Head Of Broccoli

Broccoli is a type of vegetable that is under the cabbage family. Head of broccoli is pretty edible. So, its flowering head, stalk, and up to the leaves make up for that edible vegetable.

Under the cabbage family, there are others like cabbage, kale, bok choy, Romanesco, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, arugula, and kohlrabi. The big flower portion which is at the extreme of a broccoli stalk is called the head of broccoli.

Cutting the head into smaller bits and removing the thick stock gives you what is called broccoli florets. The broccoli floret most times is used as part of mouth-watering recipes.

In an actual sense, the part of the broccoli with the best taste is the stalk. It is the best part of broccoli because it is rich in vitamins than the flower itself.

That is why you shouldn’t throw away the stalks. But the stalk has tough skin and gets tougher after cooking it. To know how to get the best of the head and stalk of broccoli, keep reading.

Broccoli Vegetable – Head Of Broccoli

Like it’s been said earlier on, broccoli is a vegetable under the cabbage family. Broccoli and the rest of the members of the cabbage family are all vegetables that have their origins traced down to a wild mustard plant.

This particular plant has been bred for the sole aim of producing different traits. They all are from Brassica oleracea species. The reason for breeding the plant called broccoli is to bring about a plant with bigger stems flowers.

While the reason for breeding other cultivars is for more and bigger leaf buds, this is in the case of cabbage and Brussels sprouts, then for more leaves in the case of kale.

The flowering part of a plant that must be harvested before the flower buds begin to bloom is known as broccoli. When the head of the plant turns yellow and begins to produce seed, then it can be planted instead to grow more seeds.

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The Number Of Cups Of Broccoli Florets In A Head

3 ½ cups of broccoli floret can be gotten from an average size of a broccoli stem. You can also get up to 2 cups of stalks that have been cut into pieces and still cook everything together with your broccoli floret to get more quantity.

Knowing What Broccoli Look And Taste Like

Broccoli takes the form of a small tree which is green and has a thick stem. Looking at typical broccoli closely, you will notice the head of broccoli has lots of flower buds that are tightly clustered together but have not started to bloom.

Fresh broccoli should be dark green, especially the flower potion. It must be heavy and the buds must be tightly held together. If the broccoli is older, the color will be pale green or sometimes yellow. The body mass will be light too. Don’t eat it if it has turned slimy which means it’s old.

365 by Whole Foods Market, Broccoli Florets, 32 Ounce

As for the taste of broccoli, it should be earthy and even a bit bitter too. This is because the vegetable contains glucosinolate compounds. For some people, it’s really bitter, while some others can’t taste it at all due to the type of gene that they have.

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Knowing Broccoli Cuts From Florets

It is possible to mistake broccoli cuts as broccoli florets if you’re not so familiar with how they come when they’ve been packaged to be sold.

You see, broccoli cuts comprise broccoli florets and as well as broccoli stalks that have been cut into pieces. Hence, you might not even know you’re buying broccoli cuts at the supermarket because the package comes as a lot of cut-up stalks but few florets.

Endeavor to use only broccoli florets, instead of cut broccoli, as a side dish. But you can use the cut if you will take your time to prepare it correctly. You can as well purée the broccoli cuts as a soup instead or you can as well prepare them in a casserole, they will turn out good and taste great.

This is because eating the cuts without being prepared can turn out bad. They are usually very tough and chewy if they are not been peeled and prepared.

How To Cut Broccoli

Cutting all the parts of broccoli, especially the stalks, doesn’t take much time. It is also worth it because you get to use up all the broccoli stalk parts which is very economical.

• Cut Off The Floret Stems

A great idea of getting lovely florets is to leave the stems long. With the help of a chef’s knife, slice off the floret of the broccoli at the point where both its stem and the main stalk meets. Don’t cut the florets to the point where they are attached to each other.

This is because the broccoli loses its lovely shape that way, making the floret look stubby. But there can always be an exception in a situation whereby you want to make a broccoli soup or you don’t need much stem in a veggie tray. Then the stem can be cut shorter.

• For Large Broccoli Florets, Cut Them In Half

For florets that are large in size, cut them into two at the bottom of the stem and then separate the florets. The florets should be equal in size if possible but not necessarily perfect.

• You Can Cut The Stalk Too But It’s Optional

The stalk is rich tastier and rich in vitamins than the flowers, you just have to know the right way to bring out its flavor.

The irregular outer skin that is on the stalk should be sliced off, thereby making them into four sided rectangular sticks. The stalls can be used in stir-fries just like the florets.

Head Of Broccoli: Conclusion

So that’s it. The broccoli peelings can also be used for making vegetable broth. After all, the whole part of the broccoli can be very useful and not just the head of broccoli.

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