How can you use broccoli rabe stems? Let’s make a cream.
Don’t tell me that after cleaning the broccoli rabe you throw away the scraps! If you do, stop immediately. I’ll show you how to prepare a delicious cream of broccoli rabe to use in many different ways.
Here, the kitchen is waste-free, and above all, sustainable. The stems of broccoli rabe (or even turnip greens) are absolutely edible, tasty, and – believe it or not – well-paid, as they are counted in the total weight of the vegetables.
So I’ll tell you how to give them a second life, and not end up in the trash.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 31.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 1.43 (g) of which sugars 0.19 (g)
- Proteins 1.59 (g)
- Fat 2.58 (g) of which saturated 0.37 (g)of which unsaturated 0.13 (g)
- Fibers 1.35 (g)
- Sodium 500.98 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 2 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Cream of Broccoli Rabe Stems
- 7 oz broccoli rabe (stems and flowers)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
What You Might Need for the Cream of Broccoli Rabe Stems?
- 1 Mixer Mixer
- 1 Container airtight glass container
- 1 Vacuum Sealer Vacuum Sealer
The Steps
After cleaning the broccoli rabe for the main course, you will have the scraps left, consisting of stems, flowers, and harder parts. Rinse them very well and put them to boil in water.
They will be usable when the stems are nice and soft, so they can be pierced with a fork. Drain them well and put them in a blender or mixer (I use this cordless one which is unbelievably convenient)
Add the oil and salt and create a nice cream. Our broccoli rabe stem cream is ready.
Usage, Storage, and Curiosities
The cream of broccoli rabe stems is really versatile.
You can use it as:
– pasta sauce
– base for velouté (adding potatoes)
– to spread on crostini and bruschetta
– additional sauce for a burger sandwich
You can also make cubes to freeze for use as broth flavoring.
The cream should be stored in an airtight glass container in the fridge, or portioned in the freezer.
You can also vacuum seal it with appropriate containers, so it will last even longer.
All the tools you might need are below, in my Amazon lists.
