I actually sauteed the raw broccoli with the spices and the lid on, stirring occasionally for a few minutes. Then I added the cheese and brown sugar mixture. I stiired it in over the heat then turned off the heat and let it set with a lid on for 2 minutes. It was perfect. My husband loved it and he is not a big veggie eater. It doesn't need to be pre steamed.
This was pretty awesome. I tried the brown sugar and it was a little too sweet. So instead I created a mixture of a little sugar (a pinch) nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon. It added the right amount of sweetness without being too sweet.
In both preparation and taste this couldn't have been better. The cooking technique was just what I needed for an uncertain supper time and since Hubs detests overcooked vegetables it ensured that wouldn't be an issue. I blanched the broccoli ahead of time and when I knew Hubs would be ready to eat it was no big deal to quickly do the last minute sauteeing. Don't hesitate to use the brown sugar - it's not enough to taste any sweetness but just enough to eliminate any possibility of broccoli bitterness. And in my (Italian) book anything that calls for fresh Parmesan cheese is always a plus. Flawless recipe and certainly one to keep in the reference file.
I have to agree with Emilysmom in that the technique was great. It was wonderful to steam the vegie first to get it to that wonderful green color and then give it the old ice bath. The brown sugar didn't sit well with me and wouldn't have been favored by my family either which is why I left it out. Everything else was superb and we all enjoyed it very much. Thank you!
Really good! I took other reviewers advice and just sauteed the broccoli and added all the ingredients while it was cooking. I needed more oil so I just added it as I went. The good thing about this recipe is that it's really easy to add more of what you like at the end; you can make it sweeter cheesier or more spicy! Even my 13 month old loved it!
I hate to say this but we didn't really enjoy this recipe. We're probably nuts (based on other reviews); but the brown sugar really didn't do anything for us...the cheese and red pepper flakes were nice though!
I made this last night for my husband who loves broccoli and he said it is the best he has had! I used a bit more red pepper flakes which was a great compliment to the sweetness of the brown sugar parmessian mixture! I will definitely make this again! Thanks for the recipe
This was a good recipe and I served it with basmati rice and Maple Teriyaki Salmon Barbeque (also from this site). The slight sweetness from the brown sugar complimented the salmon well (although I used about 1/2 tsp). I also added a pinch of cinnamon and put the parmesan mixture on the broccoli while still in the skillet for about one minute to melt the cheese.
I am rating this based purely on the technique because I seasoned according to my kids preference. I have been looking for a good way to cook broccoli based on the most delicious brocoli served at a popular chain resturaunt. This comes close--but is it just me or does this require an awful lot of dirty dishes to make one side dish???
