Garlic Roasted Broccoli with Almonds

Broccoli is one of those vegetables that tastes completely different depending on how hard you push it in the oven. Steamed, it can be watery and a bit grassy. Roasted at a high heat, the edges catch and turn sweet and nutty, and the little tree tops crisp up like toasted bread. That is the whole idea behind this side. The oven does most of the work, and you just need to give the florets room to brown.

A quick word on the almonds. Slivered almonds are thin enough to toast in the same time the broccoli needs, so they go in raw with the oil and garlic. They pick up a golden colour and a toasty crunch, and a few of them will land on the pan and get a little darker. Those darker bits are the best part, so do not be shy about scraping them off the tray with the rest. Garlic is the other thing to watch. Minced garlic burns quickly at 425 degrees, so keep an eye on the tray in the last couple of minutes.

The lemon at the end is not optional in my kitchen. A spoonful of juice over hot broccoli wakes everything up and makes the olive oil taste fresher. If you have a lemon with a bit of zest left on it, a light grating over the top works nicely too.

Leftovers keep well for about three days in a covered container in the fridge. They are good cold, tossed into a grain bowl, or reheated for a minute in a dry pan so the tips crisp again. Microwaving makes them soft, so skip that if you can. I also like to chop leftovers small and stir them into scrambled eggs the next morning.

This goes well with simple mains. It sits alongside grilled fish, a plain roast chicken or a bowl of lentils. If you want to build a whole plate around it, these recipes pair nicely with it:

• Smoky Chicken Drumsticks with Fresh Green Salad makes a relaxed summer dinner, with the broccoli as a warm counterpoint to the salad.
• Eggs on Spiced Lentils with Peas is a good choice for a lazy brunch, where the roasted broccoli adds some crunch.
• Sesame Ginger Tofu with Broccoli and Mushrooms shares the same green flavour, so the two plates sit well together on the table.