Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Juicy, tender organic broccoli (calabrese is its traditional Italian name). We grow this veg which is well adapted for our climate from August to November. Before our season begins, it comes from growers we know in Italy and Spain.
In the kitchen
How to store Broccoli
Store in the fridge and it will be good for about a week. It should still taste good if it’s a little floppy.
Prep & Cooking tips
Wash then slice into equal-sized florets. Don’t waste the stalk - it’s super sweet and full of goodness.
Boil, steam, or roast. Toss through pasta, add to curries and stir-fries. Grate and add raw broccoli to salads.
Easy ideas
1. Use the stalks
Too often overlooked and discarded and just as tasty as the florets. The stalk can be cut into matchsticks and added to stir-fries or makes a great base for a quick broccoli and stilton soup, leaving the florets free for another dish. It is good practise to cut the florets with a generous tail of stalk attached, trim it pencil-thick and it should cook at the same speed as the floret.
2. Roast
You needn’t always boil and steam. Cut into bite sized florets, with a generous length of stalk attached. Throw together with oil, salt and pepper on a roasting tray. Slide into a hot oven and roast for 8-10 mins until the florets are just starting to colour. Try finishing with some dried chilli flakes and shaved parmesan.
3. Cheesy calabrese
Substitute broccoli for cauliflower in a classic cauliflower cheese, or have the best of both worlds and use half-half. Lace with a nose-tickling dab of mustard, top with breadcrumbs for a crispy gilding or consider adding some blue cheese for a more potent repast.
Goes well with
Asian flavours (Sesame, Soy sauce, Ginger)
Mediterranean flavours (Garlic, Olives, Lemon, Orange, Chilli)
Nuts (Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pine nuts, Parmesan)
Pork (Bacon, Pancetta, Lardons, Dried or cured ham)
Anchovies
Blue cheese
Eggs
Mustard
Broccoli recipes
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Roasted broccoli with lemon, chilli and garlic
Serves: 4 Total time: 23 min
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Broccoli, blood orange & blue cheese salad
Serves: 2 Total time: 20 min
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Gnocchi and seasonal greens with brown butter
Serves: 2 Total time: 30 min
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Purple sprouting broccoli with roast tomato and anchovy sauce
Serves: 4 Total time: 3h 10 min
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Broccoli salad with anchovy dressing
Serves: 4 Total time: 25 min
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Purple sprouting broccoli, mozzarella and tomato bake
Serves: 2 Total time: 50 min
UK seasonality
Broccoli varieties
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Romanesco
A hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli, romanesco has a nutty flavour and a distinctively crunchy texture; it's one of the few ‘novelty’ veg that tastes better than its more common relatives.
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Purple sprouting broccoli
This is one of our abiding favourites at Riverford - its vigorous, wild and woolly-looking, but is a delicacy to rival asparagus.
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Calabrese broccoli
The most common variety of broccoli in the UK, the classic calabrese broccoli is named after the Calabria region in the south-west of Italy. Its an extremely versatile variety which is sweet and mild, perfect for eating raw, steaming, boiling, roasting and more!
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Tenderstem broccoli
Tenderstem broccoli has a more delicate taste than ordinary broccoli – it is more like asparagus in flavour, and quick to prepare and cook.
