Whereas honey and broccoli rabe are a scrumptious combo, typically it will probably style like sugar on high of a mound of bitterness. If you have to discover extra methods to counteract that bitterness, flip to acid, as properly. Acidic components mood each a saccharine and acerbic chew, making it precisely what your honeyed rapini wants. Whereas a honey balsamic glaze takes a richer method to the leafy greens, the mixture of lemon zest or juice and honey is unbeatable. Whisk the citrus juice and honey collectively earlier than pouring it over your roasted or sauteed rapini. For a vivid glaze that is nonetheless candy, use freshly-squeezed orange juice as a substitute.

Actually taming bitterness, nonetheless, comes within the prep work. Blanching is a easy technique to take the bitterness out of broccoli rabe, and it solely takes about three minutes. As soon as the rapini turns vivid inexperienced in salted boiling water, transfer it to an ice tub and dry it earlier than cooking. After it has been dried, you’ll be able to transfer on to organize your broccoli rabe. Sauteeing it’s fairly fast, however roasting successfully caramelizes the vegetable, bringing out its candy facet to interchange the bitterness. And if all else fails, simply attain for an additional drizzle of honey.