Roasted Broccoli Caesar with Corn Nuts and Parm
Belle English, Test Kitchen/Culinary Director at Williams Sonoma, developed this fun spin on the classic Caesar for a Father’s Day meal to celebrate her dad, award-winning chef and restaurateur Todd English. At his house, Belle says, “we always have at least one big easy veg and one salad on the table. The preparation is usually simple but beyond flavorful.” Here she combines the two concepts into a roasted broccoli Caesar and garnishes the dish with crushed corn nuts because her father loves them. “My dad and I have been cooking together since I can remember,” recalls Belle. “We speak the exact same language when it comes to food, flavor and what makes a dish extraordinary.”
Ingredients
For the Caesar dressing:
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 broccoli heads, each cut into 6 large pieces (including stems)- 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) corn nuts, lightly crushed
- 1 oz. (30 g) Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1 lemon, quartered
Directions
Preheat an oven to 475°F (245°C).
To make the dressing, in a blender, combine the anchovies, garlic, whole egg and egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, mustard and a splash of water and blend on high speed until combined. With the blender running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend until thickened. Add the olive oil, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, to taste, and blend until thoroughly combined.
In a large bowl, using tongs, toss the broccoli with the olive oil and about 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the dressing until evenly coated. Season with salt and a few grindings of pepper. Transfer the broccoli to a baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast, turning the broccoli once halfway through, until charred and tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
Transfer the broccoli to a serving platter and drizzle with as much of the remaining dressing as you like; if the dressing is too thick, thin it with 2 to 3 tsp. water or lemon juice. Garnish with the corn nuts, Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately and pass any remaining dressing on the side. Serves 4 to 6.
Belle English, Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen