Description
Broccoli is a winter vegetable from the cabbage family, and it was born in Italy: the name comes from "brocco", meaning shoot. In the Veneto we have a special variety, Fiolaro broccoli from Creazzo, near Vicenza.
You can eat every part of broccoli, and I try to waste nothing: the florets, the peeled stem cut into slices, and even the outer leaves, which thinly sliced and boiled make an excellent pasta sauce. Steamed, it stays bright green and crunchy; roasted with a little oil and spices, it becomes sweet and slightly toasty.
To keep the colour, plunge it briefly into iced water after cooking.
You can eat every part of broccoli, and I try to waste nothing: the florets, the peeled stem cut into slices, and even the outer leaves, which thinly sliced and boiled make an excellent pasta sauce. Steamed, it stays bright green and crunchy; roasted with a little oil and spices, it becomes sweet and slightly toasty.
To keep the colour, plunge it briefly into iced water after cooking.
