Brocolli stems

If by stems you mean the part the florets grow out of, all you have to do is peel them, then treat them pretty much like the florets. You might want to slice or dice them so they cook evenly.

Raw they make a great slaw as well.

If by stems you mean the main branch of the plant, that's not particularly edible.

 

I peel them, cut them on the bias and stir fry along with the florets.

If I have guests and want a fancier stir fry without stems, my wife and I will eat the stems raw as I'm cutting the florets.

 

I find they work better for cream of broccoli soup (pureed) than the florets -- they completely blend in, without leaving tiny dark green specks floating around.

Agree with KYH about peeling, especially the thicker "trunks." But they work well for any dish where you'd use broccoli, especially stir-fries. I never understand why anyone would NOT use them!

 

I agree, The stem is perfect to tourne, add to soups. Makes a nice addition to Bagna Couda also.

 

Love the stems. Can be used in any stir fry dishes - cook them about the same time as you would for carrots. Also, as mentioned above, great addition to a veg soup. Personally, I don't bother with peeling them. That's just what I do. Adds more fibre to your meal, so that's not a bad thing.

Edit: Don't know why the florets are small - are they ready to harvest or should you leave them a little longer on the plant? It may be worth posting the question in the Chefs Garden Forum.

Another Edit: you can cut the stems straight across, cook them, and serve them to kids as "Stars"...it works then they're eating greens and enjoying them.

 

I can suggest that you can just peel them, then you can add it to any of your stir fried recipes. It surely is going to be a great addition to your dish.

 

I bake them in garlic and butter. Amazing!

 

I've got some chicken stock going at the moment that has a couple of broccoli stems in it.

mjb.

 

Slice them and use them like carrots...you can even use them for garnishing...

.:laser:

 

For those that juice...stems are perfect for juicing.

 

I don't bother cooking the stems--once you peel the thin but tough fiber-rich outer skin with a paring knife, the inner part is crisp and delicious to eat raw or slice up into salad. They are yummy!

George

 

This topic is long enough without my .2, but I was admiring our new "Super" Kroger yesterday and came upon the broccoli. The stalks were at least 7 in long and very thick. The florets? All of them together were the size of about 3 carnations. Sad, sad, sad.