As the weather warms up I’m always on the lookout for new substantial salads. I’m a huge fan of the Community cookbook by Hetty McKinnon and this recipe is a favourite, with the hot flavoured oil poured over the freshly grilled broccolini. It’s very adaptable - if we’re doing thai fish cakes I omit the parmesan, if we’re doing steaks I omit the chickpeas and I love to add asparagus when it’s in season. The original recipe uses broccoli, but I have a bit of a childhood trauma from broccoli so use broccolini instead! This just goes to show it’s really important to try different cooking techniques to find a way to change the taste of vegetables you dislike - in general though, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, garlic and chilli all work wonders!

Brassicas like broccoli, broccolini, kale and cauliflower are rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids (antioxidants), vitamins C, E, and K, folate and minerals. The bitter flavour is due to a group of substances known as glucosinolates, which have promising anticancer effects.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bunches of broccolini

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed rinsed and drained

• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

• 2 cans well rinsed and drained cooked chickpeas

• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped

• 1 cup mint, leaves picked

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 50g Parmesan cheese, shaved

• 50g flaked almonds, toasted

• Sea salt and black pepper

METHOD (SERVES 4-6 AS A MAIN MEAL OR 6-8 AS A SIDE DISH)

Toss the broccolini in 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until it is smoking hot, and add the broccolini. Keep turning it until it is cooked and charred.

Place the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan with the capers, garlic and chilli. Heat gently over medium heat for 30 seconds or so until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Take off the heat immediately and pour the hot oil mixture over the char-grilled broccolini.

Combine the broccolini with the chickpeas, spinach leaves, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and mix well. To serve, squeeze over lemon juice and top with parsley, mint leaves, shaved parmesan and almonds.

Need more quick, easy, healthy meal ideas? Go here.

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Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain.  She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers private consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks.