Broccoli & Cheese Sauce
Broccoli and Cheese Sauce are a great combo. Their perfect with chicken or fish or an omelet.
Those bright green broccoli flowers brighten up any winter meal and cheese sauce is a perfect compliment. Cheese sauce is a great way to get your kids to eat broccoli.
Broccoli is a great winter source of vitamin C, A and dietary fiber. It’s also endlessly versatile in stir fries, salads, dips, and soups.
The best way to cook broccoli is to steam it. That way most of its goodness is preserved. Just use the top flower parts. Set aside the bottom tough part for soups.
I have a metal steamer I put in a pot. I put water in the pot. Then boil it with the broccoli evenly distributed in the steamer. Once it boils, put a tight lid on top and turn off the heat keeping it on the burner. It should be tender in a few minutes. Don’t lift the lid until ready to serve. If you’re in a hurry you can put the broccoli in the microwave with just a bit of water for two minutes, but it won’t taste as good.
Cheese Sauce
There are no exact measurements in a cheese sauce. It’s really by feel and how you like it. Hard cheeses are best for this thick cheese sauce that compliments broccoli. I love a sharp or aged cheddar or a Monterey Jack.
Use a double boiler or a non-stick small frying pan or a small saucepan.
- ½ tablespoon butter
- About ½ cup milk (keep more milk close by just in case)
- About 1 tablespoon flour (keep the flour handy)
- About 1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack (keep more cheese close by just in case)
Keeping on medium heat melt butter in the pan. Add the milk (Its important that you do not scald the milk keep on a medium to low heat). Sprinkle on top flour while stirring, continuously. When mixture thickens add grated cheese, stirring constantly. Add more cheese or milk or flour at your discretion depending on how thick you want it. When it gets too thick add more milk when too watery, add more cheese or flour.
Serve and eat right away! You can either spread the broccoli with cheese sauce or use the sauce as a dip. Serve with fish, chicken or an omelet.
See Vegetable Index
