Rapini
Rapini or broccoli rabe (/rɑːb/) is a green cruciferous vegetable, with the leaves, buds, and stems all being edible; the buds somewhat resemble broccoli, but do not form a large head. Rapini is known for its slightly bitter taste, and is particularly associated with mediterranean cuisine.
Rapini | |
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Species | Brassica rapa |
Cultivar group | Ruvo group |
Classification
The plant is a member of the tribe Brassiceae of the Brassicaceae (mustard family). Rapini is classified scientifically as Brassica rapa subspecies rapa,[1] in the same subspecies as the turnip, but has also been treated as Brassica rapa ruvo, Brassica rapa rapifera, Brassica ruvo, and Brassica campestris ruvo.
Description
The young leaves of these plants as used in cooking are either the same as or the South European equivalent of turnip tops or turnip greens.
Rapini has many spiked leaves that surround clusters of green buds that resemble small heads of broccoli. Small, edible yellow flowers may be blooming among the buds.[2] Rapini is a source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.[3]
Culinary use
The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, and pungent,[2] as well as almond-flavored.[4] Rapini needs little more than a trim at the base. The entire stalk is edible, although it may become more fibrous depending on the season.[5]
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
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Energy | 92 kJ (22 kcal) |
2.85 g | |
Sugars | 0.38 g |
Dietary fiber | 2.7 g |
0.49 g | |
3.17 g | |
Vitamins | Quantity %DV† |
Vitamin A equiv. | 16% 131 μg15% 1573 μg1121 μg |
Thiamine (B1) | 14% 0.162 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) | 11% 0.129 mg |
Niacin (B3) | 8% 1.221 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) | 6% 0.322 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 13% 0.171 mg |
Folate (B9) | 21% 83 μg |
Vitamin C | 24% 20.2 mg |
Vitamin E | 11% 1.62 mg |
Vitamin K | 213% 224 μg |
Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
Calcium | 11% 108 mg |
Iron | 16% 2.14 mg |
Magnesium | 6% 22 mg |
Manganese | 19% 0.395 mg |
Phosphorus | 10% 73 mg |
Potassium | 4% 196 mg |
Sodium | 2% 33 mg |
Zinc | 8% 0.77 mg |
Other constituents | Quantity |
Water | 92.55 g |
| |
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
Rapini is widely used in southern Italian cuisine,[4] in particular that of Sicily,[6] Calabria,[7] Campania,[8] Apulia (Puglia),[8][9] and Rome.[8] In Italian, rapini is called cime di rapa or broccoletti di rapa;[8] in Naples, the green is often called friarielli.[10] Within Portuguese, grelos de nabo are similar in taste and texture to broccoli rabe.[11] Rapini is also popular in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain; a rapini festival (Feria do grelo) is held in the Galician town of As Pontes every February.[12]
Rapini may be sautéed[8][13] or braised with olive oil and garlic,[4] and sometimes chili pepper and anchovy.[8][9] It may be used as an ingredient in soup;[4] served with orecchiette[4][9] or other pasta;[6] or served with pan-fried sausage.[7] Rapini is sometimes (but not always) blanched before being cooked further.[8]
In the United States, rapini is popular in Italian-American kitchens; the D'Arrigo Brothers popularized the ingredient in the United States and gave it the name broccoli rabe.[4] Broccoli rabe is a component of some hoagies and submarine sandwiches; in Philadelphia, a popular sandwich is roast pork with broccoli rabe and peppers.[14] It can be a component of pasta dishes, especially when accompanied by Italian sausage.[15]
See also
- Gai lan
- Chinese cabbage
- Collard greens
- Mustard greens
- Rutabaga
- Turnip
- Brassica rapa
References
- "Brassica rapa subsp. rapa". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 12 December 2017.
- "Rapini/Broccoli Raab". sonomamg.ucanr.edu. UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
- Broccoli Raab Nutrition Facts
- Lidia Matticchio Bastianich & Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia's Italy in America (Knopf, 2011), p. 127.
- Elizabeth., Schneider (2001). Vegetables from amaranth to zucchini : the essential reference : 500 recipes and 275 photographs (1st ed.). New York: Morrow. ISBN 978-0688152604. OCLC 46394048.
- Vincent Schiavelli, Papa Andrea's Sicilian Table: Recipes and Remembrances of My Grandfather (Citadel Press, rev. ed., 2001), p. 40.
- Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher, My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy's Undiscovered South (W.W. Norton, 2010), p. 217.
- Marcella Hazan & Victor Hazan, Ingredienti: Marcella's Guide to the Market (Scribner, 2016), p. 89.
- Rossella Rago, Recipe: Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa, Explore Parts Unknown (November 22, 2017).
- Marlena Spieler, A Taste of Naples: Neapolitan Culture, Cuisine, and Cooking (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018), p. 67.
- David Leite, The New Portuguese Table: Exciting Flavors from Europe's Western Coast (Clarkson Potter, 2009).
- Ashifa Kassam, Google Translate error sees Spanish town advertise clitoris festival, The Guardian (November 3, 2015).
- Domenica Marchetti, The Glorious Vegetables of Italy (Chronicle Books, 2013), p. 17.
- Vegetables Illustrated: An Inspiring Guide with 700+ Kitchen-Tested Recipes (America's Test Kitchen, 2019), p. 56.
- "Broccoli Rabe Pasta with Italian Sausage and Fennel". Familystyle Food. 2017-10-29. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
Further reading
- Wang X, Wang H, Wang J, et al. (October 2011). "The genome of the mesopolyploid crop species Brassica rapa". Nature Genetics. 43 (10): 1035–9. doi:10.1038/ng.919. PMID 21873998.
- Osborn TC, Kole C, Parkin IA, et al. (July 1997). "Comparison of flowering time genes in Brassica rapa, B. napus and Arabidopsis thaliana". Genetics. 146 (3): 1123–9. PMC 1208040. PMID 9215913.
- Suwabe K, Iketani H, Nunome T, Kage T, Hirai M (May 2002). "Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Brassica rapa L". TAG. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Theoretische und Angewandte Genetik. 104 (6–7): 1092–1098. doi:10.1007/s00122-002-0875-7. PMID 12582617.
- Cefola M, Amodio ML, Cornacchia R, Rinaldi R, Vanadia S, Colelli G (April 2010). "Effect of atmosphere composition on the quality of ready-to-use broccoli raab (Brassica rapa L.)". Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 90 (5): 789–97. doi:10.1002/jsfa.3885. PMID 20355114.
- Mun JH, Yu HJ, Shin JY, Oh M, Hwang HJ, Chung H (October 2012). "Auxin response factor gene family in Brassica rapa: genomic organization, divergence, expression, and evolution". Molecular Genetics and Genomics. 287 (10): 765–84. doi:10.1007/s00438-012-0718-4. PMC 3459075. PMID 22915303.
External links
Media related to Brassica rapa at Wikimedia Commons