broccoli

Another 'stalker' here! Delish.

I think the real problem is that we now mainly buy calabrese 🥦 instead of broccoli. It's presumably worth more per acre and less time-consuming to harvest.

The problem with calabrese is that it does take quite a long time to peel and always has chunky stems.🙁
But given that, once peeled we do cook and eat the stalks too... I'm another who has always done this.

My parents probably never had calabrese, so no role models to follow about the stalks in my household!

Give me some proper broccoli though, any day - especially the purple sprouting variety.
Yum!

Boil the stalks on their own or with an onion or a potato or two, strain the liquid and freeze it to use as stock when next you make soup.

You can do the same with cauliflower stalks and outer leaves, and of course with the outer coarse leaves of leeks and the tops of them.

Ana

*Luckygirl*, I know someone who throws away mushroom stalks because she says they're 'too fibrous'!

This is me 🙄

I eat the stalks raw with a little salt just like eating celery also cauliflower and cabbage stalks they are good to eat raw

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

I have always eaten the raw stalks of broccoli and cabbage while preparing the veggies but these days I am deprived! As soon as my 2 spaniels hear me using the chopping board, ears are pricked and they wait eagerly at the kitchen door for the stalks to be tossed in their direction. I always feel guilty if I eat it and don't give it to them! My sister eats raw potato but I've never tried it...

nannienet

It's never occurred to me not to eat the stalks.

Just take care when buying broccoli, I always tried to brake off the stalk before buying as it was just thrown away! I did this about 11 years ago and broke a bone in my hand and dislocated a finger!!!! Ouch ouch ouch!!! In plaster and out of action! Needless to say I don't do it anymore.

The stalk is the best bit, has much more flavour than the flower. It doesn't usually get as far as being cooked as it's peeled if necessary, then eaten as it is

I always eat the stalks, slicing them lengthways. They are just as tasty as the green parts and a good way of bulking out soup.

I always eat the raw stalks from broccoli and cauliflower. As children we used to fight over choice bits of 'stumpy'. However DM never used the stalks of field mushrooms because they were often full of maggots. Even when cultivated mushrooms became available, she could never bring herself to use them.

DGS2 who is just undergoing "Baby led weaning" seems to really enjoy gumming broccoli.
His big brother was also given them as a first food and still likes it.

Wonder why the GD who at 3 used to ask for the uncooked little trees to eat, at 21 will scarcely taste broccoli at all.
I split the thicker stems lengthways while still attached to a section of head but do discard the big chunky part at the end unless I am making a casserole or vegetable soup in which case I chop and add it.

Auntieflo, when I was a child there was a mushroom seller on the Bull Ring market in Birmingham who sold mushroom stalks, yes they were cheaper. Mushrooms were not always available as they were not cultivated but popped up randomly overnight in fields!

love stalks which if very thick I cut off and slice before cooking, lovely. also love the younger inner leaves of cauliflower

DH would be horrified at that 2old4hp

I have a friend who cuts every green bit off spring onions and presents the little white bulbous bits only in a salad.

Eat eat eat those bits! When I choose however I always look for the smaller heads for extra tenderness! I also have 3 tiny grandchildren that have always adored them munching all parts up.

Another one who's been educated by this thread I'm 67, and DM always discarded the stalks and leaves of cauliflower ('It's supposed to be white, not green!') and mushroom stalks ('Do you realise what these are grown in?') and so I've always done the same...! Still not sure about the mushrooms, but I'm going to give broccoli stalks a go

I eat the stalks or if really thick add them to other veg stalks to make stock. No need to waste them

If you peel off the tough skin, you are left with a juicy cruchy bit to eat raw.

If you are making a stir fry, add thinly sliced stalks, they have a good texture and a sweet flavour. I've always seen them as very edible

Wow! How much have I wasted when throwing out the broccoli stalks??!!! I don't know why I cut them off but I am going to start eating them now! Thank you!

I always eat the stalks of broccoli, cauliflower cabbage raw when I am prepping them, and have never found a need to peel them either, however for an interesting challenge, try drinking orange juice immediately after eating the raw stumps, ..... it's weird!