Hello everyone!

Where to begin?!

The weather's been up and down and backwards and around again... but things are growing moderately well. It's very heartening to see the little ones burgeoning into larger and larger versions of themselves. Cabbages, cauliflower, lots of kohlrabi, brussels sprouts!!! and more!

Closer and closer to pouncing on our new 8 acre field across the street... just waiting for the weather to permit the irrigation dudes to lay the piping. We can hardly wait!

New equipment to make Lydia and myself into six people instead of the amazing four people we are (speaking in terms of efficiency)!

And finally... Some of you may have noticed a strage be-flowered green entity in your bags recently. I won't assume ALL of you are as ignorant as this bewildered yankee... but some must be curious as to a. what this is and b. what in the world to do with it!

Broccoli Raab

A. WHAT IS THIS?!?!?

Rapini (also known as Broccoli Rabe (or Raap), Broccoli Rabe, Broccoletti, Broccoli di Rape, Cime di Rapa, Rappi, Friarielli (in Naples), and Grelos) is a common vegetable in the cuisines of Southern Italy (in particular Bari and Sicily), Galicia, China, and Portugal . The plant is a member of the Brassiceae tribe of the Brassicaceae, whose taxonomy is very difficult.^[1] Rapini is classified scientifically as Brassica rapa subspecies rapa,^[2] in the same subspecies as the turnip, but has had various other designations, including Brassica rapa ruvo, Brassica rapa rapifera, Brassica ruvo, Brassica campestris ruvo.

Rapini has many spiked leaves that surround a green bud which looks very similar to a small head of broccoli. There may be small yellow flowers blooming from the buds, which are edible.

The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, pungent, and "an acquired taste". The Italian cultivar is similar to, but much more bitter than the Chinese. The Chinese cultivar is of a lighter green color, not at all bitter or pungent, and more tender.

Rapini is a source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.^[3]

The vegetable probably descends from a wild herb, a relative of the turnip, that grew either in China or the Mediterranean region. It is similar in shape to the Chinese Brassica oleracea cultivar called kai-lan.

Rapini is now grown throughout the world. Rapini is available all year long, but its peak season is fall to spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

B. WHAT SHALL I DO WITH IT?!?

Here's some ideas!!

RAPINI (also known as Broccoli Raab)

Rapini & Garbanzo Pita Pizzas

2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
a 19-ounce can garbanzos, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
1 pound rapini tips, rinsed and roughly chopped, eat the leaves and tender stems!
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
three 6-inch whole wheat or other pita breads, halved horizontally to form 6 rounds
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large heavy skillet cook garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic and 1 tablespoon oil to a food processor. Add chick-peas, 1/4 cup water, and salt and pepper to taste and blend mixture until smooth.

Heat oil remaining in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook
rapini until wilted. Add remaining 1/4 cup water and pepper flakes and simmer, covered partially, until the greens are crisp-tender and almost all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Spread rough sides of pita with chick-pea purée and top with rapini and Parmesan.

Arrange pita pizzas on a large baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until edges are golden.

Serves 6 as an entrée or 10 to 12 as an hors d'oeuvre.

Broccoli Rabe with Orechetti Pasta and Sausage

1 bunch Broccoli Rabe
1 Lb or so of your favorite sausage (no casings, or remove from casings), I use hot Italian
4 cloves garlic, or more if you wish
Orechetti Pasta (Italian for little ears) Penne and Farfalle work well too if you can not find.
1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken stock

Brown sausage in large skillet (best in bite size crumbles). While sausage is browning, clean Broccoli Rabe and remove only the thick tougher ends of stalks. Chop rabe into bite sized pieces. Drain sausage and set aside. Start your water for the pasta and cook according to directions for aldente pasta. In same large skillet as sausage sauté chopped garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil for a couple of minutes (do not clean pan as remaining fat from sausage will add more flavor). Add Broccoli Rabe and some chicken broth to pan and cook until greens have wilted. Add sausage and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta and enjoy. Watch the salt on this as some sausages will have a lot of it and could potentially make this dish to salty if more salt is added. Keep the salt added to pasta water to a minimum.
This dish also works well with vegetarian substitutions for a yummy vegan alternative, make sure to increase the olive oil accordingly… Yummy!

I found a one-page article about it in Cook's Illustrated (Jan/Feb 1999) that told me more about rapini than a shelf of vegetable cookbooks. Here's some thoughts and recipes from Anne Yamanaka who wrote the article:

After trying several ways of blanching the greens, she decided the best was boiling 1 bunch of rapini in 3 quarts of salted water. Here's the official recipe:

Blanched Rapini (Broccoli Raab)

adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Using a salad spinner makes easy work of drying the cooled blanched rapini.

1 pound rapini (broccoli rabe), washed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt

Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in rapini greens and salt and cook until wilted and tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cool empty saucepan by rinsing under cold running water. Fill cooled saucepan with cold water and submerge greens to stop the cooking process. Drain again; squeeze well to dry and proceed with one of the following recipes.

Rapini with garlic and red pepper flakes

2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 recipe blanched rapini greens (above)

Heat oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in medium skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add blanched rapini greens, and cook, stirring to coat with oil, until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, serve immediately.

Rapini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Follow recipe for Rapini with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes, adding 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips, along with garlic and red pepper flakes. Add 3 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts to skillet along with rapini greens.

Rapini with Asian Flavors

Mix 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl; set aside. Follow recipe for Rapini with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes, substituting vegetable oil for the olive oil and adding 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger along with garlic and red pepper flakes. Add reserved soy sauce mixture to skillet along with rapini.