Roasting (or grilling) is the best way to cook broccolini. The result, is crispy charred edges and a just-tender bite, the perfect texture to pair with a creamy tahini sauce. This Roasted Broccolini recipe (Yotam Ottolenghi) is a wonderful side dish eaten plain (olive oil, salt and pepper), but a simple Tahini Sauce takes it to the next level.
Despite the sound of its name, broccolini is not baby broccoli. Rather, it’s a hybrid of broccoli and a kind of cabbage known as Chinese broccoli. Broccolini has long stalks—almost like asparagus—a few small leaves and little broccoli-like florets at the top. All of it is edible. People sometimes confuse broccolini with broccoli rabe, which is also referred to as brocoletti or rapini. Broccoli rabe, however, is a leafy vegetable more closely related to turnips than broccoli and it has a spicier flavor. Tahini simply is a smooth paste made from ground, toasted sesame seeds. It has a creamy, rich, nutty flavor. Add lemon, garlic, honey, salt and pepper to create this swoon worthy sauce.
Roasted Broccolini with Tahini Sauce
1 lb broccolini , ends trimmed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 garlic clove , finely minced
Tahini Sauce
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 garlic clove , grated
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
Garnish
Lemon slices, charred/ all edible
1/4 cup flaked almonds or pine nuts
Preheat oven 425°F or Heat grill
Sauce: Mix Tahini Sauce ingredients until combined. It should be loose enough so it can be drizzled, but not too runny. At first, the sauce will look as if it has split, but it will soon come back together. Add just enough water to make the sauce the consistency of honey – around 2 tablespoons in total. Before serving, you may need to stir again and add more water or lemon.
Toss broccolini: Pile broccolini on tray, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.
Roast for 12-15 minutes / Grill 4-6 minutes until the broccolini floret ends are dark brown and crunchy (the best part!), and the broccolini stem is just tender.
Transfer to serving plate. Drizzle over tahini sauce, sprinkle with almonds or pine nuts and serve! Excellent served warm OR at room temp.
The Tahini Sauce goes well with other roasted vegetables too, including: carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans and asparagus
