Harvesting Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the first crops I plant early in the spring in my green house.  I raise the seedling in a sunny south window, transplanting several times until they are about 6-8 inches tall.

After planting in the green house, I place a large black bottomless buckets (say that 3 times fast) around them.  This helps guard against frost that can still kill plants in the early spring.  If it really cold, I place a plastic bag over the bucket for the night.

ready to harvest

Use the outer leaves while you wait for the head to develop,

 they are especially good steamed or stir fried.

Add them to your morning smoothy or green drink.

Check on the broccoli often. 

 To tell when the broccoli is ready to harvest :

1. notice the color, it should be a deep, dark green

2. the buds should be packed tightly together, run your thumb over them to check

3.  when the color changes and becomes just a little lighted,

 check to see if the buds have loosened up just a bit.

(don't wait too long or the buds will blossom)

4.  Harvest by cutting off the stock just below the branching head.

Leave the plant in the ground, secondary heads, side shoots, will form for another harvest.

Also continue harvesting the leaves.

5.  I have learned to quickly place the broccoli in a plastic bag and refrigerate.

If you leave it out it, the buds will open and it will turn yellow in a very short time.

Radish Report/CSA delivery/RECIPES

Got a bit side-tracked lately with all the tilling and planting for a fall harvest.  CSA shares for
August  4th,   included:

Full Share:

About 10 pounds of tomatoes
A huge 8 ball squash that I re-named "bowling ball" squash for marinating and grilling.  You might try this; after grilling  add some pizza sauce and cheese, place under the broiler until cheese is melted and you have a tasty zucchini pizza.

summer squash-- all you wanted ( patty pan, yellow sunburst, green and yellow eight ball, straight yellow, zucchini )
head of Broccoli
Chard
Armenian Cucumber
3 slicing cucumbers
Onions
a bundle of 10 or more Beets
large 10 oz. bag of Greens,  you mix your own,  (beet greens, red romaine, green romaine, red oak, flame, green oak, ruby red, curly mustard, red mustard,)
Broccoli leaf  (see recipe below)
carrots
YUMMY NEW POTATOES



Fruit Share:
Grapes
 yellow peaches
 white peaches

Many of you have asked about how to cook the beets.  You need to wash beets extremely  well especially where the leaves meet the root bulb.  NEVER peel a beet------well I guess if you want to----- but I never do.  You may steam or boil them.  Leave the leaves attached.   Top with real butter and a splash of vinegar, or lemon juice.  Loro suggested rice vinegar, she said it was a lot better that way.  Thanks Loro I'm going to try your suggestion.

Here's my favorite way.....ROASTED........... again do not peel.  Just cut the leaves off leaving about an inch attached.  I leave the root on also cause it gets crunchy.  YUM.  Now put them in a big bowl and add baby carrots, the new potatoes in your share, onions, peppers or whatever root crops you may have.  Cut into similar sizes if needed.  Cover with olive oil and season with salt and seasoning of choice.  See an earlier post, A Perfect Day, for directions. 

                                                                         The beet leaves are torn from the hail, but the roots are very tender and tasty

BROCCOLI CHIPS

Many of you already make kale chips and the same principal applies to broccoli.  Cut into 2 inch squares, add just enough olive oil to cover and season.  ( use sea salt, herbs and spices, maybe even a sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese).  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 8 mins.  Some people bake at a lower temp for a longer period of time.

I'll share more recipes when I have a little more time.  Got to run there are a KAZILLION things to get done today.  Thanks for letting me be your farmer.  I'm happiest when I am out puttering in the dirt!

BROCCOLI

  Over the years I have tried all kinds of broccoli and always go back to the good ole' stand-by Waltham 29.  There are several Hybrids that are fairly platable and prolific.  Packman and Green Comet.  Taste is my criteria for growing veges and Waltham is my favorite.  Calabrese is prolific and hardy but it tastes awful ( that's just my opinion).

"Mom, you spoiled us with your home-grown broccoli, I can"t gag that store bought stuff down,"  said my oldest daughter after she had left home for college.

We love broccoli at our house, that is all except my youngest son, but thats o.k. with his older brother it just means more for him.

To get a good crop of broccol start seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost date.  I like to use rolled newspaper cups.  Broccoli does not like it's roots disturbed and planting the newspaper cup directly into the ground gives the broccoli the ability to start growing without going into transplant shock.  Plant broccoli outside about 2-3 weeks before your last frost date.  If the frosts are hard cover the broccoli at night.  Keep evenly moist.  The flavor is compromised if you allow it to dry out.  I mulch  with old hay.  As soon as the weather turns hot the broccoli will become bitter.

To harvest broccoli cut the stem off at a 45 degree angle, this allows the water to run off the stem so it won't rot.  Harvest when the florets are small and tightly closed.  I have learned you must bag and refridgerate the heads immediately or it will yellow and the flowers will  open and it tastes , can I use the word awful again? Continue to harvest the small side shoots and the LEAVES.  The leaves are often over looked.  Use them sauted, steamed, or  in the green drink.  I have wondered about making them into chipps.......Humm, I'll try this and let you know.
For a fall crop of broccoli plant seeds directly into the ground mid July thru Sept depending on your first frost date.  To calculate the best planting date  check the variety package of how many days it takes to mature and count back that many days .  This should give you an exact date of when to plant.  Remember to keep well watered.  A fall crop is better because they don't turn bitter, a  light  frost makes them even a little sweeter.


I will publish some of our tried and favorite recipes with each vegetable I write about.  So I asked the kids what their favorite broccoli recipes were. 


-----"Broccoli?" and pulled a face of disgust..I guess I like it best in soup, I just don't eat broccoli, but you can ask me about other vegetables.


-----"Broccoli Casserole can we have that this week?"


----- ' I like your broccoli right out of the garden.  If  it's from the store I need dip".


My interest was piqued by my youngest's remark. "What is your favorite vegetable I asked my other son.  His responce  "Cucumbers".  That I can attest to, I have had to make a rule with him, that  he can only have 5 cucumbers a day.  He was a little objectional about that because he was eating close to 20 daily.  I thought 5 was a fair amount, besides I needed some left  to take to market.  He continued, " Cucumber is one of them, broccoli, lettuce, and tomatoes.  I must say however, my favorite vegetable is a PICKLE.  I love pickles."

 "What it your favorite vegetable?"  I asked my youngest.  "Cucumber or tomatoe or carrot or avocado, is that a vegetable?  I just don't like them cooked.  Olives, are they considered a vegetable?  Lettuce, I love lettuce."  He replied.


CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

Cook 1 lb. of bacon cut into small pieces.  In a large pot boil 2c.  cut carrots, 3c. potato chunks and 1-2  lbs. of broccoli pieces.  In a saute pan melt 3 tbs. butter and add 1/4c. to 1/2c. flour.  Make a rue.  Add 1/2 gallon milk and heat until thickened, stirring constantlly.  In the bacon grease saute 3-5 cloves of minced garlic, 1c. chopped onion and 1c. chopped celery.   Pour water off vegetable and save.  Put milk , bacon,  sauted garlic, onion and celery into the pot.  Add 1-2c. grated cheese of choice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  If the soup needs more liquid pour in the reserved vegetable water.  Heat through.  I actually like this soup better  the next day.


BROCCOLI SOUFFLE'

1c. chopped steamed broccoli
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1c. milk
1/2C.. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
5 egg yolks
6 egg whites, whipped until stiff
1&1/2 qt. souffle baking dish

Sprinkle 1/4 c. of cheese in bottom of dish.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add flour and cook until golden.  Add milk cooking until thick.  Stir.  Remove from heat and add salt and pepper, worcestershire sauce, egg yolks one at a time.  Stir in cooked broccoli.  Gently fold in whipped egg whites.  Pour into souffle' dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 350   30-35 mins.

NOTE;  I HAVE  USED FINELY CHOPPED FRESH SPINACH FOR THIS SOUFFLE' INSTEAD OF THE BROCCOLI.ALSO TRY INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS IN SMALL RAMIKINS.  yummmmmmmm.