A fresh mix of springtime ingredients, this nutritious side dish blends broccolini, asparagus and sugar snap peas with the bright flavors of ginger and orange zest. Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, a Chinese broccoli. It’s milder than regular broccoli, and the long, thin, soft stems are completely edible.
Broccolini is actually a trademarked name, so you may find it described as baby broccoli, Asparation, Bimi or broccoletti at your grocery store. Blanch the vegetables in boiling water first, and then shock them in ice water. This helps “lock in” the bright, vivid green color -- and the incredibly high vitamin A and C content!
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
16 to 20 ounces broccolini (2 bunches)
8 ounces asparagus stalks
4 to 5 ounces sugar snap peas
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons finely minced orange zest
1/3 cup orange juice
Directions
1. In a large pot, boil 5 quarts of water. While it boils, place ice water in a large bowl or container.
2. Remove ends from asparagus, and strings and tips from sugar snap peas. Trim 1/2 inch only from broccolini stems.
3. Cut asparagus and broccoli into roughly 2-inch pieces.
4. Once water boils, add all three vegetables and cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until al dente. Remove immediately with slotted spoon and place in bowl of ice water.
5. Heat olive oil in large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, ginger and orange zest. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add orange juice, heating and stirring for an additional 1 minute.
6. Drain vegetables and add to skillet, tossing lightly and cooking only until the vegetables are hot but still bright green (about 2 to 3 minutes).
7. Serve immediately.
Nutrition information (per serving)
74 calories
3 g protein
10 g carbohydrates
3 g fat (0 g saturated)
0 mg cholesterol
26 mg sodium
371 mg potassium
54 mg calcium
1.6 mg iron
915 IU vitamin A
87 mg vitamin C
3 g fiber
