Braised Spigariello Broccoli on Toast with Poached Eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
A pinch of red pepper flakes (Aleppo)
1 pound Spigariello Broccoli shoots,
--- tough stems removed, tender parts, including leaves,
--- chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces
About 3 cups water
4 thick slices country bread,
---brushed with olive oil and toasted
4 eggs
Your very best extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Salt and Fresh ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute a bit, don't allow the garlic to brown. Add the chopped Spigariello to the pan and a pinch of salt. Stir for a couple of minutes and then add the water to the pan. Bring to boil, then turn the heat to low and cover the pan. Braise until the broccoli is tender to your liking, it took about 15 minutes for my taste. There should still be a fair amount of liquid left in the pan.

Meanwhile, bring another pan of water to a strong simmer for poaching the eggs. When the broccoli is done, remove it from the heat and set aside while you poach the eggs. (Sorry, I'm not going to give an egg poaching lesson here).

While the eggs are poaching, place the bread slices in wide shallow soup bowls (I like to warm the bowls in a low oven first). Use a slotted spoon to portion the braised Spigariello onto the bread slices, reserving the braising liquid. When the eggs are done to your liking (I like mine with runny yolks), place one on top of each portion. Pour some braising liquid over each portion, using all of it. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some good flaky salt and a grind of black pepper. Serve warm.

This made 2 main course portions.

Lentils with Sausage, Onions, and Spigariello Broccoli

1 cup lentils that stay intact when cooked,
--- such as du Puy, Pardina, or Norcia
3 cups water
3 smoked sausages, about 9 to 10 ounces
--- I used venison andouille
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 fresh bay leaf
1 pound sweet onions, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup or more olive oil
--- (don't panic, it doesn't all end up in the dish!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch spigariello broccoli, about 1/2 pound,
--- tough stems removed, tender parts, including leaves,
--- chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or concentrate
--- or about 1/2 tablespoon good balsamico

Sort through the lentils to remove any stones or other debris, rinse them and put them in a medium sauce pan. Add the water, sausages, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn the heat low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. This could take from 20 minutes to more than 40 minutes, depending on how old the lentils are. There should be very little liquid left when the lentils are done, it may be necessary to add more water if they take a long time to cook. When the lentils are nearly done, remove the sausages and set aside until cool enough to handle, then slice the sausages about 1/4-inch thick. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves when the lentils are done.

While the lentils are cooking, put the onions in a medium sized skillet with the olive oil and fry the onions over medium to medium low heat (you may have to turn the heat down as the onions start to brown), until the onions are golden. Drain the onions through a metal sieve, saving the olive oil.

Return the skillet to the heat with a tablespoon or two of the onion flavored oil (reserve the remaining oil to saute something else that would taste good with the onion flavor, like potatoes). Add the garlic and saute briefly, don't allow it to brown. Add the chopped broccoli to the skillet and toss to coat with the oil, add a few tablespoons of liquid (lentil cooking liquid if there's enough) and cover the pan and braise the broccoli over low heat to whatever degree of tenderness you like, most of the liquid should be gone.

Add the sliced sausage, drained onion, and braised broccoli to the lentils, drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and stir everything together. Taste for salt, it may not be needed if the sausage is salty. Serve warm.

Makes about 4 servings.

Bean Soup with Spigariello Broccoli

1/2 pound dried beans, presoaked
1/2 pound Spigariello Broccoli shoots
1 ounce guanciale or bacon, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 very large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 very large sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon (about) minced fresh rosemary
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced oven roasted cherry tomatoes, or sundried tomatoes
1/2 pound ham, diced
a drizzle of vinegar
fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the presoaked beans into a large pot with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer, partly covered.

While the beans are cooking prepare the Spigariello broccoli. Remove the largest bottom leaves from the broccoli shoots, trim off the leaf stems and discard, coarsely chop the leaves. Cut off and discard any tough bottoms from the shoots (if the stalks are large enough you can peel off the tough skin and use the tender inner parts). Cut the shoots crosswise into pieces. Add the chopped broccoli to the beans and continue to simmer, partly covered.

Put the guanciale or bacon in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Saute the guanciale or bacon until crisp. Add the carrot, onion, and rosemary to the skillet, turn the heat up a bit and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to brown. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes and set aside.

When the beans are nearly tender (the amount of time to this stage will vary depending on the age of the beans - the older they are the longer it takes), stir in the sauteed vegetable mixture (sofrito) and diced ham; continue to cook the soup until the beans are fully tender but not falling apart. Taste for salt (I added none because of the saltiness of the guanciale and ham), add a splash of vinegar (amazing how a touch of vinegar can brighten the flavor), and grind in some fresh black pepper.

Serves at least 4.