Broccolini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broccolini |
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B. oleracea
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Brassica oleracea |
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Broccolini or baby broccoli is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. It is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan (which is sometimes referred to as "Chinese kale" or "Chinese broccoli"), both cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea. The name broccolini is a registered trademark of Mann Packing.
Contents
History
Broccolini was originally developed over eight years by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. It was developed as a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli, rather than being genetically modified.
Sakata partnered with Sanbon Incorporated in 1994 to begin growing the product commercially in Mexico under the name Asparation, implying a similarity to asparagus due to the slim, edible stem. After first becoming available in US markets in 1996, in 1998 Sakata began a partnership with Mann Packing Company in Salinas, California, and marketed the product as Broccolini. New forms of broccolini continue to be developed, including purple broccolini.
Description
Broccolini has a similar structure to sprouting-type broccoli. It grows to 80 centimetres (31 in), with a slender elongated stem that is 15–30 centimetres (5.9–11.8 in) long. It is annual or biennial, herbaceous, and glabrous.
Consumption
The entire vegetable (leaves, young stems, unopened flower shoots, and flowers) is consumable. Its flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus, although it is not closely related to the latter.
Common cooking methods include sautéing, steaming, boiling, and stir frying. According to a 2005 study which assessed how Australians cooked broccolini, the majority used steaming, with less stir-frying it, and a small minority ate it raw or in a salad.
Nutrition
Broccolini is a source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.
Production
Climate
Broccolini grows in cool climates and is intolerant of extreme climates. It is more sensitive to cold temperatures than broccoli but less sensitive to hot temperatures.
Growth and distribution
Broccolini takes 50–60 days to grow after being transplanted. It is harvested when the heads are fully developed but are not flowering. By cutting off the head, the harvest time is extended as new shoots of smaller heads will grow. After being harvested, the produce is cooled to 0 °C, preventing the flower heads developing to maintain quality.
In the US, broccolini is grown in California during Summer, and Arizona during Winter.
See also
In Spanish: Bimi (verdura) para niños
