Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt the water with 2 pinches of salt.
If using pre-cut broccoli florets, rinse them and set aside to drain. If using a whole head of broccoli, please see the notes section for details.
In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the sauce ingredients from olive oil to black pepper. Stir well and taste and adjust.
Once the water is boiling, add the broccoli florets and blanch for 1.5 to 2 minutes. If also blanching broccoli stems, add 30 seconds additional.
The florets will turn a deeper color green. When biting into it, it should taste tender and crisp.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the florets and briefly rinse them under room temperature water to stop the cooking. After rinsing, the florets should feel warm to the touch.
Set them aside to drain, shake off the access water, then transfer to a large serving bowl.
While the broccoli is still warm, pour the butter sauce into the bowl. Gently toss and combine well.
Let the broccoli sit and soak up the sauce for about 2 minutes. Toss again to incorporate and season with more salt to taste. Garnish with almond slices before serving.
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Notes
The lemon garlic butter sauce is absolutely delicious. You can use the same sauce as a dipping sauce for shrimp, fish fillets, and chicken. It’s a wonderful sauce to have it handy.
Don’t over-blanch the florets. They should still be crisp and tender, and not mushy.
Briefly rinse the blanched florets in room temperature water to stop the cooking but don’t over rinse them. Keep the florets on the warmer side so the butter sauce can melt and incorporate with the broccoli.
If using a whole head of broccoli, make a cut to separate the stem from the florets. To trim the stem, cut away the bottom end until you see the majority of the center in light pale green and it looks moist. Trim away the outer tough skin then dice the stem to bite sizes.
To trim the florets, make another cut that’s closer to the crown. This will separate the florets further. For large floret, halve it. Keep them in similar sizes so the cooking time is the same.