Everything I ever wanted to know about broccoli but couldn't be arsed to ask

[LindsayWagner]

1. Which is better value for the trunk refusing family - florets or whole?
2. Is there any way to cook frozen broc that doesn't result in slimeage?
3. is there any difference in nutritional value of trunk/florets?
4. How do you get them to eat it?
5. Does it matter if it's yeller?
6. Is there anything you can cook with it that you don't have to eat with a rictus grin?

1. whole every time for me, i chop the stalks and use them in soup and or stock

1. very quickly! steam in microwave without any additional water added?

1. maybe more fibre in 'trunk's (i love that description btw )

1. i've never had much trouble, tell them it's tiny trees?

1. it won't be very nutritious by the time it's gorn yeller, and will prob taste a bit shit too.

1. yes! break the florets into tiny 'trees' and stirfry with anchovies and some finely chopped chilli - serve with pasta drizzled with olive oil!

htht

Bloody hell, it does! In fact (6) sounds actively delicious which is something I had not anticipated.

I would still like a very committed, good-housekeeping type to come on and say 'i weighed a pack of florets and a similar weight of florets from a whole - um, plant? - and they worked out at 30p/100grams and 23p/100grams respectively.

I wonder if such a person exists? I would find them admirable.

no need to do that, if you check out the shelf labels in the supermarket, it should tell you how much per KG the different items are

if it says 'per each' then buy the one saying 'per KG'

We've just discovered butter and lemon sauce for broccoli. Even easier than anchovies & chilli, tho not quite the same heights of yumminess.

1. microwave or steam or boil brocolli
2. microwave dab of butter and squizz of lemon juice, then add pepper or tabasco or whatever takes your fancy
3. pour (2) over (1)

that looks good too Tianc

I love boroccoli!

Cook it until it goes a nice dark green. Drain the water and leave in the pan. Add some grated cheese and cover for 5 mins before serving

Boroccoli? Broccoli!

but, tooearly, that won't factor in the trunk wastage. In all truth, I will NEVER make stock from broccoli trunks. However much I might wish I were the type. I have sloes in my fridge, lovingly picked - I skipped from bush to bush, imagining the Christmassy loveliness of sloe gin. Now: as shrivelled as my ovaries.
GoodAndBluts - can never quite get with the melted cheese on veg programme. Sorry

Slice trunks into little discs (having peeled them with a knife, if you feel the need). Cook with the rest, possibly for longer if your discs are thick. They're actually rather nice.

I will try that Tianc. Apols, missed your 'pour (2) over (1) earlier'

No cheese on veg? That means no cauliflower cheese too.:(

I was going to suggest having it in cheese sauce.

The whole, loose will work out better value if you can find one with a good floret to trunk ratio. But if you can't I would think the pre prepared florets are better value.

Thank you TP!
I might be forced to go to Sainsbos with my leatherman and hack off the trunks. I'm sure they won't mind..

if i'm buying broccolli loose , i always snap the stalk off (i use my car key if necessary) i think - why should i pay for the stalk if i'm not going to eat it, and it's quite heavy the stalk is, i must admit, i fear someone will cop me doing this one of these days, lol

Didn't even know you could buy florets on their own (get my veg from the market emoticon)

Frozen broccoli works well in broccoli and cheddar soup.

DD loved it from weaning. DS had it offered to him weekly for a year before he would agree to taste it (age 3) and then we went down the trees route with a whole story about how when autumn comes the leaves come off the trees which we had to repeat until he'd eaten the floret, then he started telling the story himself and he just eats the stuff (age 8).

DH and I like broccoli in quiches (with goats cheese or with salmon) but DCs don't really like quiche and Jamie Oliver's broccoli salad.

We all like it in soup and in my mixed veg dish which involves a lot of chopping but DCs ask for seconds of:

Melt butter and add diced carrot and broccoli stalk and slightly bigger chunks of waxy potatoes and a couple of garlic cloves chopped in half. Leave to cook with lid on until veg are soft, add seasoning, a little water and tiny broccoli florets and but lid of for about 5 mins or until they are cooked by the steam. If I have some I mix in a little bit of tinned sweet corn for the colour and heat through. It looks prettier and DCs love the stuff. Ensure when serving that all the chunks of garlic end up on my plate.

it is delicious with hollandaise sauce.

Brocolli cheese beats Cauli cheese by miles.

Also v nice is:

1. steam brocolli,
2. Cook pasta,
3. Add massive lump of gorgonzola cheese to pasta and stir til melted
4. Add brocolli, ground pepper and a bit of cream if too thick.

Delish