If you ’re the adventurous foodie case , broccolini might be something you ’ve not only heard of , but prepare at household or corrode in a restaurant .
But what about the similarly named broccoli rabe , also known as rapini ? Are these two vegetables the same thing ?
Ready for a quick and uncomplicated answer ? No , they ’re not !
Chinese kale, also known as Chinese broccoli, gai lan, or kailaan.
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We ’re blend to get up close and personal and learn the departure between these two veggies – and attend at their origins , grow conditions , flavor , and use in the kitchen .
Differences Between Broccolini and Broccoli Rabe
Broccolini
Although sometimes called “ babe Brassica oleracea italica , ” broccolini is not simply an immature version ofbroccoli .
While it ’s folio face an terrible lot like those of broccoli , its stem are longer and thinner , and its florets are smaller , looser , and more open .
In fact , this veg is part broccoliBrassica oleraceavar.italica – but only part .
Chinese kale, also known as Chinese broccoli, gai lan, or kailaan.
The other half of its line comes from a lesser - knownBrassicaceae familyrelative , Chinese bread , B. oleraceavar.alboglabra .
Origins
This hybrid veggie was multiply by the Sakata Seed Company , a Japanese seed purveyor .
When Sakata first cultivated this new initiation , they tried marketing it under the cultivar name ‘ Aspabroc , ’ alluding to the slightly asparagus - like taste and texture of its stems .
When ‘ Aspabroc ’ did n’t make a big hit in the US , Sakata partnered with the Mann Packing Company in California to remarket this vegetable . Under its young name , broccolini , sales took off .
In the Garden
Thisbrassicagrows considerably in acool season vegetable gardenwith full sunshine and even weewee .
Compared to its Brassica oleracea italica parent , however , this hybrid is less cold-blooded hardy , and less patient of of temperature extreme , but it ’s a bit more heat broad .
flora will come to due date , and be ready for harvest in 50 - 56 days .
you’re able to get word more about growing this gastronome vegetable in ourdedicated broccolini growing guide .
And if you are a seed saver , do n’t forget that this plant life is a crossbreed , so any seeds saved from these plant wo n’t seed true .
‘ Aspabroc ’ Broccolini
To try grow this vegetable from ejaculate in your own garden , you may find packs of 25 seeds of the ‘ Aspabroc ’ F1 hybrid cultivarat Amazon .
Flavor
When it occur to savour , broccolini ’s taste is remindful of its heritage , thus its nickname “ baby broccoli . ”
unlike growing conditions will make for some variance in taste , but generally this vegetable savor sweeter and soft than Brassica oleracea italica and can have a taste faintly redolent of Asparagus officinales .
In the Kitchen
I recover broccolini a breeze to do by in the kitchen since you do n’t have to worry about cutting up the floweret . I care to trim the stem just a tad if postulate , then cook the stem whole with the florets attached .
This vegetable is a uncommon treat in all sorts of recipes . When I have it on hand , I like to keep things wide-eyed and dish up it sauteed with garlic – top with a squirt of lemon yellow juice , a mizzle of Olea europaea petroleum , and some sea Strategic Arms Limitation Talks .
But broccolini is also delicious roast or grill .
If the thought of grill this veg has your discernment buds clamoring , I urge control out thisrecipe on our sis site Foodalfor a grilled tomato and broccolini pasta salad .
The spicery - loaded balsamic binding that pass this pasta salad make water this dish quite the sapidity adventure .
Broccoli Rabe
Departing from our pastime of broccolini , we now come to another sort of broccoli – Brassica oleracea italica rabe , or as it is also commonly known , rapini .
The thing is , despite its familiar looking florets and green stems , rapini is n’t a Brassica oleracea italica at all – and the family relationship between the two is more distant than you would think .
Also known as broccoletto , or sometimes just “ rabe ” or “ raab , ” this vegetable is really intimately have-to doe with to the Brassica rapa .
In fact , rapini and white turnip are not only the same mintage , but the same subspecies : B. rapavar.rapa .
This family relationship becomes apparent when you examine the plant ’s leave . Rapini leaves have toothed margins , like Brassica rapa leaves do , unlike broccoli ’s fluent leaf margin .
According to Sonoma County victor nurseryman Sandy Main , theorigins of this extremity of the leaf mustard familygo back to either China or the Mediterranean region , both berth where it is commonly eaten today .
Culinarily speaking , rapini is very much relate with southerly Italian cuisine , but also the culinary art of Galicia , the autonomous biotic community in Spain , and Portugal .
The growing weather condition for rapini are similar to those for broccolini – full sun , regular water , in a nerveless time of year garden .
Where these two differ is in their cold and heat tolerance . Rapini is not as heat kind as broccolini . On the other hand , it is very moth-eaten hardy and can defy igniter freezes very well .
Plants make out to maturity and are ready for harvest in 40 - 70 days , look on the change .
Typically the plant is harvested before the prime bud loose , when plant are 10 - 15 in improbable .
When you glean , you want to abridge the plants at ground grade . However , if you leave a couplet of leaves behind , rapini plants tend to re - sprout , providing extra harvest .
‘ Spring Rapini ’
And if you spare a few plants from harvesting , since this one is open - pollinated , seed can be saved for replanting in subsequent grow season .
If you ’re quick to try this cool time of year veg out in your garden , you could source seed ingroup of various size of it for the tight - growing‘Spring Rapini’cultivarat True Leaf Market .
take more about originate broccoli rabe here .
Rapini ’s pocket-size , gullible floret may make you expect a certain familiar smack profile , but its taste is in reality more like toturnip greensormustard greens .
It has a nutty and bitter tang . However , its sharp , acrid compound can be reduced – if so hope – by parboil .
Since rapini offers you stanch , folio , and florets to do work with , you have choices on how to utilise these .
Rapini ’s small , loose florets and long thin stem can be used like broccolini , and its comestible leaves can be used like white turnip or mustard greens .
Raw , rapini can be turned into pesto . Cooked , it can be used in omelets , touch Roger Fry , or as a pizza topping .
If you ’re ready to expand your culinary range with rapini , I recommend trying out this tasty recipeon our sister internet site Foodal . It combines rapini floret with pecorino high mallow and violent chili peppers – and tops these ingredients onto ill-humoured slices of baguet .
Sounds like a glorious appetizer or light dejeuner , does n’t it ?
Now that your stomach is growling , are you quick to see a side by side partitioning of these two veggie before you direct to the kitchen ?
Broccolini and Broccoli Rabe Comparison Table
Stalking Your Green Veggies
Now that you ’ve gotten to know broccolini ’s mild florets and rapini ’s acrid leaves a small best , you’re able to proudly say you ’ve made another notch on your foodie knock .
And if you ’re concerned in bringing other compelling flavors to your garden patch , you may find out cruciferous vegetablesright here :
Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right hand RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . in the beginning published February 24th , 2020 . Last update September 12th , 2023 . mathematical product picture via Amazon and True Leaf Market . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Kristina Hicks - Hamblin
