Broccoli + Broccoli Leaves

About Me: Broccoli is a cool-weather crop, available only in the spring or fall. It is a member of the brassica family. Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, A, folate, calcium, iron, and other minerals. Broccoli can be eaten raw with a tasty dip, sautéed, thrown on a pizza, or baked in a casserole. Do not discard the stems or leaves from a broccoli plant because they are perfectly edible and nutritious! See 'Broccoli Leaves' section for cooking tips. 

Highly underrated and often completely overlooked, broccoli leaves should become a staple in peoples’ diets. Broccoli leaves look like tuscan kale, taste sweet like sugar snap peas and offer 100 percent of your daily value of vitamin C and calcium per serving. Broccoli leaves are thicker than kale or collards so generally you wouldn’t use them in a salad but are a great addition to most other dishes. Try them baked in a casserole, added to a stir-fry, used as wraps for a raw dish, or even in replacement of cabbage leaves for a cabbage roll dish.

Sprouting Broccoli (green or purple): Sprouting broccoli is just a variety that grows smaller side shoots on a plant as opposed to a single, one harvest, head. The nutritional information and cooking options are similar to regular broccoli.

To store: Broccoli should be stored in a cotton mesh bag, or paper towel, and then placed inside a bag or container inside your fridge crisper. Store for at least a week.

(Leaves): Put dry, unwashed leaves in a mesh bag, or paper towel, and then place inside a bag, or container inside your fridge crisper. They should last for a few weeks.

To freeze: (Florets) Blanch washed florets, chopped stems, or greens for 2-3 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process, drain, and pack into airtight containers, or vacuum seal and freeze.

(Leaves): Wash and cut leaves to desired thickness. Blanch washed greens for 2-3 minutes. Rinse in cold ice water to stop the cooking process, drain, and pack into airtight containers.

Recipes:

Pane Cotto (Leaves)