Originally Published:20091101.
What looks like broccoli but with a longer, slender stem and smaller flowering buds?
It's broccolini, a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. You can find it in the produce section of your local grocery store. (The name is trademarked by Mann Packing Co., which introduced broccolini to the United States in 1998. Other companies call the vegetable baby broccoli or separation )
Like most green vegetables, broccolini is loaded with vitamin C (130 percent oí a day's worth) and vitamin A (30 percent). And it's not too shabby in the potassium (8 percent), calcium (6 percent), and iron (4 percent) departments. That's for an eight-stalk serving (three ounces) that will cost you only 35 fat-free, nearly sodium-free calories,
The taste has hints of broccoli and asparagus. It's a bit sweet and peppery when raw and milder and sweeter when cooked. But unlike broccoli and asparagus, the stalks aren't at all woody. It's completely edible, from flower to stem.
Try sautéeing broccolini with sliced garlic in a bit of the oil from a bottle of sun-dried tomatoes, then top with a few of the chopped tomatoes. Or toss with a little olive oil and roast at 450°F on a baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes. Season with a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice, a dusting of freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
In a hurry? Just steam your broccolini, then drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette or some toasted sesame oil.
Last year was broccolini's 10th birthday. Thanks, Mann. And keep 'em coming.
Mann Packing Co: (800) 285-1002