Brocco Tacos

I’ll admit it: Broccoli is my cabbage. By which I mean: You know how cabbage is so much a staple vegetable the world round, the one that’s reached for—roasted, boiled, pickled, fermented, stuffed, wrapped, raw—reached for so much that it’s almost not an ingredient, it just is? Broccoli is like that for me. Of course, cabbage’s immense popularity is due in no small part to its longevity. Broccoli won’t keep as long, but it does pretty well in the fridge and, as long as it’s not yellowing or smelling strong, can be brought back to life if handled right. For me that’s always, or mostly, browned in a skillet with a good amount of oil and salt. Sometimes with a lid, sometimes with a splash of water. When it’s quite cooked, which is the way I like it, the parade of versions can begin. With lots of garlic and pasta or rice, naturally, or alongside meat if that what’s going on. On a tortilla kick recently I stumbled, hungry, past lunchtime, into Brocco Tacos and, like that, a new broccoli branch opened up. Broccoli is the meat of the taco, made meatier if you like with actual meats like bacon, sausage, or anchovies, or with eggs, tofu, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or nuts. Beans ought to be involved, either crushed in with the broccoli or refried separately. Grated cheese, fresh cilantro, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, salsa . . . you know, tacos.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat a large skillet (see Tips) over high heat, add the oil, then add the broccoli right away. Sprinkle with salt and stir. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, adding a bit of oil if it seems dry or a splash of water if it’s getting too browned before fully cooked. When tasting for doneness, think about salt too.

Step 2

Move the broccoli to one side when done and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and cumin (if using) to the other side, with a little more oil if it needs it. Cook till it smells great but the garlic doesn’t get browned at all, about 20 seconds, then stir everything together.

Step 3

Serve with warmed tortillas (I just toast them, turning with tongs over an open gas flame—a toaster oven or dry skillet works well too), the stuff mentioned above, and the other stuff you like to put in tacos.

Step 4

Variations

Step 5

If adding bacon or sausage, cut or crumble and cook that first, set aside, and use the same skillet to proceed with the broccoli, adding the meat back in at the end.

Step 6

Eggs can be whisked up, with salt and a little milk if you like, and gently scrambled in with the finished broccoli. Alternatively, silken tofu can be stirred in at this point.

Step 7

Toasted seeds and nuts can be stirred into the finished broccoli.

Step 8

Turn the warm broccoli out into a bowl and stir in ricotta or crumbled feta or queso fresco.

Step 9

Combinations! All of the above would be . . . a lot, but probably pretty great.