Transform your broccoli or cauliflower in this chili crisp brassicas recipe

The Abridged version:

• Zoe Barrie’s chili crisp brassicas recipe spices up roasted broccoli and cauliflower — or Brussels sprouts, cabbage or other related vegetables.
• Start with the chili crisp of your choosing (she recommends Lao Gan Ma) and whisk in sesame oil, soy sauce, mayonnaise and more.
• This side dish combines pantry staples and fresh, seasonal produce available at Sacramento-area farmers markets.

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This is Cooking In Season, a biweekly series from local recipe developer Zoe Barrie using seasonal produce available at Sacramento-area farmers markets. 

I’ve noticed there hasn’t been a shortage of brassicas — nutrient-dense, peppery vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale — at the farmers market lately. In particular, growers seem to always be flush with broccoli and cabbage — purple, yellow and the classic white — when I stop by.

While I enjoy steamed or blanched vegetables, this time of the year feels particularly well-suited to roasting. Brassicas are suited to the dry cooking method, developing a crisp, savory Maillard reaction (i.e., browning) as they cook. When roasted, they’re flavorful and satisfy that craving for something indulgent or comforting in this in-between stretch of winter and spring.

Roasted vegetables are delicious on their own, tossed simply in oil and a proper amount of salt to bring out their flavor. But I find them even more crave-worthy when they’re dressed in sauce while hot. The warm vegetables soak up a punchy or zingy dressing, turning something simple into something you look forward to.

Garnish with something crunchy or bright, and you essentially have a restaurant-style side dish worth revisiting.

Chili crisp brassicas

Yield: about 2 to 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes

This broccoli and cauliflower side dish uses pantry staples, like soy sauce and chili crisp, to transform simple vegetables into something you’ll want to make weekly. Chili crisp brings both crunch and deep savory flavor to the sauce, so use one you love — my recommendation is Lao Gan Ma.

Feel free to add or swap in other brassicas, like Brussels sprouts or cabbage, tailoring the dish to whatever you have on hand or find at the market.

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Ingredients

8 ounces broccoli florets

8 ounces cauliflower florets

1 tablespoon neutral oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup chili crisp (such as Lao Gan Ma)

2 tablespoons full-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 garlic clove, grated

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli and cauliflower with neutral oil and salt, tossing until evenly coated. Transfer to a large unlined sheet tray, spreading the vegetables loosely into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and slightly browned.

Step 3

Meanwhile, prepare the chili crisp sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the chili crisp, mayonnaise, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and sugar until smooth.

Step 4

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large bowl. While they are still hot, toss with the chili crisp sauce until fully coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds and fried shallots, if using.

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Zoe Barrie is the writer and recipe developer behind Cooking In Season, a biweekly column featuring recipes made from the Sacramento region’s seasonal produce. She runs the popular Substack page Restaurant Dropout and previously worked in Bay Area restaurants after graduating from culinary school.