In my family, this is a traditional side during the holidays, but that’s just my family—it’s really perfect any time of year. The trick is to blanch the broccoli rabe in boiling water for a minute or so to get rid of some of the bitterness and partially cook it.
Recipe information
Yield
4 to 6 side-dish servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pine nuts on a heavy baking sheet, and toast in the oven until the nuts are fragrant and light golden brown, stirring once, about 7 minutes. Let cool.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook the broccoli rabe in the boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the blanched broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the broccoli rabe again and set aside. (The pine nuts and broccoli rabe can be made 8 hours ahead. Store the pine nuts airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the broccoli rabe.)
Step 3
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe, raisins, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and toss to coat. Add the reserved cooking liquid and cook until the broccoli rabe is heated through and the stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with more salt to taste. Just before serving, toss the mixture with the toasted pine nuts. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
