There’s something undeniably captivating about a dish that embraces imperfection—when friends can gather around the kitchen, a glass of wine in hand, and the food feels vibrant, alive, and just a little wild. That’s the spirit behind Chef Scott Clark’s charred broccolini. This recipe, pulled from his new cookbook Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Road Trip, embodies the wonder of the unconventional.
I’m inspired by Chef Clark’s way of turning these unexpected ingredients into a spectacular dish. This broccolini is much the same. “Let the edges crisp, the florets char,” he notes, “and if you spot a few starting to flower, all the better.” This dish is a celebration of texture and taste, and don’t forget the anchovy-garlic oil—it’s the magic touch.
Clark shared his “rules of the road,” IE: chef tips to level up your culinary game, here. Scroll on to get the recipe for his Charred Broccolini with Melted Anchovy and Garlic.
- Pan spray, if needed
- 1 1/2 cups [180 g] hazelnuts
- 7 tablespoons [105 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 anchovy fillets
- 6 garlic cloves, cut into paper-thin slices
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus more if needed
- 10 cranks grains of paradise, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 pounds [910 g] broccolini, flowering if possible, woody ends trimmed and stalks left whole
- Kosher salt
- 1 lemon, preferably Meyer
- 4 ounces [115 g] pecorino romano cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper; if using parchment, lightly coat it with pan spray. Spread the hazelnuts on the prepared sheet pan and roast them until glistening, about 12 minutes. Let them cool, then coarsely chop them.
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, heat 5 tablespoons [75 ml] of the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the anchovies and cook them, stirring and breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until they’re fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook it until it’s tender but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Kill the heat, then add the red pepper flakes and grains of paradise.
- Get a cast-iron pan ripping hot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and then half of the broccolini. Cook, turning it occasionally, until charred on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Season it with a pinch of salt, then put it in a serving bowl and repeat with the remaining avocado oil, olive oil, and broccolini.
- Add the hazelnuts to the broccolini, then dress it immediately, starting with half of the anchovy-garlic oil and tasting as you go until you hit the amount for you. Zest the lemon onto the broccolini, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze one-half over the broccolini. Toss and season it with more red pepper flakes, if you like, and more grains of paradise. Grate the pecorino romano over the top, smothering the broccolini in cheese, and serve it right away.
Notes
Serve this immediately, while the pecorino romano is still melty. You likely won’t use all the anchovy-garlic oil, but the rest will keep, in the fridge in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. Use it to fry Brussels Sprout Latkes, cook eggs, top steak, or brush on shrimp. It’s liquid gold.
