Broccoli served as the poster-vegetable for new discoveries about the contributions that cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, kale, cauliflower, collard greens, bok choy and other members of the Brassicaceae family) make to disease-prevention. The vegetable became politically notorious when dismissed from his dinner table by a U.S. president. A quick growing, cool weather vegetable, broccoli is increasingly popular with home gardeners. Green Comet, and Green Goliath repay the space they require with abundant shoots to harvest once main heads have been cut. Chinese and Italian broccoli are increasingly available in markets worldwide.
What to Look For:
1. Tightly-curled buds (the tops of broccoli stems are flower-buds; loose buds signal the start of yellow flowers)
2. Dark green color, almost bluish in some varieties
3. Crisp, unscarred stems.
Broccoli Storage and Preparation Tips:
1. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag.
2. Wash, trim stem ends to desired length.
3. Slice thick stems lengthwise to assure even cooking.
4. If using florets only, you may wish to reserve stems. Refrigerate.
5. Stems can be peeled and diced raw to substitute for celery.
6. Stems can also be peeled, blanched and frozen for later use.
Cooking with Broccoli:
Broccoli can be steamed, boiled in a little water (1 inch), or stir-fried. Quick preparation retains crispness, preserves vitamins, and prevents a sourish cooking smell common to overcooked cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli is ready to eat when buds are most intense in color and stems are crisp-tender. All varieties of broccoli respond well to seasoning with garlic. Hot cook broccoli can be served in a cheese- or cream-based sauce. Cold cooked broccoli dressed with vinegar and oil is a good alternative to lettuce salad. Raw broccoli stands out on a relish or crudite platter. Since Vitamins A and K, which broccoli has in abundance, are fat-soluble, a small amount of oil or butter is a good addition when cooking broccoli.
Broccoli Nutrition Highlights:
Broccoli has very high levels of beta-carotene, Vitamin A, along with calcium and phosphorus, a nutritional complex promoting healthy vision and contributing to skin health. Broccoli is a good source of Vitamin K, which is essential for blood coagulation. The necessity of Vitamin A to vision health is well known, and recent studies suggest that high levels of lutein, such that contained in broccoli, contribute to diminished cataract growth. An abundance of trace minerals further make broccoli a complex health-asset.