Community Cookbook: Cecily’s Charred Broccoli Rabe with Chili Crisp, Yogurt, and Peanuts

Greenpoint’s Cecily (80 Franklin St.) is approaching its first anniversary next month with a new executive chef, James Salazar, and a new seasonal menu.

For this week’s addition to the Community Cookbook, Chef Salazar has share his recipe for Charred Broccoli Rabe with the Chili Cheeks brand of chili crisp, yogurt, and peanuts, which he says “is really easy to make at home.”

“A friend and mentor of mine, Soomin Yoon, created his own chili crisp called Chili Cheeks which is what we use in house,” Chef Salazar told Greenpointers. “We tried making our own and a lot of other styles, but the complexity and flavor you get from Chili Cheeks was something that really put the dish over the top.”  

Learn how to make Cecily’s Charred Broccoli Rabe below and find last week’s Community Cookbook recipe here.

Cecily’s Charred Broccoli Rabe

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2 bunches of broccoli rabe 

3 cloves of sliced garlic 

1 cup of Fage 5% greek yogurt 

1/2 cup of peanuts, toasted and salted (You can buy them this way.)

2 tablespoons of Chili Cheeks chili crisps

1 lemon

1/2 cup of sunflower oil 

Directions

1. Slice garlic cloves thinly on a mandoline or with a knife. 
2. Lay garlic slices between two paper towels to dry off excess moisture. 
3. Using canola oil at a medium/high heat, fry garlic until lightly golden and season with salt right after they come out of the oil. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, add about a cup of yogurt and zest half a lemon and fold it in. (5% greek yogurt is ideal but you can really use whatever yogurt you like.) Set aside.
5. Cut off some of the stems of the broccoli rabe. 
6. Coat and dress the broccoli in sunflower oil and salt. 
7. Cook the coated broccoli in a broiler at a high temperature making sure to rotate every few minutes in order to get even browning. 
8. Once the broccoli is tender, coat it with lemon juice and lemon zest from the other half of the lemon. (This is going to brighten and create a lighter feel to the dish.) 
9. Fold in the chili crisp.
10. Plate on top of the seasoned yogurt, and top off with garlic chips and toasted peanuts.