We recently had a chance to try a great local restaurant called Scratch, a “modern American tapas restaurant”. The menu changes based on the availability of ingredients, and Executive Chef Dustin Haney manages to create amazing small plates out of a handful of ingredients. If you are ever in the Winter Park, Florida area, you should stop by, but be aware that they don’t take reservations and the location is tiny, so your best bet is to get there at around 6pm on a weekday, sit a the bar, and have a slow-paced dinner.
Inspired by Chef Haney’s vision for “Broccoli and Cheddar”, I recently attempted to re-create this dish at home. I can’t say that I was able to exactly replicate it, but the resulting dish was still delicious and a great side for my sockeye salmon.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccolini, rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 to 2 ounces aged sharp white cheddar, crumbled (the more flavorful the cheese, the better!)
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Trim about 1/2 inch of the stalks off the broccolini. Boil the broccolini for 2 minutes, and then plunge in ice water. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Cook garlic and red pepper flakes for approximately 3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic turn brown. Add broccolini, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté for another 2 minutes. Plate the broccolini and immediately sprinkle with the cheddar crumbles. Enjoy!
