Broccoli and cauliflower are two of my go-to vegetables for dinner sides — my whole family loves them. But as the family cook, I quickly get bored with our bi-weekly rotation of roasted broccoli or mashed cauliflower. Boiling these two cruciferous vegetables in a garlicky butter bath is my number-one way to love and appreciate them.

I was first introduced to butter bath cooking for corn on the cob. It makes even the best sweet summer corn impossibly better, so just imagine what it can do for basic broccoli and cauliflower (even the pre-cut bagged stuff!). Garlicky butter bath broccoli and cauliflower is going to make you fall back in love with these dinner staples.

Anything but boring

Boiled and steamed vegetables get a bad rap for being too tender and flavorless, but butter bath boiling changes all that. Essentially, you’re making a milk and butter broth to cook vegetables in. Add in your favorite spices or aromatics — here, a ton of minced garlic — and the vegetables are infused with robust, unbeatable flavor.

The key to making truly delicious butter bath broccoli and cauliflower is to make sure you don’t overcook it. One-inch florets, like the kind you might find pre-cut in the produce section, take less than 10 minutes to cook. Be sure to test them before draining — a fork should easily pierce their woody stems. Speaking of draining, save a little butter bath. You can serve that garlicky elixir as a sauce for the vegetables.

Garlicky Butter Bath Broccoli and Cauliflower

Serves 6

2 cups water

4 garlic cloves

3/4 cup milk

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