Charred Broccoli with Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce

Our new favorite simple side? Charred broccoli with sriracha almond butter sauce from Caroline Chambers’s Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds.

“Roasting broccoli until charred and crispy before dousing it in a spicy almond butter sauce is one sure way to convert any veggie hater into a lifelong broccoli advocate,” Chambers explains in her book. (Ahem, hubby, we’re looking at you.)

“A classic Thai peanut sauce is always welcomed,” she says. “Here, I sub almond butter for peanut butter for a richer, earthier flavor, not to mention the health upsides, like nearly three times the vitamin E and twice the iron.”

If you’re looking for a complete meal, Chambers suggests tossing everything in a bowl with eight ounces of cooked soba noodles and a bit more sauce. Yuh-um.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

Salad

1 pound broccoli

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup shelled edamame

2 tablespoons untoasted slivered almonds

¼ cup Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce (recipe below)

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce

½ cup smooth almond butter

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sriracha

1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

2 garlic cloves, grated

1. Make the Salad: Using a vegetable peeler, peel the broccoli stems to remove their tough, chewy outer layer. Trim off the tough ends and slice the stems ¼ inch thick all the way up to the florets. Cut off the sliced stems and set aside. Cut the florets into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch wide).

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli stems (not the florets) and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil, the broccoli florets, soy sauce and lime juice; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. If the pan gets too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the edamame and almonds, and cook for about 3 minutes more, until the nuts and edamame are lightly charred. Transfer the broccoli mixture to a serving platter.

4. Make the Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the almond butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, honey and garlic.

5. Stir in warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is a consistency that can be drizzled.

6. Drizzle the sauce over the broccoli and scatter the scallions on top. Enjoy immediately or at room temperature.