Broccoli is the leading member of the nutritious cruciferous family of vegetables, so named for their cross shaped blossoms. Other family members include cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale. The name "broccoli" comes from a Latin word meaning branch or arm. Broccoli grew wild on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and was a popular food of the ancient Romans. Broccoli can be traced to France in the 1500s, England in the mid-18th century and began to be cultivated commercially in the United States in the 1920s.
There are a number of broccoli relatives available at the market, including broccoflower, which is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Broccoli rabe is a non-heading broccoli-like vegetable that resembles broccoli florets on long, thin stems. Broccoli rabe has a bitter, but zesty flavor.
Broccoli rapini is similar to broccoli rabe, but has fewer florets and a flavor reminiscent of mustard greens. Chinese broccoli has broad, glossy blue-green leaves with long, crisp, thick stems and a small head. Broccolini is a trademarked name for baby broccoli and is a hybrid cross of broccoli and Chinese kale. Broccolini has a long, slender, juicy stem topped with small flowering buds.
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