About Broccoli
 Broccoli
consists of dark green clusters of buds, known as florets, which grow
on branching arms that connect to a thick leafy stalk. Broccoli is harvested
before the buds begin to blossom. This vegetable is a relative to cauliflower,
cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. The head of branching florets and approximately
6 inches of the stalk are the edible parts of the vegetable. It is one
of the most versatile of vegetables grown and can be eaten raw or cooked.
It is readily available, easy to cook and is low in cost.
Uses:
The leaf, stalk and florets can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw, it is eaten
on its own accompanied by a dip or cut up and added to salads. When cooked,
it can be eaten as a side dish, alone or topped with a sauce, such as
au gratin, hollandaise, or Mornay. It is also often added to other dishes,
such as stir fries, pasta, quiches, omelets, soups, and stews. Broccoli
is available all year round in food stores but when growing, it does best
in cool weather.
How to Buy:
When selecting broccoli, look for thick heads of compact, tiny bud clusters
that are evenly dark green (or with purplish tint) in color. The broccoli
should have a fresh aroma and a firm but tender stalk. Avoid heads that
have yellowing florets, a strong odor, or open buds. Also, avoid heads
that show signs of wilting of the florets or stalk.
Storage:
Broccoli should be left unwashed when storing. Store in the refrigerator
in a plastic bag, leaving the bag open or use a perforated plastic bag.
This will avoid excess moisture, which causes mold to grow. Store up to
5 days. Broccoli can be blanched and then frozen and kept in the freezer
for up to a year. Broccoli is very sensitive to ethylene, which is a gas
given off by some fruits and vegetables. The gas speeds up the ripening
process so broccoli should not be stored with ethylene producing fruits
and vegetables, such as, apples, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwifruit,
mango, peaches, pears, tomato, and white sapote.
Source: http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--863/all-about-broccoli.asp
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Recipes
- Broccoli Almondine
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Broccoli Quinoa
- Ginger-Poached Noodles with
Tofu and Broccoli
- Shrimp and Broccoli Fried
Rice with Toasted Almonds
- Tofu and Broccoli Fried
Rice with Toasted Almonds
- Warm salad of sprouting broccoli,
onion squash and chilli and hazelnut sauce from Australian chef
Skye Gyngell
- Stir-Fried
Wide Fresh Rice Noodles With Broccoli And Black Soy (Gkuay Dtiow Pad
Seeyew) from Kasma
- Spicy Chicken and
Basil Fried Rice (Kao Pad Gai Krapao) with Asian Broccoli from Kasma
- Heidi Swanson's Couscous Soup
very fast to make with broccoli, caulflower and other vegetables
- Olive Oil and Broccoli Sauce
from Joe Famularo
- Whole Wheat Pasta with Ricotta
and Vegetables from Fitness Magazine
- Broccoli with Peanuts (Pud
Thai Broccoli Sai Tua Ob) from Food of the World: Thailand
Lee's Broccoli Cooking Tips
 Cut
off and retain the stalks. Combine and pressure cook with other vegetable
trimmings such as artichoke stalks in potato water to create a vegetable
broth. Alternately, julienne and add to pressure cooked pilaf rices, such
as Lee's Brown Rice Pilaf or soups.
Cook broccoli in pressure cooker on high:
Broccoli, flowerets 2 minutes
Broccoli, stalks 5 to 6 minutes
Broccoli, stalks, 1/4" (5 mm) slices 3 to 4 minutes
Above:
Broccoli Almondine
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roccoli