Broccoli stems...

[Vagabond142]

I'll make no bones about it: I love broccoli. However, I buy it whole, stem and all (cheaper and, to me, fresher tasting). However, once I have all the florets off, there is a whacking great stem left over and me with a :dunno: expression. Can anything interesting/exciting/healthy/unhealthy/tasty be done with these?

I'm of half a mind to blitz one and mix it with some simmering milk to reduce into a cream soup, however I would love to hear ideas/experiences from you out there :D

[Isaiah]

They suck raw but if you steam or stirfry them they taste delicious. Puree for soup as you mentioned is also a terrific idea.

[Guillermo]

you can just chop them up and eat them with the rest of the broccoli. growing up as a kid my mom would always throw that part out, but as I've gotten older i've come to appreciate the stem, and now I cook it too when I make broccoli. it's kinda nice cause it has a different texture than the florets. also, it's more resistant to getting mushy if you accidentally overcook them.

[Vagabond142]

You can stir fry the stems? Well, that makes my next couple of dinners easy :D

I'm also gonna try the soup idea on Thursday, hoping it works :D

[dj_rice]

As stated earlier, chop it up and stir fry it up like the tops. Usually sometimes the stems are very tough so you might have to take a peeler to the stems and peel the outer hard skin to make easier eating.


I usually cut my broccoli so it has the florets and stem together :)

[Unknown303]

Yeah even half ass peeling the stem makes them a lot easier to eat.

[SIC1]

I usually steam mine longer - 5-7 mins before throwing on the florets.

Ever since I was diagnosed as an iron deficient anemic I try and get all my iron in my vegetables - broccoli along with bok choi and spinach are my favourites for getting my elevated R.D.A.

[hampstor]

For me, when I cut up the broccoli i cut it long so the stem is still attached to the top - about 3"-4" long.

Toss in olive oil and salt, put on cookie sheet and roast in the oven on 350 for about 20 minutes, giving the pan a shake about every 5 minutes so the broccoli isn't stuck to the pan. They come out slightly crispy and browned. The tops might be a little darker (that's when you pull them out).

[Kritafo]

why don't you make Broccoli slaw with them?

[GQBalla]

i use them. taste great.

[winterkiss]

You can also just buy broccoli crowns. They are usually priced by weight. Sometimes, asian supermarkets like Tops or Lucky have them as cheap as $0.79/lb
Goodluck!

[Vagabond142]

Well, a bit late, but I did try to make broccoli cream soup with just the stems... blitzed em, made the cream base (simmered milk + a little rue), simmered for about 10 minutes after adding blitzed stems. Final result: Damned tasty. Doesn't have the whack-your-tastebuds punch as having the crowns in there as well, but it has a nice smooth texture and a gentle taste. If I were to make it again, I'd probably season with a little pepper for a small kick to it (I like my soups to have some kick).

All in all, I've tried what most people have suggested and everything's worked nicely so far :D