Broccolini

Broccolini (Brassica oleracea), sold in much of the world as Tenderstem or baby broccoli, is a green vegetable bred as a hybrid of ordinary broccoli and Chinese broccoli (gai lan), grown for its long, slender, tender stalks topped with small, loose florets and a scatter of little leaves. The whole stem is edible end to end, needing no peeling, and it cooks quickly to a sweet, mild, faintly grassy green flavour that is gentler and a touch sweeter than full-sized broccoli, with a slight asparagus-like character. It is most often quickly sauteed, blanched, steamed, grilled or roasted, dressed simply with garlic, chilli, olive oil, lemon or a splash of sesame oil.