Ina Garten is no stranger to new renditions of classic, comforting recipes. Updated chicken Marbella? Black and white cookies? Check and check. So it makes perfect sense that her newest cookbook, Modern Comfort Food, is chock full of nostalgic, satisfying dishes, like this roasted broccolini and cheddar (her classy take on a green veggie smothered in cheese).
“In the 1950s, cooks used to hide frozen vegetables under some mystery ‘cheese’ sauce,” the Contessa writes. “The combination of green vegetables and cheese was a good idea but I prefer roasting broccolini (it’s sweeter and more tender than broccoli) and, instead of making a sauce, I simply melt good sharp Cheddar on the broccolini.”
Best of all, it takes less than 20 minutes to make and calls for just five ingredients. This is—dare we say?—genius.
Recipe courtesy of Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Copyright © 2020 by Ina Garten. Photography by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Ina Garten’s Baked Spinach and Zucchini
Ingredients
1½ pounds broccolini
Good olive oil, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces good sharp aged white Cheddar, such as Cabot
Juice of ½ lemon
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Remove and discard the bottom half of the broccolini stems. Cut the remaining broccolini stems in half or quarters lengthwise, depending on the size of the stems. Don’t cut the florets—just pull them apart. Place the broccolini on a sheet pan. Drizzle 4 tablespoons olive oil on the broccolini and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss well, making sure the broccolini is lightly coated with oil. Spread the broccolini in one layer and roast, tossing once with a metal spatula, until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, slice the cheddar ¼ inch thick and break it into large crumbles. When the broccolini is ready, sprinkle the cheese on the broccolini and return to the oven just until the cheese melts, about 4 minutes. Squeeze on the lemon juice, taste for seasonings, and serve hot.