No Bitter Broccoli [rabe] Face: Rapini with Sausage

My parsley plant showed me up.  Here I am thinking one last harvest and it's done for the year, yet it has recovered fully and is ready for service once more.

Anyway, I love lots of things bitter; espresso, radicchio, campari, certain beers.  While some people like the full bitter and mustardy flavor of broccoli rabe and don't do anything to alter its natural state, I like it toned down a bit and a little sweeter. Blanching in water with ocean-like salinity for just a couple minutes keeps the rabe bright green, adding visual appeal on the plate.  It also takes away some of the bitterness that is associated with the the turnip and not kale (like broccoli is) family vegetable.   

Once I've boiled the rabe aka rapini I dress it like a salad with a hot bath if you will or won't of garlic and hot pepper-spiked olive oil.  Instinct would be to take the rapini out of the water and add it to a saute pan in which you've got garlic sizzling in oil, but I do it another way to avoid overcooking.  I keep the florets and stems in one piece, which can be troublesome during cooking because the tiny buds are delicate and cook faster than the stalks.  So I judge by when the florets are done, just a couple minutes, which leaves the stems pleasantly al dente.  The hot and spicy oil, infused with softened but not burned garlic, is a play on bagna caȏda, a Piedmontese recipe for a hot bath in which to dip crudités.

While I like my vegetables and pastas on the dry side, dressed like a salad and that's it, Nicole likes them brothy with some liquid to zop up.  If you're like her reserve the water you've blanched the rabe in and there you go.  If it's too salty water it down a bit. 

The addition of sausage takes this from side dish to meal, and although some turkey or chicken sausages are tasty, pork still rules.  If you want to get really crazy cook some orecchiette or gavadeel in the rapini water and dance the tarantella.  

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 heads broccoli rabe, bottom inch or so of stalks cut off and discarded
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hot pepper flakes to taste
2 lbs. italian sausage, sweet or hot

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt abundantly.

Put about 1/4 inch of water in a saute pan and arrange the sausages in one even layer.  Prick them in a couple places with a fork.  On medium high heat cook the sausage, covered, 15-20 minutes, then remove the lid and let the water evaporate.  Allow the sausages to brown in their own fat for another 5-10 minutes until cooked through, then turn off the heat.  Let cool slightly then slice into bite size pieces.

Make the hot oil bath by placing the garlic cloves and hot pepper flakes in the oil in a small saucepan.  Turn the heat on to medium and bring the oil up to a sizzle, allowing the garlic to cook slowly and infuse the oil, 6-8 minutes.  Turn off the heat before the garlic begins to brown; it will continue to cook several minutes off the heat.

Blanch the broccoli rabe, in batches if necessary, for about 2 minutes until the stems are al dente.  Remove and drain, then place in a baking dish or in a serving bowl.  Dress with the hot oil and toss to coat.  Add cooking water for a more brothy dish.  Toss in the sausages, season to taste with salt, pepper and pepper flakes, maybe a little more olive oil, and serve hot.