Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program
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Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Fall is the Season for Local Broccoli and Cauliflower – And Cabbage Too! October 5, 2007 Now is the primetime for the home-grown Pennsylvania broccoli and cauliflower. The cooler weather of fall promotes the best growth of these two crops that are not only “Simply Delicious” but also “Simply Nutritious”. Roughly 210 acres of broccoli and 120 acres of cauliflower, mostly in small acreages, are grown across the state. The harvest will continue throughout the fall. Farmers are also still harvesting cabbage, a close relative of broccoli and cauliflower, which is grown on about 1,500 acres in Pennsylvania, ranking the state fourteenth in the nation. Cabbage is harvested from June to December. With high amounts of vitamin A, Vitamin C and dietary fiber plus cancer-fighting indole compounds, broccoli is truly a nutritional superstar. Cabbage and cauliflower are also high in vitamin C and fiber as well as the cancer-fighting indole compounds. These members of the cabbage family have been linked to decreases in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, peptic ulcers and various kinds of cancer as well as to increases in mental sharpness. The cabbage family is also known as the Cruciferae family because their flowers are shaped like a cross. According to the Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition of the University of California at Berkeley, cruciferous vegetables contain indoles -- nitrogen compounds -- that seem to protect against cancers of the stomach and large intestine. They also are generally high in fiber and antioxidants like vitamin C and carotenoids. Antioxidants neutralize the action of free radicals -- unstable oxygen molecules -- which promote cancer. Cruciferous vegetables also contain compounds that stimulate the release of anticancer enzymes. Some people object to the odor produced by cooking cruciferous vegetables. The odor is caused by the release of sulfur compounds as these vegetables cook. While boiling cruciferous vegetables in large amounts of water in an open pot will minimize the characteristic strong cabbage taste, it maximizes the loss of nutrients. Steaming, microwaving or quick cooking in small amounts of water minimizes nutrient loss in the cooking process. Of course, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower can all be enjoyed raw by themselves or in salads. Dietary experts have long recommended including cruciferous vegetables in the diet regularly, at least several times a week. Under the new MyPyramid dietary recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (www.MyPyramid.gov), broccoli is listed as one of the dark green vegetables. The guidelines recommend that Americans should eat about 3 cups of dark green vegetables per week. Cabbage and cauliflower are included in the list of “other” vegetables. The guidelines recommend consumption of 6 to 7 cups of these “other” vegetables each week. The following recipes from the 2007 Pennsylvania “Simply Delicious” Vegetable Recipe Contest are tasty ways to include broccoli and cauliflower in your menus.
Open Face Garden and Orchard Sandwich Serves 1
1/2 T Butter or margarine 1/3 C Broccoli – small pieces 1 med. Mushroom – sliced 1 T Onion – chopped 2 T Raisins – golden 1 T Walnuts – chopped 1-1/2 T Mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing 1 slice Bread – whole wheat 1/4 Apple – Red Delicious, unpared, thinly sliced 1 oz. Cheese – pepper jack, thinly sliced
Melt butter in small skillet. Add broccoli, mushroom, onion, raisins and walnuts. Sauté until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in mayonnaise or salad dressing. Arrange apple slices on top of bread slice. Top with broccoli mixture, then slices of cheese. Broil sandwich, about 6” from heat, for about 1 minute until cheese is melted. Note: Sandwich may be served with another slice of bread as a “lid”. It is nice to toast one side of the lid in broiler while cheese is melting.
Frances Dietz, York, First Place Prize Winner
Baked Cauliflower Salad Serves 1
1 head Cauliflower – large, separated into florets 1/2 C Olive oil – extra virgin 2 T Vinegar – balsamic Salt – to taste Pepper – freshly ground, to taste 1 C Raisins 1/2 C Parsley – fresh, chopped
Preheat oven to 400oF. Lightly spray 4-quart, ovenproof bowl with cooking spray. Put cauliflower in baking bowl and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper until coated. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and stir again, return bowl to oven. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes until cauliflower is softened. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in raisins and parsley. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.
Bonnie Lee Strunk Brasted, Allentown, Finalist
Jamaican Vegetable Wraps
2 T Olive oil 1 T Garlic – minced 1/2 C Onion – sweet, chopped 1 T Curry 3/4 C Cauliflower – chopped 3/4 C Broccoli – chopped 1/2 C Carrots – shredded Sea Salt – to taste Pepper – to taste 1/2 C Tomatoes – ripe, chopped 1/2 C Peanut Butter – creamy 6 - 8 Tortillas Sour Cream 2 – 3 Scallions – chopped
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and copped onions and cook, stirring often until just tender. Stir in curry powder and cook about 1 minute. Add cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are just cooked. Stir in the tomatoes and peanut butter. Cook about 1 minute uncovered. Fill tortillas and top with sour cream and scallions if desired.
Kathy Rohrbaugh, Shrewsbury, Finalist
Broccoli with Cashews
3 C Broccoli Florets 3 T Soy or Sunflower Oil 3 T Lemon Juice 1 tsp. Marjoram 1 tsp. Tamari 2 T Cashews - pieces, toasted
Steam the florets until a hint of tender, yet crisp. Combine the oil, lemon juice, marjoram and tamari. Pour this marinade over the broccoli and allow to cool. Chill thoroughly. Serve sprinkled with cashews.
Joan Sarisky, Danville, Finalist
Quick Buying Tips for Pennsylvania Broccoli The Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program offers these tips when buying fresh broccoli: -- Choose tightly-packed heads. -- Stalks should be green with dark green or purplish-green, not yellow, buds. -- Refrigerate in an open plastic bag.
Quick Buying Tips for Pennsylvania Cabbage The Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program offers these tips when buying fresh cabbage: -- Select firm, compact heads. -- Choose heads that are free of yellow, wilted or splitting leaves. -- Avoid cutting cabbage until just before use.
Quick Buying Tips for Pennsylvania Cauliflower The Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program offers these tips when buying fresh cauliflower: -- Select tight heads with a white or cream appearance. -- Avoid heads that are loose, spotted or bruised. -- Refrigerate in an open plastic bag.
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