broccoli

many dates

Broccoli is a frequent guest at my dinner table, although rarely all by itself.  I usually combine with other vegetables in salads and stir-fries.

Broccoli—like most cabbages—are a cold-weather vegetable. They are planted late Summer to late Fall for harvest in Fall, Winter or early Spring. They can also be planted late Winter-early Spring for harvest before the big summer heat forces them to go to seed. They are fairly winter hardy. I've had them under snow and frozen in my garden, yet they bounced right back when the weather warmed up again.

 

2013-11-25
my  2013 winter vegetable garden with broccoli in the back row, 200+ leeks every other row, green cabbages in the 2 front rows, red and green lettuces in a middle row

raw broccoli

Raw broccoli can be eaten as a snack or side dish, or cut small into salads with a salad dressings of your choice. It is often served in appetizer plates with other raw vegetables and dipping sauces.

Wash the broccoli on lightly salted water to remove any bugs and traces of snail slime.

steamed/stewed/stir-fried broccoli

Unless you want it raw for salads, this will probably be where most of your broccoli recipes start.

Broccoli is considerably longer than a cauliflower head that fits in a 2-quart saucepan. Cutting the stem will make the broccoli crown fall apart in smaller branches and florets. That stem is edible, but chewier than the florets.

Since broccoli is quite enjoyable raw, the cooking time is entirely up to your preference, from a brief 1-minute blanching / stir-frying / steaming that leaves it nearly raw to complete mushiness.

Broccoli leaves are edible too, but I have never tried them.

Broccoli is available frozen in florets or chopped.  Either way, there is no need to thaw them out. They can be steamed or stewed frozen, only take a few minutes longer to prepare than unfrozen broccoli.

This is just a generic recipe. Many of the meat recipes have broccoli as a side dish. I also boil broccoli in soups, and serve the soup vegetables as a side dish. Regardless the final presentation, the preparation method is always similar to below, even if other vegetables are mixed in.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2-4 servings:

  • 1 lb. broccoli florets
  • S&P
Pic1: steaming broccoli
internet picture

Directions

cheese/cheddar broccoli

2019-07-06 a.o.

This is the same recipe I also use for cauliflower.

It would seem that broccoli is most often served with a poison-yellow cheddar cheese sauce here in US of A restaurants, not something I particularly care for. I prefer to use a different cheese, the same cheese(s) that I use with cauliflower.

Again like cauliflower, this may be prepared stovetop, but can also be baked as a casserole.

 

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2 servings:

  • 1 large broccoli head
  • béchamel sauce
  • 8 oz. melting cheese, shredded
  • S&P

Directions

Pic2: stovetop cheddar broccoli stoemp = with potatoes added
Pic3: served with carne adovada
Pic4: as casserole with extra cheese Pic4: with dipping sauce - internet picture
Pic5: sauced broccoli - internet picture
Pic6: broccoli casserole - internet picture

frozen broccoli mixes

These are 3 frozen vegetable mixes that I use regularly in my kitcheneering ventures. I find these mixes a lot more convenient than having to buy, clean and chop everything separately. 

 

Pic2: California blend = broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
Pic3: Normandy blend = zucchinis, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
Pic4: broccoli stir-fry blend = broccoli, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, water chestnut