It is a bit like the Calabrese type of broccoli, but the heads are smaller and looser. This is because you are intended to eat the stalk as well as the flower. The stalk is thick but really tender and succulent. And the best bit about broccoli is that when you cut the main flower, lots more side-shoots develop.
This one is "Kaibroc". Its head is even looser. More like an ornamental flower than a vegetable. Apparently it is a cross between the oriental-style Kailaan, and the european-style broccoli.
This is what I cut today: three heads of Kaibroc and one of Tenderstem, (and there are several other heads nearly ready as well....)
The 'spears' of this type of broccoli have thick but tender stems, and relatively small flowers:
Two of these spears make a decent serving for one person...
In the kitchen, awaiting prep, the broccoli spears look as handsome as a bunch of flowers.
We ate these dead-plain, steamed like you would do Asparagus. Jane said that the stems tasted "buttery". I think they would also be good stir-fried in oriental style, with garlic, soy sauce, chillis, ginger, etc. Must try that soon...
Maybe some of my readers in the Far East would care to recommend some oriental ways of cooking this vegetable?
Broccoli is one of our failures this year I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI always thought broccoli was broccoli, it never occurred to me that there might be different types, I mean I have seen different types at the nursery, but not that they would be so different. Very interesting. I think my husband would like that type that you cooked, he loves chinese broccoli.
ReplyDeleteLucky you, I love broccoli but mine are not going well with all the caterpillars.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Pristine ingredients simply prepared. Perfect!
ReplyDeleteThey are so green and so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty broccoli! The "handsome bunch of flowers" picture is a nice shot. Didn't know there were so many types of Broccoli. Here in India, Broccoli is found only in select grocery stores and involves high food miles.
ReplyDeleteI am always getting educated about vegetables when I visit your blog Mark! Such fun! My husband cannot eat veggies from the broccoli family, so I do not grow them, but I am greatly admiring yours.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics :) Broccoli spears dipped in soft boiled eggs are yummy.
ReplyDeleteYour broccoli looks a success, looks delicious. I'm trying to grow it for the first time this year, mine are quite small still. Your Philadelphus tree looks fab (previous post). The prize looks fab too - choc chili good for cooking.
ReplyDeleteMark just look at those beauties - you really are the King of Broccoli. You have broccolini in too, don't you? I can't wait to see how that turns out, I LOVE broccolini.
ReplyDeleteI thought that you were going to harvest the whole kaibroc. A bit confius kaibroc are treated like sprouting broccoli you get many shoots from it? Mark don't forget the salted dried mackeral, I think it goes really well fried with kaibroc.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark me again. I was just reading your comments about these 10days stats are unusally much much much higher then usual. I had the same thing happening on my stats, can it be some blogger problem?
ReplyDeleteDiana; re the Kaibroc: I have never grown it before, but the instructions on the seed packet say to treat it just like Calabrese etc - that's to say, cut the main head just before the flowers open, and then you will get lots more sideshoots. I suspect that with the true Kailaan you would normally harvest the whole plant in one go. Is that what you do?
ReplyDeleteRe Stats problem: it has to be a Blogger fault. My Google Analytics stats are much more credible, and haven't changed dramatically, whereas the Blogger figures more or less doubled overnight.
Ali: I don't have any Broccolini (as far as I know). Actually I don't know what it is. Are you perhaps confusing this with the "Brokali" that I wrote about some while back? [This is a hybrid of broccoli and kailaan, much like the Kaibroc.] Have you got any pictures of Broccolini?
Interesting, thanks for the info on broccoli's :) My hubby and I LOVE broccoli.
ReplyDeleteI really love broccoli - one of my favoirte veggies that we grow (and we grow a lot!). I really like the looks of the Tendergreen. I am going to watch for that seed and give that a try in the future. Steamed with just a little butter and a sprinkle of sea salt is the finest way to enjoy garden fresh broccoli. Yum!
ReplyDeletePlain is the way I usually eat broccoli. Some veggies I like mixed in with things, but broccoli has never been on that list.
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