Broccoli is not our favorite vegetable, not by a long shot. So when we heard Jeremy Saurage of Deep Mud Farm calling out “Get your fresh, organic broccoli here,” à la a Busch Stadium beer vendor at last week’s Maplewood Farmers’ Market, we weren’t enticed. But once he mentioned that it was Chinese broccoli, complete with edible flowers, we headed over.
Chinese broccoli, which some call gai lan, belongs to the same family as plain old broccoli, though it looks more like broccoli raab. Saurage’s booth was piled high with the pale green bunches and we were happy to try a bite. We found the taste to be fresher and just a touch more bitter (in a pleasant manner) than broccoli’s more well-known varieties.
Chinese broccoli can stand in for regular broccoli as part of a stir fry or on its own. After a quick steam and a light drizzle of oyster sauce, you’ll have a tender and crunchy side. Its slightly bitter flavor pairs well with ginger, and garlic Chinese broccoli can be eaten raw or would even make an interesting addition to a crudités plate, alongside any Asian-inspired dipping sauce.
Saurage noted that he will have the product intermittently throughout the season, which is good news for us Chinese broccoli converts.
This article appears in June 2011.