Broccoli Brainstorms

For the past two weeks, Trixie and I have been munching broccoli nearly every day. The first week I made a broccoli cheddar soup. The second week, I steamed it and enhanced with lemon juice. Last Thursday I was surprised to receive a capacious sack of more broccoli from the CSA, about as much as the previous two weeks' combined. This selection had slightly purplish tops, which I am sure is an indicator of superior nutrient content.

So tonight I made something unusual for me, a casserole. No cans of cream-of-whatever soup were permitted. I made a creamy (and low fat) cheese sauce from scratch, with garlic and fresh thyme from my garden. I poured this over cooked and cubed chicken, mushrooms browned with more garlic and thyme and doused with white wine, brown rice, and lightly steamed broccoli, then I baked it until bubbly and browned on top. It was such a comfort on a Monday evening.

But I still have a mountain of broccoli left. I steamed the lot of it, cramming it into my largest pot. Thankfully, it can be frozen for later. But I won't be delaying too long. I want to make something that will truly showcase the flavors of broccoli, rather than trying to hide it amongst stronger ingredients. I have an experiment in mind--a broccoli pesto. I am plotting to puree the following in the food processor: lightly steamed broccoli, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, toasted pecans, garlic, fresh thyme, and olive oil. I shall thin it out a bit with chicken stock and toss it with whole-grain rotini, then top with shrimp or salmon. I'll let you know how it goes.

Other items from last Thursday:

-Notably, no salad mix.

-Lettuce head: this one had purple leaves and a slightly sweet crunch. It's eaten already, the last of it gone today. I feel kind of lost. I'm trying to remember what else I used to pack for lunches in the pre-salad era.

-Fennel bulb: I am really pleased with this. I buy fennel often at the grocery store, but it's always expensive and the cashiers generally need educating on identifying it. I plan to eat it raw with lemon juice and olive oil, but maybe I'll roast it.

-Carrots: Lots and lots of carrots. I'm glad they have a long refrigerator life, because I have no definite plans for them. I could roast them along with the fennel. Trixie is a big fan of carrots.

-Swiss Chard: I still would like to put this in a lasagna. But two casseroles in one week may be asking too much. Sauteeing is a strong possibility.

-Kohlrabi: another one! I will eat it raw.

-Garlic head: I eat about a head of garlic per week, so using this should be no stretch. I used some tonight in the casserole and was amazed at the different texture of fresh garlic as compared to the dried-out ones I usually get. The cloves were crisp and juicy. Will be fine in the broccoli pesto.