Broccolini or commonly known as baby broccoli is very similar to broccoli itself but it’s just smaller in size and more delicate. It also has long, thin stalks and smaller florets than broccoli. Broccolini is a biennial herb and it grows up to eighty centimeters.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Brassica
Species: B. oleracea
Binomial name: Brassica oleracea
Broccolini Trivia
The vegetable was first introduced by the name of Asparation, but it was marketed two years later as broccolini.
Broccolini is famously known as tenderstem broccoli.
Broccolini Buying Guide
When buying a perfect broccolini, you should look for a broccolini with fresh bases, meaning that they’re not dried out, that they do not have soft spots, and that there isn’t apparent flowering.
Broccolini Production & Farming in Texas
Broccolini can be grown in Texas easily due to its need for the sun. Texas has all the necessities to make broccolini grow with ease. The vegetable is best grown during spring or fall and under the exposure of the full sun. The plant requires 60-90 days to grow. Even though the plant does require the full exposure of the sun, they’re pretty sensitive to extreme weather.
Pesticides
There are a few bugs that may cause you problems with broccolini. If your vegetable turns yellow or leaves curl it may be infested with whiteflies or aphids. Look on the undersides of the leaves for green, brown, or pink insects. Ladybugs eat aphids but they can also be killed by hand easily. The best cure for whiteflies is soap.
Geography
The plant itself was developed over the course of eight years by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama in Japan. It is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese cabbage. In 1996 it was brought to the U.S. and two years later it was marketed as broccolini.
In Texas, you should grow broccolini in soil that is adapted with compost or aged manure. Provide the plant with 1 to 2 inches of water each week. You can also push the soil around after it has grown a little bit so the side shoots will develop.
Packaging
It is recommended that you prepackage your broccolini so it doesn’t dry over time. They’re often transported in wooden and cardboard boxes.
Enjoying Broccolini
Broccolini is very easy to prepare and the most common way to prepare it is to cook it and eat it as a side dish with some meat. Of course, the entire vegetable of broccolini is edible. Of course, there are other ways to prepare broccoli by stir-frying or eating it just raw.
Storage
To store broccolini is very simple. Put it in a plastic bag, press out the air, and put it in the fridge.
Cooking
One of the ways to prepare broccolini is to blanch it, cut it, and sear it with olive oil. After that, put dried red pepper flakes and garlic to get a quick winter sauce for pasta.
Nutrition
Broccolini comprises Vitamin A, C, Calcium, Iron, Sodium, and Potassium.
When Are Broccolini in Season in Texas?
To find out when Broccolini are in season in Texas, please check the seasonal chart below. Why is this important? We are rarely encouraged to think about the physical lengths our food travels before arriving on the market shelves. And all of this travel comes with a hefty environmental cost that is concealed from the consumer’s eye. One of the most salient benefits to eating seasonally is that you are effectively reducing your carbon footprint and supporting a more geographically sustainable food economy. Check other fruit and veg that’s in season in Texas now.
