The Zeoli Way of Fixing Broccoli

Broccoli allo Zeoli
The Mediterranean way of preparing broccoli or any other vegetable for that matter is not so much following a recipe as it is a way of cooking. North America and Europe have the same foods and herbs available, but it is in the ways they’re combined that create unique flavors. Underlining that idea is what Apennine Shirl’s Italian friend Vinny from Firenze told her in response to a statement she made about how good Italian food was – he replied that both America and Italy have the same ingredients, but it’s how the Italians use them that make them so spectacular.
When Gilda made broccoli, she would clean and boil them, then arrange them on a platter. She would season with salt and pepper, dried oregano, some peperoncini piccante tritato (red pepper flakes), add coarsely chopped garlic, and then pour lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil on top. We ate the vegetable at room temperature or cold from the frig. They were deliciously tangy, aromatic, and even improved with age!
I developed my own variation to that method over the years – I still have Gilda’s, but sometimes I vary with this one – it’s very popular in Spain, Italy and southern France – the ingredients are readily available there as they are here. Wait until you put these ingredients together in this way! Your palates will be in ecstasy! Like Vinny said, it’s all about how you use the stuff already in your kitchens.
Ingredients:
About 2-3 lbs of broccoli, including cleaned stems and fleurettes, cut into 2½-3 inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 anchovy fillets
1 T capers, drained
Peperoncini piccante tritato (a dash) – optional
4-5 toes of garlic, finely chopped
Zest of ½ a lemon and its juice
Preparation:
Pour a good amount of olive oil into a cold skillet, and then add the garlic, anchovy fillets, capers, and peperoncini piccante tritato to taste. Turn the fire on to medium-low, and mash everything up with the tines of a small fork. Continue to heat gently.
When the anchovies have fallen apart completely and the garlic is fully cooked, turn the pan up to high flame and add the broccoli. Toss once or twice, and then add a few tablespoons of water. Cover and cook until broccoli is almost tender (add more water if necessary to achieve desired tenderness). Uncover and cook until broccoli is done and the water has evaporated.
Turn off heat, and add the zest and some of the juice of half a lemon to the pan. Toss and serve. This can be enjoyed at any temperature.
Buon appetito!