Broccoli sliced thick into steaks, dressed in olive oil, salt and pepper, BBQ'd hot alongside a halved red chilli for three minutes until the florets char black. Roughly chopped on a board with raw garlic, lemon, fresh mint and a mix of toasted almonds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. A side that earns the spotlight.

The chop-on-the-board move is the Sicilian-Calabrian instinct that turns a cooked vegetable into a chunky herbed salad. Rather than tossing whole florets in a bowl, the broccoli gets a rough chop after grilling so the char and the raw seasonings interleave through every forkful.

Grilling broccoli is about getting the high points blackened while the bulk of the floret stays bright green and tender. Thick slices (1.5cm steaks) cut through the head from top to stem so each piece holds together on the grill. Brush both sides hard with olive oil and don't move them for the first two minutes so the char sets.

The raw garlic (sliced thin, not chopped) added at the end stays sharp against the cooked vegetables; mint torn over the top brings a cooling freshness; the toasted seed-and-nut mix adds the crunch and the protein to make it stand alone as a main if you want. Serve at room temperature. A glass of dry Vermentino alongside.