Sweet Broccoli Stems

Sweet Broccoli Stems

Picked fresh in Murgon — no storage, no refrigeration. Just picked.
$4 each or 3 for $10

What it is
Tender stems topped with small broccoli florets, harvested young for eating quality. Sometimes called winter asparagus — picked fresh and best eaten the same day. May include a few edible flowers: sweet and part of the bunch.

Flavour
Mild, sweet and nutty with a fresh crunch. The stems are the best part: crisp, juicy and far sweeter than store-bought broccoli held in cold storage. Rarely makes it to the kitchen from my home garden.

How to use it
Quick stir-fry with garlic and oil
Steam lightly and finish with butter or olive oil
Chop into salads or eat raw straight from the bunch

Grading

• Gourmet: Straight, tender stems with small tight florets.
• Market: Some variation in size or light flowering, still tender and fresh.
• Quirky: Mixed sizes, may include thinner stems or more flowering, still good to eat.

First in. Best fed.