Wednesday, September 9th

Dear Mom,

Do you cook broccoli rabe much? I remember when I first came to the CIA we thought it was so funny that it was everywhere – even on the “sides” list at the nearby diner. Truth be told, it’s not one of my favorite vegetables. It can be so bitter. And while it holds up well to lots of spice (mmm red pepper flakes) and is often good as a component of a dish (with sausage, pasta, in a salad, etc), I don’t usually eat it on it’s own.

But it looked so pretty at the market, so I grabbed some up. First, I sauteed some for a pizza. I saved the rest figuring I’d use it as a side over Labor Day weekend, but we were so busy eating massive quantities of meat, that I didn’t use it. Not wanting to waste it, I sauteed it in sesame oil with red pepper flakes at about 9 am on Sunday. Matt and I ate some for breakfast. It was good, and this time I blanched it briefly first, which did take away some of the bitterness. (With good greens like that, I usually just like to saute them – especially green beans! I think blanching them takes away some of their flavor…or at least the crispness that I love). Anyway, it turned out good, though there is still some in the fridge. Maybe for dinner tonight I’ll have a plate of leftover sides!

Much Love,
Erin

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