Quick Ideas for Cooking Broccoli Stalks
One of the most used vegetables in the kitchen for first courses and delicious side dishes is broccoli. But we usually tend to throw away broccoli stalks. Today we’ll see how to cook them with imagination.
Delicious recipes with broccoli stems
Broccoli, the edible flowers of the Brassica oleracea plant, originated in Asia Minor. They are an excellent source of antioxidants, fight free radicals, and help prevent inflammation.
We usually eat broccoli and discard the stem. But the stem is not only edible but also offers a pleasant flavor and texture. Let’s explore ways to make the most of these qualities.
For example, let’s prepare some tasty chips. After washing the stems and removing the hard, fibrous outer part, thinly slice them and dry them carefully. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, arrange the slices without overlapping, and brush them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake them in the oven at 200 degrees for approximately 10 minutes. For a tastier recipe, you can bread the stems by dipping them in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs.
We can use them in our salad. After washing, cleaning, and drying the stems, cut them into cubes and add them to a mix of lettuce, valerian, radicchio, or your preferred greens. Season the salad with oil and lemon or vinegar of your choice. The addition of broccoli stems not only enhances the texture but also brings a delightful crunch to our dish.
Another dish that the whole family will enjoy is meatballs with broccoli stems. Clean, wash, and dry the stems, including the leaves. In a pan, cook the stems and leaves with water, oil, and a clove of garlic, covered, for approximately 20 minutes.
Now boil a potato, mash it, and add it to the previously prepared mixture. Blend everything until you achieve a creamy consistency. Add 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Shape the mixture into meatballs and bake them in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
We can also add broccoli stems to pasta dishes with anchovies, prepare tasty soups, or enhance minestrone.
