Apparently, I’ve become a grown up. I am now voluntarily eating not just Brussels sprouts but now rapini! Traditionally not a big fan of bitter greens, I have warmed to them in the last year so long as they are balanced with other flavours to cut through the bitterness. Cue J making Giada de Laurentiis’ sautéed rapini that has a nice kick with some chili flakes and sweetness from a handful raisins. This side dish looked fantastic served in our colourful casserole dishes!
Serves 2.
Ingredients
2 bunches rapini, stems trimmed
3 tb olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 ts red pepper flakes
1/4 c raisins
salt
2 tb pine nuts, toasted
Directions
1. Blanch the rapini by dropping it in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transferring it to an ice bath. Reserve roughly 1/4 of the cooking liquid.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté about 1 minute.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the rapini. Toss to coat.
4. Add half the the reserved cooking water, the raisins, and cook until the rapini is heated through and the stems are tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.
5. Right before you’re ready to serve, add the pine nuts and toss so that all the ingredients have combined.
Food Nurd 
… you lost me at ‘handful of raisins’. #myonefoodhangup #wellthatandtripe
I knew this one wouldn’t be for you. You could still make it, just without the raisins!
Hmm. Does rapini taste a bit bitter to you? Last time I cooked it, it was that way 😦 I might give your recipe a try though…I do love me some pine nuts!
Rapini certainly does have a bitter flavour to it, but I didn’t find it overwhelming in this dish. Besides, with the heat, sweetness and nuttiness of the other ingredients help to balance out the rapini. Believe me, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this dish and I’m not a huge rapini fan. I liked enough that J will be making it again tonight! Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!