Broccoli rabe / Cima di rapa

Brassica rapa, B. ruvo

vegetable · leaf

Young stems, leaves and small flower buds of a southern Italian turnip green, bitter and pungent; sautéed with garlic, with pasta. They provide glucosinolates, lutein and vitamin K1.

Origin

Southern Italy

Season (United States)

all year round · grows in your region

Preparation

The buds, tender leaves and thin stems are kept, peeling or discarding the tough stems; blanched for two minutes, then sautéed with garlic and chilli, with orecchiette. Short steaming keeps its glucosinolates; long boiling carries them off. Most of its goitrogens go with cooking, even a short one.

Molecules

Lutein and zeaxanthin · Glucoraphanin → sulforaphane · Vitamin K1 · ChlorophyllWhat slows things down Goitrogens

Did you know?

Despite its name, it is the same species as the turnip, bok choy and napa cabbage, not broccoli.