bitter rapini

Rod Keys said:

Hi,

What makes rapini (raab or brocilli rape) too bitter now
and then?

I just got some from my usual produce vendor. I cooked it
my usual way (cut off the stems, whack it up then sort of
saute' / braze in some good olive oil and water with a
little garlic). Usually it's great. This time it was WAY
too bitter.

I did not burn it or anything else.

What's the deal? Bad rapini? Did I over cook it? Undercook
it? I can't figure it out!

Any ideas?

Rod

It's supposed to be bitter, just like any turnip. (it is a
turnip, you know) So my guess is it was just normal varience
from one plant to the next. Maybe because of hot weather, or
an older plant?

Bob

When the plant flowers, the leaves get more bitter than
usual. You got some that was picked too late.

--Lia

Rod Keys said:

Hi,

What makes rapini (raab or broccoli rabe) too bitter now
and then?

I just got some from my usual produce vendor. I cooked it
my usual way (cut off the stems, whack it up then sort of
saute' / braze in some good olive oil and water with a
little garlic). Usually it's great. This time it was WAY
too bitter.

I did not burn it or anything else.

What's the deal? Bad rapini? Did I over cook it? Undercook
it? I can't figure it out!

Thanks for the ideas ...

The stuff was downright eye crossing .. not that nice
bitter flavor.

I think you're probebly right though .. that the bunch I got
just happened to be more bitter than ususal. Still, it
didn;t look old or anything ...

So just in case, I wanted to check for other ideas.

Looking back .. I might have used a little less water than
ususal and I might have cooked a little longer than usual ..

??????????

Rod

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:2hd2kvFbbv3aU1@uni-
berlin.de...

Quoted message said:

Rod Keys said:

Hi,

What makes rapini (raab or brocilli rape) too bitter now
and then?

I just got some from my usual produce vendor. I cooked
it my usual way

(cut

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

off the stems, whack it up then sort of saute' / braze
in some good

olive

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

oil and water with a little garlic). Usually it's great.
This time it

was

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

WAY too bitter.

I did not burn it or anything else.

What's the deal? Bad rapini? Did I over cook it?
Undercook it? I

can't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

figure it out!

Any ideas?

Rod

It's supposed to be bitter, just like any turnip. (it is a
turnip, you know) So my guess is it was just normal
varience from one plant to the next. Maybe because of hot
weather, or an older plant?

Bob

zxcvbob said:

Rod Keys said:

What makes rapini (raab or brocilli rape) too bitter now
and then?

Isn't "too bitter" an oxymoron like "jumbo shrimp"? I buy
brocolini and other variations specifically because they are
extra bitter.

Quoted message said:

It's supposed to be bitter, just like any turnip. (it is a
turnip, you know)

Rapini is a variation on brocolli which is in turn a
variation on cabbage. It is a cruciferous vegitable and
turnips are a different type.

Rod Keys said:

Thanks for the ideas ...

The stuff was downright eye crossing, not that nice
bitter flavor.

I think you're probebly right though that the bunch I got
just happened to be more bitter than ususal. Still, it
didn't look old or anything.

So just in case, I wanted to check for other ideas.

Looking back, I might have used a little less water than
ususal and I might have cooked a little longer than usual.

Nah, the cooking method or time wouldn't make a difference
to downright eye crossing. Cooking longer than usual might
take out a little of that nice bitter flavor, not make it
worse, and none of that would account for the transformation
from nicely bitter to truly horrible. Truly horrible comes
from a plant that has bolted. Bolted means growing
conditions (usually hot weather but could be something else)
have caused the plant to put all its energy into flowering.
Basically, rabe that has flowered tastes terrible. The
leaves would look fine, not wilted or yellowed, because the
plant is essentially healthy, just not for eating. If you
want to make sure it doesn't happen again and you know the
seller, you can ask to try a raw leaf right there at the
buying point. That will tell you what you need to know.

--Lia

Doug Freyburger said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What makes rapini (raab or broccoli rape) too bitter now
and then?

Isn't "too bitter" an oxymoron like "jumbo shrimp"? I buy
brocolini and other variations specifically because they
are extra bitter.

It's hard to describe tastes in words, but in this case,
"too bitter" makes sense. There's a lovely bitter broccoli
raab flavor that I love. Then there's this too much flavor
that's hard to describe except that it's like pure pepper or
the essence of bitter. I love vanilla too, but don't drink
vanilla extract. You have to taste the difference to know
it. Maybe you'd like it, but I doubt it.

The same thing happens with arugula which is another bitter
flavor I like. When it first sprouts, the flavor is
wonderful. The moment it bolts, yech.

--Lia

Doug Freyburger said:

zxcvbob said:

Rod Keys said:

What makes rapini (raab or brocilli rape) too bitter now
and then?

Isn't "too bitter" an oxymoron like "jumbo shrimp"? I buy
brocolini and other variations specifically because they
are extra bitter.

Quoted message said:

It's supposed to be bitter, just like any turnip. (it is a
turnip, you know)

Rapini is a variation on brocolli which is in turn a
variation on cabbage. It is a cruciferous vegitable and
turnips are a different type.

It *is* a cruciferous vegetable, but it is a turnip, not a
broccoli. The flowering tops kind of look like a broccoli;
perhaps that's where the name comes from.

Bob

Thanks Julia!

More or less what I suspected ...

Rod

"Julia Altshuler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:_wlsc.17464$af3.885004@attbi_s51...

Quoted message said:

Rod Keys said:

Thanks for the ideas ...

The stuff was downright eye crossing, not that nice
bitter flavor.

I think you're probebly right though that the bunch I
got just happened to be more bitter than ususal. Still,
it didn't look old or anything.

So just in case, I wanted to check for other ideas.

Looking back, I might have used a little less water than
ususal and I might have cooked a little longer than
usual.

Nah, the cooking method or time wouldn't make a difference
to downright eye crossing. Cooking longer than usual might
take out a little of that nice bitter flavor, not make it
worse, and none of that would account for the
transformation from nicely bitter to truly horrible. Truly
horrible comes from a plant that has bolted. Bolted means
growing conditions (usually hot weather but could be
something else) have caused the plant to put all its
energy into flowering. Basically, rabe that has flowered
tastes terrible. The leaves would look fine, not wilted or
yellowed, because the plant is essentially healthy, just
not for eating. If you want to make sure it doesn't happen
again and you know the seller, you can ask to try a raw
leaf right there at the buying point. That will tell you
what you need to know.

--Lia

Julia Altshuler <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<_wlsc.17464$af3.885004@attbi_s51>...

Quoted message said:

If you want to make sure it doesn't happen again and you
know the seller, you can ask to try a raw leaf right
there at the buying point. That will tell you what you
need to know.

--Lia

You can also remove some of the bitterness by blanching it
-- drop it in boiling water for a minute or so (maybe less,
it's been a while since I've cooked rapini), drain it and go
on with your original recipe, taking into account the time
it has already cooked.

-bwg

Rabe is one of those tastes I adore that many others can't
stand. For that reason, I often make this at home just for
me. This recipe adapts easily to make a portion for one.

I chop the leaves, a little of the stems and sometimes that
odd green flower, place it in a collander and rinse off the
dirt. Leave in the collander.

Make pasta, usually shells but it could be any shape, in
boiling water as normal.

Drain by pouring into the collander over the raw rabe. This
is all the cooking the rabe needs.

Give the collander a good shake to get rid of the
excess water.

Pour it all back into the pot the pasta was boiled in. It is
already nice and hot and will keep the dish warm.

Throw in butter and good quality grated Parmesan cheese. You
can also toss in red pepper flakes though I keep that to a
minimum. I like the flavor of the rabe.

Serve with black pepper at the table.

I haven't given exact amounts, but the rabe and the pasta
should be about half of each when finished. Note that this
recipe is easy to clean up after-- not that that's the mark
of a good recipe, but it is something I look for when
cooking at home.

--Lia

Wow! Thanks! I'll give er a try

R

"Julia Altshuler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:0rqsc.110309$xw3.6334281@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

Rabe is one of those tastes I adore that many others can't
stand. For that reason, I often make this at home just for
me. This recipe adapts easily to make a portion for one.

I chop the leaves, a little of the stems and sometimes
that odd green flower, place it in a collander and rinse
off the dirt. Leave in the collander.

Make pasta, usually shells but it could be any shape, in
boiling water as normal.

Drain by pouring into the collander over the raw rabe.
This is all the cooking the rabe needs.

Give the collander a good shake to get rid of the
excess water.

Pour it all back into the pot the pasta was boiled in. It
is already nice and hot and will keep the dish warm.

Throw in butter and good quality grated Parmesan cheese.
You can also toss in red pepper flakes though I keep that
to a minimum. I like the flavor of the rabe.

Serve with black pepper at the table.

I haven't given exact amounts, but the rabe and the pasta
should be about half of each when finished. Note that this
recipe is easy to clean up after-- not that that's the
mark of a good recipe, but it is something I look for when
cooking at home.

--Lia

For what it's worth .. for a test I went back to the same
(usually excellent) produce stand and picked up another
bunch .. I got the same ulta-bitter result.

Another bunch from the local super market didn't even look
as good but was fine.

The Rapini itself stands convicted .. not the cooking
method.

And Lia seems to be right .. on closer examination, some of
the buds on the ultra-bitter stuff were indeed flowering.

R

"Julia Altshuler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:0rqsc.110309$xw3.6334281@attbi_s04...

Quoted message said:

Rabe is one of those tastes I adore that many others can't
stand. For that reason, I often make this at home just for
me. This recipe adapts easily to make a portion for one.

I chop the leaves, a little of the stems and sometimes
that odd green flower, place it in a collander and rinse
off the dirt. Leave in the collander.

Make pasta, usually shells but it could be any shape, in
boiling water as normal.

Drain by pouring into the collander over the raw rabe.
This is all the cooking the rabe needs.

Give the collander a good shake to get rid of the
excess water.

Pour it all back into the pot the pasta was boiled in. It
is already nice and hot and will keep the dish warm.

Throw in butter and good quality grated Parmesan cheese.
You can also toss in red pepper flakes though I keep that
to a minimum. I like the flavor of the rabe.

Serve with black pepper at the table.

I haven't given exact amounts, but the rabe and the pasta
should be about half of each when finished. Note that this
recipe is easy to clean up after-- not that that's the
mark of a good recipe, but it is something I look for when
cooking at home.

--Lia