Sprouting Broccoli
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Sprouting broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that has many small shoots rather than a single head. Each stalk is about 18 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide. This vegetable features long, slender light green stalks that gradually taper into smaller stalks as they extend up the stem. Rounded, obovate green leaves with slightly curled edges grow from the sides of the stalks. Sprouting broccoli has small florets that are firm, densely packed, and feel rough to the touch, making them hard to bite through when raw. Sprouting broccoli has a mild taste that’s slightly sweet with subtle nutty and buttery undertones. It may have a faintly bitter bite masked by these other flavors.
Seasons/Availability
Sprouting broccoli is available in late winter and early spring.
Current Facts
The botanical name for Sprouting broccoli is Brassica oleracea var. Italica and it is from the Brassica family that also includes Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga, cabbage, boy choy, and turnips. As a cruciferous vegetable, Sprouting broccoli is high in nutrients, low in calories, and contains compounds called glucosinolates that can break down toxic bioactive substances in the body. Despite the bitter flavor that most cruciferous vegetables have, this variety is less bitter than broccoli with single heads. It is primarily used for culinary purposes and has grown in popularity because of its sweeter, nuttier flavor and novel long shape, further adding to its ornamental appeal in gardens.
Nutritional Value
Sprouting broccoli contains potassium, an important nutrient for regulating blood pressure, supporting heart health, and ensuring proper muscle and nerve function. The vegetable's folic acid content is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division, making it especially important for pregnant women to prevent birth defects and promote healthy fetal development. Sprouting broccoli is a source of vitamin A, supporting vision, immune function, and skin health, while its vitamin C boosts collagen production and strengthens the immune system. The vitamin K in this vegetable is crucial for blood clotting and bone health, potentially helping to prevent osteoporosis. Sprouting broccoli contains glucosinolates, compounds that can be converted into bioactive substances like sulforaphane, which may support the body’s detoxification processes.
Applications
Sprouting broccoli may be consumed raw, sautéed, roasted, cooked, or grilled. In its fresh form, it can be chopped up and incorporated into a vegetable slaw with kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and poppy seed dressing. It may bode well for crudite platters, pesto, or green salads with grated carrots and turnips. Sprouting broccoli is often roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs to be enjoyed on its own or added to stir-fries, soups, rice bowls, pizzas, flatbreads, omelets, and curries. This variety can be cooked in cream, pureed, and strained into a sauce to pour on top of seafood or pasta. Sprouting broccoli is complemented by the flavors of kale, red peppers, tomatoes, butternut squash, yams, potatoes, almonds, rosemary, thyme, teriyaki sauce, grilled chicken, tofu, cheddar, and feta cheese. It should be contained and stored in the refrigerator where it can last for up to a week.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Broccoli was a valuable crop in the ancient times of Southern Europe. The Etruscans, an ancient agrarian civilization, cultivated it extensively and traded it across the Mediterranean to the Phoenicians and ancient Greeks. The ancient Romans also embraced broccoli, with Pliny the Elder documenting its cultivation and preparation in the first century AD. One of the earliest known Italian varieties is broccolo calabrese, which derived its name from the Latin term brachium, meaning arm or branch. Romans boiled broccoli with spices, onions, wine, and oil and served it with a creamy herb and wine sauce. This vegetable was also eaten raw before banquets to help absorb alcohol.
Geography/History
Sprouting broccoli is believed to have originated in Southern Italy around the time of the Roman Empire. It was featured in an ancient cookbook by Marcus Gavius Apicius and made its way to England and the United States in the 18th Century and France by the 20th century. This variation of broccoli rose to commercialization when English breeders Alan Gray and P. Crisp took a greater interest in the plant, bringing it to the attention of farmers and consumers alike. Sprouting broccoli thrives in cooler weather, which is essential for head formation, but also requires full sunlight to flourish. It is not typically found in the wild as it is a cultivated variety that has been bred for specific traits and flavors. Sprouting broccoli is commonly sold from seed to grow in home gardens and may be found in specialty stores and farmers markets in Italy, England, the United States, and select regions within Europe.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Sprouting Broccoli. One
is easiest, three is harder.
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