broccoli rabe with vermicelli, garlic, hots & herbs

Everyone in my family is wild about greens, and especially "bitter greens" - and this lovely vegetable is the queen of them. Also known as rapini, you should make sure your rabe is a bouquet of fresh green, with no wilted or yellow leaves or crowns.

You will need:

1 bunch broccoli rabe, rinsed, stems cut off, cut into 2" pieces

vermicelli or other pasta

2 cloves garlic, cut in slivers

2 T. olive oil

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

2 shallots, sliced thinly

2 T. fresh tarragon, roughly chopped or 1 T. dried tarragon

(alternate for tarragon-haters)'

OR

2 T. fresh rosemary, pulled from stalk and roughly chopped

Put pasta water on to boil.

In a large pot, place olive oil, garlic and hot pepper flakes. Saute for a few minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water, the chopped broccoli rabe, the shallots, and the tarragon or rosemary to the olive oil, garlic, and hot peppers. Turn down heat to medium, cover. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring and tasting, making sure the rabe isn't tough - it cooks down ALOT.

Cook pasta and drain.

In large pasta bowls, place a ring of broccoli rabe in bottom of bowl, add hot pasta to the middle. Top with coarse salt and pepper, a good drizzle of olive oil, and butter or parmesan.