My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so bitter
that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
stuff is supposed to taste?

It was quite expensive in the gourmet-vegetable department of our
supermarket.

http://gourmetsleuth.com/broccolirabe.htm

Ray wrote:
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe...

It is the flowering tops from turnip or rape plants.

> ...and it was so bitter that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something
> wrong, is that the way the stuff is supposed to taste?

It is supposed to taste like that. :-P

Best regards,
Bob

On 2005-01-28, Ray > wrote:
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so bitter

> stuff is supposed to taste?

More or less. Supposed to saute in garlic and olive oil.

http://www.wholefoods.com/recipes/broccolirabe.html

nb

"Ray" > wrote in message
news:2vzKd.529$qP.302@trnddc04...
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so
> bitter that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something wrong, is that the
> way the stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> It was quite expensive in the gourmet-vegetable department of our
> supermarket.
>

Don't give up on that vegetable. It's best grown in early spring or fall,
and becomes bitter otherwise. Most of what's sold here (NY) comes from
California, and I don't know what the weather's like in the specific areas
in which it's grown. Apparently, it's not ideal, but sometimes, what I buy
is really good.

Ways around the bitterness:

-Most recipes suggest sauteeing with garlic & olive oil. This works for the
vegetable when it's at its best, meaning locally grown, or right from your
own garden. When it's less than perfect, try blanching it first - plunging
it into boiling water, counting to 10, and then draining it quickly. Spread
it out in the strainer to release steam, preventing further cooking. With
your other 2 hands, sautee garlic and a small onion VERY SLOWLY in olive
oil - you should barely hear it sizzling, and it should take maybe a half
hour. This will bring out lots of natural sweetness that balances the
bitterness of the vegetable. When the onions & garlic smell & taste about
right, toss in the broccoli rabe and move it around just enough to reheat.

A local Italian place here also mixes in some bread crumbs and grated
fontana cheese.

Ray wrote:
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so bitter
> that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
> stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> It was quite expensive in the gourmet-vegetable department of our
> supermarket.
>
>


Yes, it's bitter. I saute in olive oil and serve sprinkled with
vinegar. Goes well with fish.

gloria p

"Ray" > wrote in message
news:2vzKd.529$qP.302@trnddc04...
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so
> bitter that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something wrong, is that the
> way the stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> It was quite expensive in the gourmet-vegetable department of our
> supermarket.

I like broccoli rabe with sausages, where the strong flavor of the meat
offsets the bitterness of the greens.

-T

Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
>stuff is supposed to taste?

No one likes broccoli rabe. It tastes like lawn clippings.
It can't be improved, only masked.

A few years ago it was "in" so people ate it, or at least ordered it in
restaurants, then hid it under a napkin.

Anyone who says they like it is lying.

In article >, baldycotton2
@mchsi.comedy says...
> Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
> >Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
> >stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> No one likes broccoli rabe. It tastes like lawn clippings.
> It can't be improved, only masked.
>
> A few years ago it was "in" so people ate it, or at least ordered it in
> restaurants, then hid it under a napkin.
>
> Anyone who says they like it is lying.
>

Some of us like the bitterness, particularly when the rabe is cooked
with garlic. Yum!

"Petey the Wonder Dog" > wrote in message
news
> Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>>Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
>>stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> No one likes broccoli rabe. It tastes like lawn clippings.
> It can't be improved, only masked.
>
> A few years ago it was "in" so people ate it, or at least ordered it in
> restaurants, then hid it under a napkin.
>
> Anyone who says they like it is lying.

Well....not really. Like arugula, broccoli rabe is a LOT better when grown
in cool conditions. Since that's a vague term, I'll offer specifics based on
the only garden environment I know - my own, in Rochester NY. You plant the
stuff outdoors at the same time as peas, maybe late March, early April. You
plant more every week because garden horrors will kill some of the plants.
By mid-May, the stuff's ready, delicious, and about 1/10th as bitter as what
you buy in the store.

If it gets unusually warm in late May, the rest of the crop will be more
bitter than your earlier plants, but still better than store-bought. By
June, the stuff will be useless.

In mid-August, you plant some more, knowing that it will mature over a
period of 4 weeks in the fall. The chilly weather does amazing things for
it, so it's better than the spring crop. Not only is it better than what's
in the store, it seems like a whole different vegetable.

If you ever have a chance to grow it, you might like it. If not, the
experiment won't take up much space in the garden.

Petey the Wonder Dog wrote:
> Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>
>>Did she do something wrong, is that the way the
>>stuff is supposed to taste?
>
>
> No one likes broccoli rabe. It tastes like lawn clippings.
> It can't be improved, only masked.
>
> A few years ago it was "in" so people ate it, or at least ordered it in
> restaurants, then hid it under a napkin.
>
> Anyone who says they like it is lying.


Lying??? You're projecting, Petey.
Many of us who grew up in immigrant households were
exposed early on to bitter greens, and rabe is no
shock to our tastebuds.

FWIW, a century ago regular broccoli was considered
exotic and foreign. You won't find it in many general
cookbooks as late as the 1950's.

gloria p

"maxine in ri" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 23:32:05 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> > connected the dots and wrote:
>
> ~
> ~"Ray" > wrote in message
> ~news:2vzKd.529$qP.302@trnddc04...
> ~> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was
>
> When it's less than perfect, try blanching it first - plunging
> ~it into boiling water, counting to 10, and then draining it quickly.
> Spread
> ~it out in the strainer to release steam, preventing further cooking.
> With
> ~your other 2 hands, sautee garlic and a small onion VERY SLOWLY in
> olive
> ~oil - you should barely hear it sizzling, and it should take maybe a
> half
> ~hour. This will bring out lots of natural sweetness that balances the
> ~bitterness of the vegetable. When the onions & garlic smell & taste
> about
> ~right, toss in the broccoli rabe and move it around just enough to
> reheat.
>
> Ah, thanks Doug. The stuff at our local grocer (Andy Boy brand) says
> to blanch, then saute with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
> THis is what my Italian co-worker said also. I thought the blanching
> was a bit too much fuss, but now it makes sense.
>
> maxine in ri

It's one more step, but at least it just makes the second pot wet, and a
little green. :-) Not so hard to clean.

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
...
>
> "maxine in ri" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 23:32:05 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
>> > connected the dots and wrote:
>>
>> ~
>> ~"Ray" > wrote in message
>> ~news:2vzKd.529$qP.302@trnddc04...
>> ~> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was
>>
>> When it's less than perfect, try blanching it first - plunging
>> ~it into boiling water, counting to 10, and then draining it quickly.
>> Spread
>> ~it out in the strainer to release steam, preventing further cooking.
>> With
>> ~your other 2 hands, sautee garlic and a small onion VERY SLOWLY in
>> olive
>> ~oil - you should barely hear it sizzling, and it should take maybe a
>> half
>> ~hour. This will bring out lots of natural sweetness that balances the
>> ~bitterness of the vegetable. When the onions & garlic smell & taste
>> about
>> ~right, toss in the broccoli rabe and move it around just enough to
>> reheat.
>>
>> Ah, thanks Doug. The stuff at our local grocer (Andy Boy brand) says
>> to blanch, then saute with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
>> THis is what my Italian co-worker said also. I thought the blanching
>> was a bit too much fuss, but now it makes sense.
>>
>> maxine in ri
>
> It's one more step, but at least it just makes the second pot wet, and a
> little green. :-) Not so hard to clean.
When you make broccoli rabe with penne, you will not have an extra pot to
clean, because you use the pot that you blanched the rabe in to cook your
penne in.
I was very skeptical about these instructions, so my husband made it. We
have used this recipe numerable times and have not had bitterness with the
rabe.

"In a large pot, heat salted water to boiling. Meanwhile, rinse Broccoli
Rabe and drain. Trim bottoms of stems. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch
pieces. Drop Broccoli Rabe into boiling salted water and blanch for 1-2
minutes. Lift Broccoli Rabe out with slotted spoon and place in colander or
strainer. Reserve water to cook the pasta."

Dee

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 20:06:08 -0500, "Dee Randall"
<deedoveyatshenteldotnet> wrote:

> When you make broccoli rabe with penne, you will not have an extra pot to
> clean, because you use the pot that you blanched the rabe in to cook your
> penne in.
> I was very skeptical about these instructions, so my husband made it. We
> have used this recipe numerable times and have not had bitterness with the
> rabe.
>
> "In a large pot, heat salted water to boiling. Meanwhile, rinse Broccoli
> Rabe and drain. Trim bottoms of stems. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch
> pieces. Drop Broccoli Rabe into boiling salted water and blanch for 1-2
> minutes. Lift Broccoli Rabe out with slotted spoon and place in colander or
> strainer. Reserve water to cook the pasta."

How do you finish it off?

sf

"sf" > wrote in message
news
> On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 20:06:08 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> <deedoveyatshenteldotnet> wrote:
>
>> When you make broccoli rabe with penne, you will not have an extra pot
>> to
>> clean, because you use the pot that you blanched the rabe in to cook
>> your
>> penne in.
>> I was very skeptical about these instructions, so my husband made it. We
>> have used this recipe numerable times and have not had bitterness with
>> the
>> rabe.
>>
>> "In a large pot, heat salted water to boiling. Meanwhile, rinse Broccoli
>> Rabe and drain. Trim bottoms of stems. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch
>> pieces. Drop Broccoli Rabe into boiling salted water and blanch for 1-2
>> minutes. Lift Broccoli Rabe out with slotted spoon and place in colander
>> or
>> strainer. Reserve water to cook the pasta."
>
> How do you finish it off?
>
> sf

If served as a side dish, sautee with olive oil & garlic, sometimes a little
grated Romano cheese moments before serving. Or, if it's going to be tossed
into the pasta, match it up with a tomato sauce that's a little on the sweet
side. You really have to experiment with this vegetable until you find out
how much you want to fiddle with its taste. As you see from this thread,
some people find the bitterness unattractive, and others don't.

You also need to be flexible and think like a gardener. This vegetable's
bitterness will vary with the seasons, length of storage, etc. No different
than other temperature-sensitive stuff like swiss chard & arugula. Rinse off
a piece & taste it before cooking. After a few times doing this, you'll
probably get good at noticing the variation in bitterness. It's worth the
effort, usually, unless you just hate it no matter what. :-)

"zxcvbob" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> Ray wrote:
> > My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe...
>
> It is the flowering tops from turnip or rape plants.
>
> > ...and it was so bitter that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something
> > wrong, is that the way the stuff is supposed to taste?
>
> It is supposed to taste like that. :-P
>

Well, yes and no. It is bitter to very bitter, and if it falls into that
very bitter spectrum I blanch it and squeeze out some of the moisture, which
takes with it quite a bit of the bitterness, bringing what remains down to
manageable levels. In Italy it's a winter vegetable, and I've heard say that
as the season progresses it gets even bitterer.

Kyle
http://italianfood.about.com

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 15:13:28 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> wrote:

> If served as a side dish, sautee with olive oil & garlic, sometimes a little
> grated Romano cheese moments before serving. Or, if it's going to be tossed
> into the pasta, match it up with a tomato sauce that's a little on the sweet
> side.

I think I like the garlic/olive oil combo best and would use
it with pasta too.

> You really have to experiment with this vegetable until you find out
> how much you want to fiddle with its taste. As you see from this thread,
> some people find the bitterness unattractive, and others don't.

??? I've never considered it bitter!

sf

"Kyle Phillips" > wrote in message
...
>
> "zxcvbob" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
>> Ray wrote:
>> > My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe...
>>
>> It is the flowering tops from turnip or rape plants.
>>
>> > ...and it was so bitter that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something
>> > wrong, is that the way the stuff is supposed to taste?
>>
>> It is supposed to taste like that. :-P
>>
>
> Well, yes and no. It is bitter to very bitter, and if it falls into that
> very bitter spectrum I blanch it and squeeze out some of the moisture,
> which
> takes with it quite a bit of the bitterness, bringing what remains down to
> manageable levels. In Italy it's a winter vegetable, and I've heard say
> that
> as the season progresses it gets even bitterer.
>
> Kyle
> http://italianfood.about.com
>
>

You heard it said right. Cool weather is when it's at its best. From the
Burpee catalog:


Broccoli Raab (Heirloom) Spring
HEIRLOOM. This gourmet treat is also one of the quickest maturing leafy
vegetables.
50-60 days. One of the quickest maturing leafy vegetables, this ancient,
"non-bulbing" turnip is flavorful and nutritious. It grows quickly into bud
in early spring or in fall. The single 6" long shoots, no larger than a
quarter, are like small, lanky broccoli heads. Shoots have a more tangy
taste, that makes it excellent raw in salads or lightly cooked with garlic
and olive oil.
GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather and full sun.

Ray wrote:
>
> My wife recently bought something called broccoli rabe, and it was so
bitter
> that we couldn't eat it. Did she do something wrong, is that the way
the
> stuff is supposed to taste?

As you might guess from its appearance, rabe is closely related
to broccoli. Broccoli has seen generation after generation of
selective breeding for milder flavor, larger and higher
productivity.

Rabe has not seen the same degree of slective breeding. I don't
know for sure that it still resembles the original wild version
much, but it's bitterness does make it seem more like it's wild.

The bitterness is something some people like and others don't.
I prefer rabe over broccoli specifically for its bitterness.
That puts me in a minority, shrug.

> It was quite expensive in the gourmet-vegetable department of our
> supermarket.
Less rabe is grown. It probably also has a lower yield per acre.

"sf" > wrote in message
news
> On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 20:06:08 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> <deedoveyatshenteldotnet> wrote:
>
>> When you make broccoli rabe with penne, you will not have an extra pot
>> to
>> clean, because you use the pot that you blanched the rabe in to cook
>> your
>> penne in.
>> I was very skeptical about these instructions, so my husband made it. We
>> have used this recipe numerable times and have not had bitterness with
>> the
>> rabe.
>>
>> "In a large pot, heat salted water to boiling. Meanwhile, rinse Broccoli
>> Rabe and drain. Trim bottoms of stems. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch
>> pieces. Drop Broccoli Rabe into boiling salted water and blanch for 1-2
>> minutes. Lift Broccoli Rabe out with slotted spoon and place in colander
>> or
>> strainer. Reserve water to cook the pasta."
>
> How do you finish it off?
>
> sf

From the recipe on "Andy Boy" produce
Heat a large skillet over medium-heat. When hot, add olive oil, then olives,
garlic and pepper flakes. Cook and stir until garlic is transparent but not
brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add Broccoli Rabe and 1/4 cup of the reserved
water and continue to cook and stir until Broccoli Rabe is just tender,
another 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add pasta to reserved boiling water and
cook just until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain. Add drained pasta to
Broccoli Rabe mixture and toss to mix well. Serve hot.

Dee

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 12:33:38 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> wrote:

> GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather and full sun.

As does all boccoli

From Burpee -
GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather and full sun.

Cauliflower -
GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather.

other cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, turnip, and mustard)
are probably the same.



sf

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 12:33:38 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> > wrote:
>
>> GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather and full sun.
>
> As does all boccoli
>
> From Burpee -
> GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather and full sun.
>
> Cauliflower -
> GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather.
>
> other cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, turnip, and mustard)
> are probably the same.
>
>
>
> sf

Academic, I suppose. Unless your grocer buys local crops, and you are able
to tell what "cool weather" means locally, your only other option is to grow
it yourself.

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 04:43:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> wrote:

>
> Academic, I suppose. Unless your grocer buys local crops, and you are able
> to tell what "cool weather" means locally, your only other option is to grow
> it yourself.


My area is always cool.

sf