Running Round-up: Broccoli Rabe aka Rapini
Back in 2006, this "veggie evangelist" set out to cook – several times! – these wonderful leafy greens with scattered clusters of broccoli-like florets called broccoli rabe (also called broccoli raab and my favorite name, the Italian rapini) and a bunch of food bloggers and readers helped out with recipe contributions. Twas fun! Here's what we came up with! Isn't it pretty, broccoli rabe aka aka broccoli raab rapini? And in case you're wondering like I did, both rabe and raab are pronounced [rob], as in the orange-breasted robin.
IS BROCCOLI RABE THE NEW SPINACH? I'm a fiend for greens and typically buy two or three big bags of spinach a week. But lately I haven't been happy with the supermarket spinach. It's tougher. It's more stem than leaf. It seems tough not tender. And it's WAY more expensive than even a year ago. But since I've been buying broccoli rabe here's what I've found. Broccoli rabe is fresher. It's easier to wash and trim. And it's WAY cheaper, $1.70 a pound vs $5.50 for an equivalent amount of spinach. The only downside is that broccoli rabe does need to be used within a day or two, where the spinach can last for up to a week. Is broccoli rabe the new spinach? At my house, definitely!
IS BROCCOLI RAAB THE LEAFY GREEN OF THE CANOLA PLANT? I asked the question when sharing the recipe for Broccoli Rabe with Peppers. This piece from the San Francisco Chronicle sorts it out. The short answer is "no" but they do share the same (ahem) genetic roots.
BROCCOLI RABE NUTRITION INFORMATION Per 1/4 pound serving: 40 Cal; 4 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 4 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 0 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 60 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol
MAIN DISHES with BROCCOLI RABE
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage from Sweetnicks
Pasta with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe from A Veggie Venture
Shell Pasta with Sausage & Greens from Simply Recipes
Guy Card-Saving Pizza from Something in Season, sorry link no longer live
Linguini with Rapini from The Garden of Eatin', sorry link no longer live
Sausage & Broccoli Rabe with Orecchiette from Mona's Apple, sorry link no longer live
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Smoked Mozzarella from Sweetnicks
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Spiced Pork from Nosh, sorry link no longer live
Potato, Leek, Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Pizza from StephenCooks
Rapini and Chickpeas from Kitchenography, sorry link no longer live
Rapini with Olives, Pancetta and Pasta from Kitchenography, sorry link no longer live
Penne with Sausage, Beans and Broccoli Rabe from Kalyn's Kitchen
SIDE DISHES
Broccoli Rabe with Oil and Garlic from StephenCooks, includes a terrific primer
Broccoli Rabe with Peppers from A Veggie Venture
Broccoli Rabe Stew from Cooking with My Grasp, sorry link no longer live
Potato, Cabbage & Rapini Colcannon from A Veggie Venture
Steamed Broccoli Rabe from A Veggie Venture
SANDWICHES
Provolone and Broccoli Rabe Panini from s'kat and the food, sorry link no longer live
SOUPS
Broccoli Rabe & Pasta Soup Salt and Pepper
Turkey Soup with Broccoli Rabe & Dumplings from Noshes, Thoughts & Reves
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I finally got my local store to order some broccoli rabe for me. I went to pick it up (with Frank in tow) and lo and behold, when I got it home, it was broccolini. Big disappointment, although broccolini is nice in it's own way. (I'm quite sure Frank did not understand what all the fuss was about. Nice as he is, he never could tell his broccoli rabe from his broccolini anyway. Guess that's why he needs me around.)
ReplyDeleteNow to find some broccoli rabe (I don't think I have seen this around in my local Farmer's Market). And even more challenging: to get V to eat it. But it looks soooo good!
ReplyDeleteI will have to refer back to this post. I need to learn more about Rapini.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my blog today! I posted a ton of pics!!!
Thanks for the great roundup! Everything looks excellent.
ReplyDeleteKalyn, I love that you got your store to order it-that is great! Though sad to hear it was broccolini...
What a coincidence--I just cooked with broccoli raab last night! Here's my recipe: http://noshesthoughtsreves.blogspot.com/2006/03/turkey-soup-with-broccoli-raab-and.html
ReplyDeleteAlanna, I really have to thank you for introducing me to broccoli raab, my favourite new vegetable!!
ReplyDeleteProvolone and Broccoli Raab Panini
I'm submitting my recipe for stir fry broccolini with chinese black beans and chili. Couldn't find rabe. My blog is kitcheninferno@blogspot.com
ReplyDeletejust noticed you are from St Louis-as am I-This is only the second thing I've submitted from kitcheninferno. Hope you find it acceptable.-Mickey
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love broccoli rabe although I always call it rapini. It seems to be a vegetable of many names.
ReplyDeleteUsually I make it with pasta
but sometimes I make it with chick peas.
The only things that keep me from eating it multiple times a week are my husband's failure to embrace rapini as whole-heartedly as I have and the fact that none of the grocery stores I frequent seem to carry it consistently although I notice I am seeing it more frequently.
... which would make a delicious sandwich a rapini panini, yes?!)
ReplyDeleteLOL!!
Where I live in the upstate NY region it grows wild in cornfields in the spring. We are getting the rapini now before it flowers.
ReplyDeleteIf you would like to store it for future use -this is how you do it. Par boil for only a few minutes until semi- tender, strain it until almost dry then you put in freezer bags and it will be good for an entire year. If you don't want to do that, then it can be canned like you would spinich.
What a great tip, Karen. Thank you much! It makes sense, like frozen spinach.
ReplyDelete