Foodie Fridays: Roasted Broccoli and White Beans

Life just keeps getting more and more hectic around here!  The water mitigation company came out to set up their heater, dehumidifiers, and quite a few fans in an attempt to dry out our kitchen floor after a water leak from our fridge seeped below the tiles and into the subfloor.  We were warned that this step would probably not do the job, but had to be done to satisfy the insurance company.  If you have never experienced this procedure, let me just say that it is extremely noisy!  The equipment had to run for 48 hours, and by the time the company returned to check on the progress we were so ready for the noise to stop.

Unfortunately, the subfloor was not dry, so tiles had to be removed and the fans and dehumidifiers turned on again.  Fortunately, we got to say goodbye to the heater - our weather is finally heating up and that heater was making the house uncomfortably warm.  The subfloor is now dry and the insurance adjustor has been out, so we get to proceed to the next step - hiring a contractor to replace our tile floor.  I hope my husband, our two dogs, and I can survive this whole long process and still maintain our sanity!

Tile work is a time-consuming and dusty job, so our kitchen will be off limits until the work is done.  Before the work starts, I need to cook up as much food in the fridge as possible.  To use up a bag of broccoli florets, I decided to make a recipe for Roasted Broccoli and White Beans that I found online.  This dish is very quick and easy to make and is a very satisfying lunch or light dinner, especially if served with an egg (fish or chicken would also be a nice protein alternative).  Since I am a hot pepper wimp, I left out the red pepper flakes in the original recipe, but if you like spicy heat add as much of this ingredient as you like.

This is a very basic recipe that could easily be personalized with additions and/or changes to ingredients.  Add more vegetables (onions and bell peppers would be nice), change up the seasonings (next time I may add my favorite smoked paprika), or use a different type of beans or cheese.  Just don't leave out the lemon slices!  I had never tried roasting lemon slices before as the thought of eating entire pieces of lemon did not seem appetizing to me.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that roasted lemon slices are actually delicious, soft in texture and more mellow in flavor than I would have expected thanks to the caramelization that occurs during roasting.  I will be adding lemon slices to more roasted recipes in the future!

Roasted Broccoli and White Beans

4-5 C. broccoli florets
1 T. olive oil
2 T. garlic-infused oil
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) white beans, rinsed and drained
2 lemons
1/2 C. grated Parmesan

Put the broccoli into a large baking pan or sheet.  Pour in the olive and garlic oils and toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.  Add the beans and toss very gently to coat with oil without smashing them.  Slice one lemon, removing all seeds, and nestle the slices throughout the broccoli mixture.

Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally.  When the beans and broccoli begin to char, top with the Parmesan, turn the oven up to BROIL, and cook for 2 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to bubble.

Remove from the oven.  Grate the lemon zest from the remaining lemon over the mixture, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice over.  Serve with more grated Parmesan, plus a poached or fried egg if desired.  Serves 2-3.

Notes: I used a 12-ounce bag of microwaveable broccoli florets because I was too lazy to cut up a head of broccoli.  I started this recipe ahead of time by just roasting the broccoli mixture and removing from the oven before adding the Parmesan cheese.  When ready to serve, turn the oven on to BROIL, return the broccoli mixture to a roasting pan, top with the cheese, and continue with the rest of the recipe.  Or you can do as I did and put a single serving into a microwaveable bowl, top it with a few tablespoons of cheese, and microwave on HIGH for two minutes.