Vegetables Broccoli Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Tomato Butter and Tapenade 4.3 (3) 3 Reviews At his Philadelphia restaurant, Chef Greg Vernick treats broccoli like a steak, roasting it at a high temperature on a preheated pan to achieve a lightly charred crust. Cooked on the same pan, umami-packed tomatoes blend up into a super-quick sauce enriched with just the right amount of butter. By Greg Vernick Greg Vernick Restaurant: Vernick Food & Drink (Read a review) Location: Philadelphia Why He’s Amazing: Because he has talent for amplifying natural flavors in simple yet striking combinations, as in a dish that combines creamy morels with Meyer lemon glaze on sourdough toast. Culinary School: The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) background: Per Se, Perry St., Jean-Georges, Tocqueville (/sites/default/files/ew York City) Quintessential Dish: Arctic char carpaccio with crispy skin, dill and chile oil Born into the Business: “My mom owned a restaurant in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The bus stopped right in front of it and I’d go there after school. That’s where my childhood took place.” What He Learned from Jean-Georges Vongerichten: Take “the most direct route to delicious. I think all of his restaurants kind of encompass that. [At Vernick Food & Drink] we don’t try to go too far in any direction.” Dream Job: For a year, Vernick flew between Vancouver, Doha (Qatar), Dubai and Tokyo, hiring and training crews at new Jean-Georges restaurants. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 1, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 50 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 2 ounces bakery white or rye bread, torn into small pieces (about 1 cup) 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided 2 medium broccoli heads, stems trimmed to 3 inches and heads cut lengthwise into 8 (3/4-inch-thick) steaks 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounce) 1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (root trimmed) 4 to 8 tablespoons unsalted vegetable stock 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 cup jarred tapenade (such as Divina Olive Bruschetta) Directions Preheat oven to 475°F. Toss together bread, 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until bread is golden brown and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once after 3 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven; let warm at 425°F 10 minutes. Toss together broccoli steaks, tomatoes, onion wedges, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large bowl. Arrange mixture in a single layer on preheated pan. Bake at 425°F until broccoli is tender and charred in spots, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping broccoli and onion after 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer tomatoes, onion, and 1/4 cup stock to a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, adding remaining 1/4 cup stock, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to thin sauce to a pourable consistency. With blender running, gradually add butter, processing until sauce is glossy and thick, about 20 seconds. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spoon about 1/4 cup tomato sauce onto each of 4 plates. Top with broccoli steaks, tapenade, and toasted breadcrumbs. Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Suggested Pairing Savory Rhône-style red. Rate it Print