tie the leaves over it to protect it from
sunlight, which induces the production of
yellowish pigments.
Broccoli rabe, slender stalks topped with a
small cluster of flower buds, is unrelated to
true broccoli. The name is a corruption of
“broccoletti di rape,” or “little sprouts of
turnip,” and refers to a variety of turnip that
bears somewhat thickened flower stalks along
its main stalk. Broccoli rabe is notably more
bitter than true broccoli. Broccolini, similar to
broccoli rabe but less bitter, is a recent hybrid
between European and Asian brassicas.
Fruits Used as Vegetables
The botanical fruits that cooks treat as
vegetables generally require cooking to make
them interesting or soft enough to eat. The
two familiar exceptions to this rule are
tomatoes and cucumbers, frequently served
raw in salads.