Boiling broccoli and cauliflower is a common but flawed cooking method, as it leaves the vegetables soggy and bland. The high heat of stir-frying with olive oil caramelises their natural sugars, making them taste sweeter and slightly nutty, while retaining a crisp texture.
Why boiling ruins the flavour
Most people boil their vegetables for convenience, but the process causes them to break down quickly, turning into a mushy mess. Boiling also causes most of the natural sugars to leach out into the water, which is why the vegetables often taste bland and boring.
Mary Berry, the UK's most famous baker, has shared a method to make broccoli and cauliflower more delicious using just olive oil. In her cookbook 'Mary Berry Everyday', she said: "Making a change from boiled vegetables, this is quick to do and very tasty. Cooked like this, the broccoli and cauliflower retain a nice crunch too. If you like a bit of heat, add plenty of black pepper to the vegetables, or even some chilli flakes."
Health benefits of olive oil
Many people avoid cooking broccoli and cauliflower in olive oil because they believe it is unhealthy, but it can actually make the vegetables more nutritious. Broccoli and cauliflower contain vitamins that can easily dissolve in water, meaning some are lost during boiling.
Using olive oil helps retain more nutrients, and eating the vegetables with a little fat can also help the body absorb certain nutrients more efficiently. The result is crispy, flavourful vegetables ready in about 10 minutes.
How to stir-fry broccoli and cauliflower
You will need one head of cauliflower, one head of broccoli, two tablespoons of olive oil, two banana shallots, two garlic cloves, two tablespoons of honey, salt and pepper, and chilli flakes (optional).
First, cut the florets into small, roughly two-centimetre pieces, using about 350g of cauliflower florets and 250g of broccoli florets. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat, then add the shallots and cook for around three minutes until they begin to soften.
Add the cauliflower and broccoli and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and continue cooking for another one to two minutes until the vegetables are golden brown. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for three minutes. Remove the lid, return the heat to high and fry for a few more minutes until the vegetables are as crispy and charred as you like them.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and chilli flakes, if using. Drizzle over the honey and toss everything together for 30–60 seconds, just until the vegetables are lightly caramelised.
