Steamed Broccoli

Broccoli
Butter and lemon wedges
(or) Balsamic vinegar
(or) Grated cheddar cheese

Trim the stalk from the broccoli, but leave enough so that the head remains intact. You can peel off the outer layer of the stem if it looks too fibrous. Some people like to cook just the florets,

Steam the brocolli with lemon slices, if using, over boiling water just until the stalk begins to soften, about 10 - 12 minutes. The broccoli should be crisp-tender and bright green.

• For the butter and lemon version, add lemon slices to the broccoli when steaming it. Place in warm serving dish and dot with butter.
• For the Balsamic vinegar version, serve the vinegar on the side so diners can add the amount they want.
• For the cheddar cheese version, grate cheddar cheese over the hot vegetable in the serving bowl; the cheese should melt. If cooking a large quantity, layer the broccoli with the cheese in a hot serving dish. Or layer the broccoli and the cheese and put in the oven and heat just until the cheese melts a bit. For a cheese sauce, see Broccoli w/ Cheese Sauce, which is basically a white sauce (béchamel) with cheese added.