Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli Rabe (pronounced Broccoli Rob) is also referred to as
rabe or rapini.
Photograph by
gourmetsleuth.com
About Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli Rabe (pronounced Broccoli Rob) is also referred to as
rabe or rapini. This is another leafy green
vegetable that is frequently eaten in Southern Italy and has become popular in the United
States. The vegetable has a slightly bitter taste and is frequently steamed or lightly
sauteed in olive oil.
The Broccoli Rabe flower looks similar to the broccoli florets. Despite the name this
plant is not a type of broccoli but it is in the same brassica family.
One of the many health benefits of this vegetable is that it is rich in certain
phytochemicals, including sulforaphane
and indoles.
These are chemicals which are proving to protect us against cancer.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided by WholeHealthMD.com
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Grow
Broccoli Rabe At Home
Seed Sources
Recipes (on this page)
More Recipes that use broccoli rabe from our
GourmetSleuth database
Brassica rapa
This is a nice, fast growing, cool weather plant. It matures in about 40 to 60 days.
The best time to grow it is in early spring and also in fall. Plants
grow to 12 inches tall. If grown in too much heat the plants will bolt (go to seed) too
quickly.
Harvest
Pick the greens after the florets form but before the florets begin to open. Cut the
plants at the ground level, or where the stem begins to get thick and toughen. If
you harvest correctly, and the weather remains cool, you can expect a second and
possibly third cutting from each plant.
How to Store
If you are growing your own plants, then it is best to harvest right before your meal. If
you need to store it, seal it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it in your vegetable
crisper for up to 5 days.
Cooking Tip
The bitter flavor of this
healthy green may not be to your liking. A good tip from Author, Julia Della
Croce is to boil the rapini first, then drain and sauté it. Also, make
sure to peel the tough lower stalks so the cooked vegetable is tender.
More Information
NC State University
University of Florida
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Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms
by LaBelleCuisine.com
Ingredients
1 ounce sliced pancetta or
bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium shallot, minced
1 recipe Golden Mushroom Caps (see below) with stems reserved, cleaned and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed to leaves and florets only, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the upper position. Heat a medium
skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until beginning to crisp, 4 to 6
minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook until softened and
translucent. Add the mushroom stems and the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the
wine and the broccoli rabe, cover, and let steam for 4 minutes, until the broccoli rabe is
bright green. Remove the cover and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
2. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with the filling. Place the caps on a
baking sheet. Bake until the mushrooms are hot throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Garnish with
the thyme and serve hot.
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