Oven Roasted Broccoli ~

Our new favorite way of cooking broccoli! WOOT!

Oven Roasted Broccoli

(Adapted from the recipe found here, originally attributed to Epicurious)

about 8 cups fresh broccoli florets

3 1/2-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon (or more, to taste) chili paste (found in Asian foods aisle or store)

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the oil, chili paste, garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl or measuring cup until well blended. Place broccoli florets on a cookie sheet lined with foil and brushed with olive oil. With a spoon, drizzle some of the oil mixture on each floret, or brush each one with the mixture using a pastry brush. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave the broccoli in for another 5 to 10 minutes, checking to see when they are crisped/caramelized to your liking. You can remove them after the 20 minute roasting time, and they are good then too, but more tender. I really like the crunchiness obtained by longer exposure to the heat.