How to cook broccoli rabe Now that summer is slipping into fall, the familiar heads of broccoli will be joined by odd family members with names like broccoli rabe, broccolini and Chinese kale.

Broccoli rabe has a mustardlike bitterness that becomes a mouthwatering taste dimension once mellowed by blanching it briefly then sauteing it with garlic in olive oil.

The secret? Blanch it right. If you've never heard of blanching, it's simply dipping the cut-and-trimmed broccoli into a pot of salted hot water briefly (for only around 60 to 90 seconds).

Bitterness is part of broccoli rabe's charm, but if you'd like, you can cut some of it by blanching before proceeding with your recipe.

How to Blanch Broccoli Boiling broccoli is arguably the most common way to prepare it, but it’s also the easiest way to suck out all of its texture and flavor.

Blanching for a minute or so in boiling water and shocking afterwards in an ice bath is the best thing you can do when prepping broccoli rabe. The florets will stay green and tender crisp in any ...

Broccoli rabe has a mustardlike bitterness that becomes a mouthwatering taste dimension once mellowed by blanching the vegetable briefly before sauteing it with garlic in olive oil.

Sauteing is a classic preparation for broccoli rabe; blanching the vegetable first is essential if you want to soften the bitterness. (Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post) ...

Learn how to make a homemade pizza with broccoli rabe, leeks and potatoes. Looking for an easy weekend dinner? Farm-to-Fork host Sharon Profis demonstrates how to make a homemade pizza with ...