Per cuocere Broccoli asciutti. - to cook dry broccoli - Scappi

 

The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi, 1570

One of the difficulties in setting up dayboards is providing a vegetable that is -not- going to get wilted as the day goes on. This is an easy recipe that is delicious and was very well received at the dayboard in which it was served.

Original Recipe

Per cuocere Broccoli asciutti.

Piglinosi li broccoli dal mese di Febraro per tutto Marzo netti delle frondi, & habbiasi la parte piu tenera che non sia fiorita, & facciasi bollir l’acqua con sale, & come i broccoli saranno accommodati in mazzuoli ponganosi in quella acqua bollente, & non si faccia no troppo cuocere, ma cauinosi, e sciolganosi, & ponganosi in piatti, & dapoi habbiasi oglio bollente, e spargasi cosi caldo con la cocchiara sopra i broccoli, giungendoui sugo di melangole, pepe, & un poco di quel brodo nel qual son cotti, & seruanosi caldi, percioche altrimente non uagliono. Si può soffriggere con ol’oglio uno spigolo d’aglio ammaccato per dare odore al broccolo, & quando si uorranno conseruare per una o due hore, si poranno in acqua fredda, & si lascieranno stare poi che saranno perlessati sin’a tanto che si uorranno ricuocere. In questo modo si conserueranno i broccoli uerdi,& non piglieranno tristo odore, & si seruiranno nel modo sopradetto.

English Interpretation

To cook dry broccoli

Get broccoli between February and the end of March, with its leaves removed. Take the tenderest part of it that has not flowered. Boil salted water. With the broccoli done up into bunches, put it into that boiling water. Do not overcook it but take it out and put it into dishes. Then get boiling oil and drop it how with a spoon over the broccoli, adding orange juice, pepper, and a little of the broth in which it was cooked. Serve it hot because otherwise, it is no good. You can also saute a crushed clove of garlic in the oil to flavor the broccoli.

Whenever you need to hold it back for an hour or two, put it into cold water after it has parboiled and leave it there until you want to recook it. Green broccoli is kept the same way and it will not take on a bad smell. It is served in the above way.

Ingredients   
Serves 8

1 Pound young broccoli, broccolini or broccoli rabe
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp. each orange and lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Steam broccoli until it's tender. Place the steam broccoli into ice water to shock it and maintain it's color.

Heat oil with garlic. Remove the garlic after about 30 seconds.

Arrange the broccoli on a plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle with juice, oil, and salt and pepper. Serve cold.

NOTE: As an alternative, the sauce can be made ahead and served on the side.

Resources:

“Opera Di M. Bartolomeo Scappi, Cuoco Secreto Di Papa Pio 5. Diuisa in Sei Libri, Nel Primo Si Contiene Il Ragionamento Che Fa l’autore Con Gio. Suo Discepolo. ... Con Il Discorso Funerale Che Fu Fatto Nelle Esequie Di Papa Paulo 3. Con Le Figure Che Fanno Bisogno Nella Cucina, & Alli Reuerendiss. Nel Conclaue.” Google Books, Google, www.google.com/books/edition/Opera_di_M_Bartolomeo_Scappi_cuoco_secre/bHoRyD5w-XAC?q=crostata&gbpv=1#f=false. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.