despise all things green, admitted to liking it. My sister said it was like "restaurant broccoli" and has since requested it again for our family Boxing Day dinner at my mom's this week (incidentally, my sister is married to The H's brother, which is why she will be at both dinners).

Here's how I made it:

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

2 heads organic broccoli, washed and trimmed

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Zest from one lemon

The juice of the zested lemon

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Toss with garlic and olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the tips of some florets are beginning to brown. Remove from baking sheet and toss with a bit more olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Grate Parmesan over the top and let melt; serve hot.

I don't like broccoli rabe.

At least, I don't care for it the way I first attempted it. Even though I boiled it before sautéing, as directed in the recipe, we still tasted quite a bit of bitterness and it wasn't very good. The recipe I followed was from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno. My only change was to use a yellow onion instead of red, since that is what I had. Any suggestions for other ways to prepare this leafy green veg are welcome, as I still have half of the gigantic bunch I bought for this dish. I served this with sirloin steaks in a mushroom-wine sauce with lemon-thyme fingerling potatoes from Clean Eating Magazine. Those were fantastic! The H even called them "juicy."

Broccoli Rabe Sauté

1 lb broccoli rabe or asparation, trimmed

1 medium purple onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive or avocado oil

3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and a few handfuls of ice cubes.

2. In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts water to a rolling boil. Add vegetables and a pinch of sea salt and cook until vegetables turn color. Once the broccoli or asparation has just turned color, remove from boiling water and place in ice water. Drain well and place on paper towels.

3. In a medium skillet heat oil until just hot. Add garlic and onion and cook until onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add broccoli or asparation and cook over medium-high heat until al dente - tender but still crisp. Season with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt. Serve hot.