Lemon Garlic Rapini Recipe

Like I said in my last post, I have been having some technical difficulties with my camera and computer, so I am unable to show you complete step-by-step photos for this recipe as I had planned.  BUT you should definitely make it anyways because it is delicious and packed with nutrition. 

If you are a fellow nutrition nerd, you might want to learn all about the nutritional benefits of rapini (or broccoli rabe as it is also known) on Leslie Beck’s website.  For the rest of you, here is the recipe:

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Meanwhile, wash rapini and trim about 1 inch from the bottom of the stalks.  Cut rapini into 2-inch pieces.  Prepare a large bowl with ice water and place next to large pot.
2. Cook rapini in boiling water for 2 minutes then remove and plunge immediately into ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Wait 2 minutes then drain.
3. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add rapini and saute for 5 minutes, tossing a few times.
4. Meanwhile, use a microplane to zest the entire lemon.  Then cut lemon in half.  Add lemon zest to rapini for final minute of cooking.  Remove from heat.  Toss with lemon juice from half the lemon and about 1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.  Serve.

A microplane is one of my must-have kitchen tools (along with my onion goggles of course)

The zested lemon

Buy whole nutmeg if you can, then grate it with your microplane. You will find that the flavor is much better!

I seriously had to restrain myself from eating this entire plate full of rapini.

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