Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan

In the spirit of trying new recipes, I decided to look for a recipe that uses broccoli. Broccoli is one of those foods that I want to love, but almost never find myself looking forward to eating. The recipe below is adapted from this recipe, which one reviewer described as "the best" broccoli he had ever eaten. It truly is a delicious recipe, with fresh, simple flavors that meld together perfectly. I rarely have pine nuts on hand, which the original recipe calls for. When I made this, I omitted the nuts altogether, but when I make it again I will  use toasted walnuts or hazelnuts. The original also includes fresh basil, which I think that would be a great addition, but if you don't have it, it's still delicious. Lastly, I reduced the amount of salt, oil, and cheese to make this slightly healthier version:

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan
serves 4

4 to 5 pounds broccoli

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Good olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons nuts, toasted

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, sliced (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discard the rest of the stalks, or save for a different recipe. Cut the larger florets through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. The garlic may also look a little burned, but don't worry, it will taste great.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.