An ingredient substitution shines in a great recipe

Milk Street magazine showcased a recipe for broccoli raab and Italian sausage in its March/April 2023 issue that looked enticing, and I decided to try it.

I already had a pound of Italian sausage links from a local farmers market vendor who raises his own hogs. Needing broccoli raab, I headed out to get two pounds and stopped short when I found out it would cost me nearly $12 for what I needed. Hmmm.

Broccoli raab is special, no doubt, but not at that price. Standing in the store's produce section, I saw that the same amount of regular, organic broccoli would cost me about $6. It was an easy choice, even though I knew it would not have the same flavor.

Making my own Asian stir-frys taught me how to prepare broccoli quickly with some caramelization (slight browning) and still serve it perfectly cooked and bright green.

Here are my broccoli cooking secrets.

The process begins by rinsing the broccoli heads under cold water, slicing off the stem ends and discarding them.

Next, I cut the stem off beneath where the broccoli florets begin. Using a sharp knife, I peel off the tough outer part of the stem, leaving the pale green stem centers, and then cut the stems into rounds and set them aside. Next, I trim the broccoli's florets off into about 1-inch pieces.

Once the broccoli's prepared, I place my flat-bottomed wok (since I have an electric range, my wok needs to touch the range's surface) onto the range top set on high heat. Next, I add some fat for flavor and ease of stir-frying. For this, I favor organic bacon fat.

When the fat melts and starts to shimmer, in goes the broccoli, and I stir-fry it for a minute or two, just until some florets begin to brown lightly.

Add a 1/3 cup of bottled water, cover the wok (or pan), and cook for 3 minutes. At that point, my broccoli is ready for any addition.

For this dish, I briefly used bacon fat to cook some fresh garlic and the Italian sausage, cooking the sausage until lightly browned and then setting it aside.

That is when I cooked the broccoli. Once the broccoli was done, I returned the Italian sausage to the wok, stir-fried it briefly to heat it up, and then seasoned it with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh lemon juice.

Milk Street added some crushed red pepper, which is great if you want some heat. I left it out, finishing the sauté with a generous dusting of grated Parmesan cheese.

How did it turn out? The broccoli stayed bright green yet perfectly cooked, and the Italian sausage made this a tasty combination. Terrific.

Yes, broccoli raab would have been better, but not enough to make the higher cost worth it.

Give my less costly version a try.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write to him at 1leanwizard@gmail.com.

Broccoli and Italian Sausage

2 pounds fresh broccoli (organic preferred)

2 tablespoons organic bacon fat (other fats work, too), divided

1-pound sweet Italian sausage links cut into 2-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup (1-ounce) shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from a half lemon)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

Cut the broccoli stem ends off and discard. Cut the stems off just beneath where the broccoli florets begin. Then, using a sharp knife, peel off the tough outer part of each of the stems, leaving the pale green stem centers. Cut the stems crosswise into rounds and set them aside. Trim the broccoli's florets off into about 1-inch pieces and add to the sliced stems. Set aside.

Place a wok or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. When the bacon fat melts and begins to shimmer, add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned and has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a dinner plate.

Set the heat to high, add the remaining bacon fat to the wok or skillet and when it melts and begins to shimmer, add the garlic and after 30 seconds add the broccoli. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until some of the broccoli begins to brown slightly.

Add 1/3 cup bottled water to the wok, cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove the cover, add the prepared sausage and sauté for one minute to heat it through. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir together to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Nutrition values per serving (without added salt): 340 calories (49.7% from fat), 18.8 g fat (7.6 g saturated fat), 19.3 g carbohydrates (13.3 net carbs), 4.1 g sugars, 6 g fiber, 27.6 g protein, 45 mg cholesterol, 852 mg sodium.

SaltSense: 76% of the sodium comes from the Italian sausage.

Adapted by Don Mauer from a Milk Street recipe