In the age of healthy eating, many have turned their attention to a product such as broccoli. Broccoli is one of the varieties of cabbage, it looks like a cauliflower, but unlike it has a bright green color.
Broccoli eats inflorescences. They can even be served raw. Broccoli is very rich in vitamins, but in order for them not to disappear during heat treatment, broccoli should be steamed for 3-4 minutes or boiled in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
The beneficial properties of broccoli have been known for a very long time. Broccoli contains fiber, iron, zinc, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, vitamins: B, C, A, beta-carotene, folic acid. Broccoli removes excess salts from the body. It is useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular diseases and even oncology.
The latter property was discovered not so long ago. In the process of research, it was revealed that the composition of broccoli contains a substance sulforaphane, the action of which is directed against bacteria that cause stomach ulcers. This substance is a good prophylactic agent against stomach cancer diseases. Currently, scientists are actively working on the development of drugs based on this substance.
The systematic consumption of broccoli prevents aging and the onset of atherosclerosis. Broccoli is useful for both children and adults and the elderly.
He sells frozen and fresh broccoli in supermarkets. If you shop for future use, it is better to buy frozen broccoli, but if you plan to cook dishes from it within the next couple of days, then it is better to buy fresh, but you need to look for it to have a juicy green color, not dry and strong.
Broccoli is used to prepare salads, hot dishes and soups. We are ready to share the recipes of some of them.
Broccoli salad
Ingredients:
- Broccoli – 500 gr.
- Carrots – 1-2 pcs.
- Fresh or salted cucumber – 1 pc.
- Green onions – 1 beam
- Olive oil – 1-2 tablespoons l.
- Lemon juice to taste
- Salt – to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Sugar – a pinch
Boil broccoli in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Boil carrots. Cut the broccoli into 3-4 cm slices, grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Chop the onion and cucumber finely. Mix all the ingredients, make a dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can add some sugar if desired.
Salad ready.
Broccoli with sesame dressing
Those who like Asian cuisine will love this salad.
Ingredients:
- Broccoli – 750 gr.
- Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp l.
- Soy Sauce – 2 Art. l
- Sesame oil – 1 tablespoons l.
- Sugar – 2 tsp.
- Apple cider vinegar – 2 tbsp l.
Boil broccoli inflorescences in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain in a colander and drain.
Fry the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan, stirring constantly so that they do not burn.
In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce: whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Pour the broccoli sauce over and mix thoroughly.
You can eat the salad right away, but it is better to cool it properly in the refrigerator, since cold, it tastes even better.
For piquancy, you can add a clove of garlic by frying it in a pan after the sesame seeds.
Broccoli cream soup
Ingredients:
- Broccoli – 500g.
- Luk – 1 No.
- Carrots -2-3 pcs.
- Vegetable oil – 2 Art. l
- Butter – 40 gr.
- Flour – 1 Art. l
- Cream – 200 ml.
- Milk – 200 ml.
- Hard cheese – 50-70 gr.
Wash and cut vegetables. Saute the onions and carrots in vegetable oil until the onions are golden brown. Pour with water so that it covers the vegetables by 2 cm and cook for 10 minutes.
Add broccoli, if the whole broccoli is not covered with water, okay, it will be steamed. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Prepare a creamy cheese sauce. Melt the butter and fry the flour in it. Pour in milk and cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, so that no lumps form. If there are small lumps, then they need to be rubbed through a sieve. Add grated cheese to the sauce and stir over low heat until melted.
Place boiled vegetables and sauce in a blender and beat until puree.
The soup is ready and can be served with wheat croutons or fried baguette with grated garlic.
Diet vegetable stew
This dish is suitable for those who are fasting or just dieting.
Ingredients:
- Broccoli – 500 gr.
- Potatoes – 4-5 pcs.
- Bay leaf – 1 pcs.
- Bulgarian pepper – 1 pc.
- Luk – 1 No.
- Salt – to taste
- Spices – to taste
- Fresh herbs to taste
Boil potatoes in salted water with bay leaves. Add broccoli to it 3-4 minutes before being ready. As soon as the potatoes are cooked, drain the water.
Fry onions and bell peppers in a frying pan. Season with the spices you like best. Add the resulting mixture to potatoes and broccoli.
The dish is prepared very quickly, it turns out very tasty and, most importantly, aromatic.
Kish with broccoli
A very popular dish in many coffee shops, but you can also prepare it at home.
Ingredients:
- Flour – 180 gr.
- Butter – 150 gr.
- Cold water – 2-3 tbsp. l.
- Cream – 200 gr.
- Egg – 3 pcs.
- Hard cheese – 150 gr.
- Broccoli – 200 gr.
- Red pepper – 1 pc.
- Green pepper – 1 pc.
- Salt – to taste
- Pepper to taste
In order to prepare the dough, you need to grate the very chilled butter into a bowl of flour. Add ice water and quickly knead the dough. Make a ball out of the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for an hour.
After the time has elapsed, roll out the dough, distribute it in the form in which it will be baked, forming sides with a height of 2 cm.Let it stand in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.
At this time, we are preparing the filling. Boil broccoli in salted water. Cut the bell pepper into rings, after removing the grains.
Grate cheese on a coarse grater. Beat eggs with cream, add salt and pepper and half of the cheese and beat thoroughly.
Lay out the base of the dough with the remaining cheese. Place a layer of broccoli and on top of the pepper rings. Pour creamy cheese dressing over.
We send to the oven for 35-40 minutes, bake until the filling starts to rise and brown.
In addition to the recipes described, broccoli is often used as a side dish, as a filling for pastas, and as a main course in combination with other products. You can find other recipes for cooking broccoli dishes on the pages of our website.
Read the continuation of the article on broccoli dishes here.