Broccoli with Ham in the Thermomix® has been our go-to low-carb main course for years when we want something hearty without pasta or potatoes. The key is the cooking liquid: catch exactly 80 g of the steam water from the Varoma and use it to deglaze the ham and shallot mixture. Too much makes the broccoli watery; too little and the ham flavour does not bind properly.
We cook the broccoli in the Varoma while the stock simmers below. After 20 to 25 minutes the broccoli is tender but still has bite, the florets keep their colour and do not turn mushy. This only works with steam, not boiled in water.
Broccoli with Ham, Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 10 ✓
- 100 g mountain cheese
- 600 g vegetable stock
- 500 g broccoli
- 2 shallots
- 10 g rapeseed oil
- 50 g Parma ham
- 100 g cooked ham
- 2 pepper
- 2 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tsp parsley fresh or frozen
Instructions 0 / 6
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1
Grate the cheese.
Place the mountain cheese in the mixing bowl and chop for 7 seconds / speed 6, then transfer to a bowl.
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2
Prepare the broccoli.
Pour the vegetable stock into the mixing bowl. Wash the broccoli, cut the florets from the stalks, peel the thick stalks and cut them into batons. Distribute the broccoli across the Varoma tray and Varoma dish, then steam for 20 to 25 minutes / Varoma / speed 1 (depending on how firm you like your broccoli). Keep warm. Empty the mixing bowl and reserve 80 g of the cooking liquid.
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3
Chop the shallots.
Place the shallots in the mixing bowl and chop for 5 seconds / speed 5, then push down with the spatula.
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4
Steam the ham.
Add the rapeseed oil and the ham cut into strips, then cook for 5 minutes / Varoma / reverse direction / speed 1. Deglaze with the cooking liquid, distribute over the broccoli, add pepper and fold in gently.
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5
Slice the tomatoes.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and slice them.
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6
Serve.
Divide the broccoli between 4 plates, top with the tomato slices and serve sprinkled with mountain cheese and parsley.
Tip: For the basic method, see our guide to cooking broccoli in the Thermomix®.
Nutrition per serving
Ham choice: Parma ham and cooked ham combined
We use two types of ham: 50 g Parma ham for the salty bite and 100 g cooked ham for substance. Parma ham alone would be too overpowering; cooked ham alone too mild. The combination brings salt and savouriness to the vegetables without needing to season again at the table. The pepper goes in at the end, once the ham mixture is spread over the broccoli.
Grate the mountain cheese fresh, do not buy it ready-grated
We always grate the mountain cheese ourselves: 7 seconds at speed 6 in the Thermomix®, then transfer it out. Ready-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents and does not melt as well. The mountain cheese is scattered over the finished broccoli at the end, not cooked in. This keeps its nutty flavour intact and prevents the cheese from going tough.
Peel the stalks and cook them too
We do not throw away the thick broccoli stalks. We peel them thinly and cut them into batons. The batons go into the Varoma alongside the florets. They need the same cooking time as the florets but stay firmer and add more texture. Left unpeeled, they remain woody.
Shallots as a sweet base
We put two shallots into the empty mixing bowl and chop them for 5 seconds at speed 5. Shallots are milder than onions and bring a gentle sweetness. The rapeseed oil goes in straight away, together with the ham cut into strips. We cook the mixture for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature at speed 1 in reverse direction. Reverse direction keeps the shallots from being chopped further; we just want them softened.
The 80 g rule for the cooking liquid
Once the broccoli is ready, we empty the mixing bowl and catch exactly 80 g of the cooking liquid. This liquid carries the broccoli flavour and deglazes the ham and shallot mixture. We pour it straight over the ham mixture and spread everything over the broccoli in the Varoma. More than 80 g makes the dish watery; less and the flavours do not come together.
Tomatoes for a fresh contrast
We slice two cherry tomatoes and scatter them over the finished broccoli. The tomatoes are raw and bring acidity and freshness to the dish. They are not cooked, as they would go mushy. The contrast between the warm broccoli and the cool tomatoes works well.
Serving with cheese and parsley
We divide the broccoli between four plates, lay the tomato slices on top and scatter the grated mountain cheese and fresh parsley over everything. The parsley is optional but adds colour. If you use frozen parsley, add it straight from the freezer.
Goes well with: Baguette.
The dish is ready in 45 minutes, of which 25 minutes is steaming time in the Varoma. No side dishes are needed; the broccoli with ham and cheese is filling enough on its own.
If you want to learn more about cooking with the Varoma, take a look at our basic guide to cooking broccoli in the Thermomix®.
