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Food in focus |  |
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Broccoli
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Broccoli was a staple in Asia Minor and the Mediterranean countries for centuries before the innovator Catherine de Medici appreciated this new vegetable so much (as she did the artichoke) that she introduced it into France under the name "Italian asparagus" in the early 16th century. Its Latin root means "branch". The Italian brocco, meaning "shoot," eventually became broccolo, or broccoli in the plural.
As you probably know, broccoli is of the cabbage family brassica along with cauliflower and brussels sprouts. With vitamins A, B6 and C, betacarotene and phytonutrients, it's a top cancer fighter. It has high levels of vitamin K to strengthen blood-vessel walls (no telltale broken veins and bruises for you), Vitamin A to keep skin elastic and fight acne from the inside out; folic acid, with which your body builds healthy new cells, and a good dose of fibre. Broccoli boosts the body's detoxifying enzyme system, can't beat that for nudging you in the direction of a cleaner, younger body.
Broccoli helps fight heart disease, promotes good eyesight by combating presbyopia, cataracts and conjunctivitis and defends against flu and bronchitis, Parkinson's disease and as its rich in vitamin B9 and iron, broccoli is advised in cases of anemia. Broccoli is the only food to contain almost all the major antioxidant agents to be found in food, sulforaphane, indoles, glutathione, quercetin and B-carotene.
The latest health research at the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois in the States has shown that, separately, both tomatoes and broccoli appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential. Together, they bring out the best in each other and maximise the cancer-fighting effect. Preliminary results have even shown that they can block the growth of late-stage breast cancer cells.
Broccoli sprouts are becoming big news in America as Broccoli sprouts can contain something like 50 times the sulfurophane, one of the most powerful anticarcinogens found in food, found in mature broccoli. They're sprouted from seeds, so look out for them at health shops or nurseries
Not only low-calorie (1 cup = 42 calories) and inexpensive, broccoli is also one of the tastiest and healthiest vegetables, it's readily available year-round and easy to prepare. Florets that are dark green, purplish or bluish-green contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C than paler or yellowing ones.
Good broccoli should have a fine grain and firm, tight bright green heads that may tend a bit towards blue or violet. Broccoli should be bought when it is bright green with compact florets, indicating that it is not about to flower. When the vegetable is left for a few days at room temperature, the broccoli buds will flower, unlike cauliflower which never flowers. When they begin to open up, the florets become tougher and less tasty and nutritious and will quickly turn yellow.
Before using, wash by rinsing (not soaking) the broccoli and trim the main stem slightly. (If fresh broccoli is soaked, it may lose the benefits of Vitamins B & C.)
Broccoli is the most digestible vegetable in the cabbage family. It is easy to prepare and nothing need go to waste. When fresh, broccoli is sweet and tender and can be used in salads or eaten raw. The florets without the stems can be served raw as crudités, accompanied by a flavourful sauce. They are also wonderful just drizzled with some good olive oil. Once cooked, they become crisp and their green colour intensifies, making them an attractive addition to cream soups, risottos, in clear soups and with cheese fondues.
Because broccoli is actually an immature flower, it is tender and cooks quickly. When it comes to cooking, you'll be faced with the stem problem. Stems take longer to cook, and if you cook the florets for too long, you destroy their nutrients. If you want to keep them on, pull off the tough outer skin, and make incisions at the bottom. Or cut them off, peel them and cut into 2,5cm lengths before cooking. The broccoli stems have a flavour a bit like asparagus when very fresh.
Even the leaves need not go to waste, sprinkle with salt and deep-fry for a couple of seconds for a crispy treat.
Generally speaking, cook broccoli as briefly as possible in a small amount of water, both to preserve the crisp texture and to conserve nutrients. Broccoli loses more than 60 percent of its vitamin C when boiled and only 20 percent when steamed. Place fresh broccoli florets in boiling water for approximately 6-8 minutes. For tender crisp vegetables steam for 4-6 minutes. Frozen broccoli cooks in 8 to 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of sugar to the cooking water to keep the broccoli green. When using broccoli in a quiche, flan, pizza, lasagne, vegetable or fish bake, etc, steam them first until almost done or they'll release too much water make the baked dish runny.
Store your broccoli in a cool, dark place and use as soon as possible. Kept whole and wrapped in a perforated plastic bag, broccoli will keep four to five days in the crisper of the refrigerator. It freezes well, blanch for three minutes before popping in a freezer bag, expelling as much air as possible and freezing.
Types of broccoli
Chinese Broccoli is closely related to the European cabbage yet is regarded as an Asian vegetable. Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea cv. group Chinese Kale) is also referred to as gai lum, kailaan, white-flowering broccoli, Chinese kale or gai lan. Although it is not widely available in the rest of the world, Chinese broccoli is quite versatile and is very common in Asia. A member of the mustard family, this handsome vegetable can be prepared much as you might prepare broccoli, although it looks more like kale. The flavour is a bit stronger than Western broccoli, peppery and pungent in the aftertaste. It's delicious and most typical in a stir-fry, but also makes a tasty addition to a fresh salad.
Purple sprouting broccoli, originally a British variety, is now grown in South Africa. Rather than producing one main head, sprouting broccoli develops a number of smaller sprouts and stems. It is traditionally served with a rich hollandaise sauce, but these days cooks tend to stir-fry it with just a light seasoning of chilli, ginger and soy sauce. It also makes a good salad when blanched and, once tepid, dressed in a mustard-garlic vinaigrette. Purple broccoli also exists, though it's more like cauliflower than broccoli. It is certainly more attractive.
Broccoli-raab (also known as rapa, rapine, rappone, fall and spring raab or Italian turnip) is not broccoli at all, but of the turnip family. But it is often used as one would regular broccoli; it has leaves with the seed-stalks which, before blooming, are cut for greens. It's widely popular in Mediterranean and Asian cooking, where it has been used for centuries.
A strange new vegetable is invading produce departments throughout the United States is called broccoflower, the result of a genetic cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Although its physical attributes resemble cauliflower, it has the colour and flavour of broccoli.
Tender Stem broccoli
10 things to do with broccoli
Tip of the day
Try tender stem broccoli, also known as broccolini. It's a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale and is extremely tender with a sweet, slightly peppery flavour. It is packed with nutrients, containing as much vitamin C as orange juice, and substantial quantities of folate, vitamin A and potassium, as well as iron, calcium, vitamin B and fibre.
