I hate covering up my gas grill at the beginning of the winter. It means many months without grilled chicken, fish, and meat. Months without freshly grilled vegetables and breads.

But there is one winter food that comes close: roasted vegetables. I have learned that you can roast most anything. String beans. Potatoes (white and sweet). Peppers and tomatoes. Butternut squash, carrots, and parsnips. Onions, garlic, and zucchini.  



Today I tried roasting broccoli for the very first time. I came across this recipe on The Amateur Gourmet. In a word - wow. Forget about the steamed or sauteed stuff. I will never prepare broccoli any other way. As the Amateur Gourmet put it, this is The Best Broccoli of Your Life. Really.



Roasted Broccoli
The key to success with this recipe is to make sure the broccoli is in a single layer. Otherwise it'll steam instead of roasting. 

1 head broccoli
4 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
zest and juice of 1/4 lemon
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Clean the broccoli and dry it very thoroughly. Cut it into large, even florets.On a large baking sheet, toss the broccoli and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread it evenly over the baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, giving the pan an occasional shake to be sure the vegetables are browning evenly.

When the edges are beginning to brown, remove the vegetables from the oven. Place in a serving dish and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and Parmesan cheese.

Serve warm or at room temperature.