Steamed Broccoli with Lemon
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Food Network Kitchen.
Broccoli florets and peeled stalk steamed for 4-5 min until bright green and just tender, salted and served with lemon.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Prepare the broccoli. Cut the florets away where their stems meet the main stalk. Trim off the woody base, peel away the tough outer 3 mm of the stalk and slice it into bite-sized pieces; split any large florets so everything cooks at the same rate.
- 2
Steam until just tender. Bring about 2.5 cm of water to the boil in the pan, set the broccoli in the steamer basket above it and cover. After 4-5 min the florets should be vivid green and a knife should slip into a stalk piece with slight resistance. Steam cooks gently and evenly, so the florets stay firm rather than waterlogged.
- 3
Season and serve. Lift the broccoli out straight away so it stops cooking, then sprinkle with the salt. Serve on a warm plate with lemon wedges for squeezing; the acid brightens the flavour, but add it at the table, as it dulls the green colour if it sits.
Storage
Best eaten straight away. Refrigerate leftovers covered up to 3 days and reheat briefly in a steamer or microwave until piping hot (74 °C), or eat cold in salads. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
4.2 g protein for 52 kcal = 8.1 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 32% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low energy: 36 kcal per 100 g (limit ≤ 40 kcal)
- Low fat: 0.4 g fat per 100 g (limit ≤ 3 g)
- Low saturated fat: 0.1 g saturated fat per 100 g, 3.5% of energy (limits ≤ 1.5 g and ≤ 10%)
- Low sugars: 1.8 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
- High fibre: 7.5 g fibre per 100 kcal (needs ≥ 3 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 145 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- deep wide pan with lid
- steamer basket or insert
- sharp knife
- tongs
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 52 kcal |
| Protein | 4.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.2 g |
| of which sugars | 2.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 0.6 g |
| of which saturates | 0.2 g |
| Fibre | 3.9 g |
| Salt | 0.85 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
8.1 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
