Definition: broccoli

Nutritional values per 100 g: Protein 3 g; Carbohydrates 2.4 g; Fat 0.4 g; Calories 25 kcal.

Broccoli is exceptionally rich in vitamins. It is one of the vegetables with the highest vitamin C content: 110 mg/100 g raw, and 60 mg/100 g after cooking. A 200 mg serving provides the recommended daily intake. It is also very rich in provitamin A (2.4 mg per 100 g), a molecule highly sought after for its antioxidant properties, and vitamin B9, which may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Another advantage, and not the least, is that broccoli is moderately energetic: no more than 25 kcal/100 g, similar to fennel and asparagus. It is also rich in fibre (3 mg per 100 g), which is good for intestinal transit, and in sulphur compounds, substances also found in cabbage (nearly 140 mg per 100 g in broccoli, compared to 85 mg in cauliflower and 70 mg in green cabbage) which have a beneficial effect in protecting against cancer.Finally, the water content of broccoli (more than 90% of its total constituents) is rich in minerals: potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Tasting: Choose broccoli with bright green leaves, firm stems and tightly packed florets. Unlike cauliflower, broccoli florets can bloom and turn yellow if left at room temperature for a few days. Store broccoli wrapped in its original bag or plastic film in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.It also freezes very well after being blanched for 5 minutes in boiling water and thoroughly drained. Prepare broccoli by rinsing it under water, cutting off the stem and cooking it briefly: no more than 5 minutes in the steamer, 7-10 minutes in boiling water, or 6-8 minutes in the microwave. To preserve its beautiful green colour, plunge it into ice water for a few moments as soon as it is cooked. Eat the stalks like asparagus and prepare the florets (flowers and leaves) like cauliflower: au gratin, in salads, pan-fried, puréed, in soups, terrines, etc.

History: The name broccoli comes from the Italian "brocco", which means "shoot". Broccoli belongs to the large cruciferous family, like all other cabbages (green cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.) as well as turnips, watercress and radishes. It is grown for its fleshy flower shoots, which are about 15 centimetres long. Broccoli, also known as "broccoli rabe", should not be confused with green winter cauliflower, which is incorrectly referred to as "head broccoli". A wild cabbage that grew on the Mediterranean coast, broccoli became popular very early on in Italy. It was one of the Romans' favourite vegetables, which they cooked in olive oil with white wine and garlic. In France, broccoli was introduced by Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henry II,^{in the 16th} century. Popular since the early 1980s, broccoli is mainly produced from May to November in Brittany and Lower Normandy. In Italy, a purple variety is grown, which is more tender and less fibrous, called Brassica italica. In China, broccoli without florets is found, which is prepared with a sweet and sour sauce.