What is a Spear of Broccoli? There are several ways to refer to broccoli and a variety of methods to prepare the vegetable. Broccoli spears provide various advantages to chefs in the kitchen, as they are simpler to prepare and more aesthetically pleasing on a dinner dish!
What is a broccoli spear? A broccoli spear is a longitudinal slice of the stalk and head. The broccoli’s “trunk” consists of the thick, whitish stem. The vegetable’s head consists of the dark green foam that crowns it. To produce broccoli spears, you must cut the vegetable lengthwise and incorporate both ends.
Why Are Broccoli Spears Prepared?
There are several reasons why you may wish to produce broccoli spears as opposed to slicing the broccoli across the top of the stem and keeping only the floret. Many individuals are eager to utilize the stem, and broccoli spears are an excellent alternative to stir-frying it, chopping it for veggie stock, or plunging it into a soup.
Better Cooking
The first benefit is that the spears will cook swiftly and evenly due to their uniform thickness over their whole length. Rapid cooking is usually preferable and can help vegetables retain more nutrients.
The stem of broccoli cooks more slowly than the florets, therefore it is advantageous to be able to cook it more quickly if you want to use a lot of it. If you attempt to cook it in huge slices, the top will become overcooked and mushy, or the stem will remain raw after the top is done.
By removing only a tiny portion of the stem, the cooking time is shortened and the vegetable is simpler to cook uniformly and enjoy.
Pretty Appearance
The second reason is because they are attractive! If you’re tired of chopping broccoli into bits or florets with a bit of stalk behind the crown, spears provide a pleasant alternative. It also makes spreading butter on the stem and eating it simpler.
If you’re attending a formal meal, “broccoli spears” sounds fancier, and they may look beautiful in a dish, gently steamed and sparkling with butter, pepper, or a sauce.
Lesser food loss
Thirdly, it is simpler to utilize the stem. Instead of removing most of it to leave just enough to hold the green crown together, you may use the majority of the length while removing the woody end.
The broccoli stem is as healthy as the rest of the vegetable, and is often much more nutritious, so there is no reason not to consume it; in fact, many people prefer it over the crown! It is a waste of money and contributes to the ongoing problem of excessive food waste in most western families.
Easy To Clean
You may find it simpler to wash and clean the spears than the florets. Because they are long and somewhat flat, you can just rinse them rather than attempting to get water into the crevices below the florets. This can speed up supper preparations.
If you enjoy broccoli, there are several reasons to try cooking the stems by slicing them into spears instead of florets! There is a possibility that your children may enjoy the notion and be more ready to try the broccoli.
Cutting Broccoli Spears
Start by thoroughly cleaning the broccoli, as you would with any vegetable. Put it on a chopping board and obtain a knife that’s sharp. Assess the stem first. If the end is woody and unpleasant, trim the bottom inch or two until the texture is satisfactory. Delete this section.
Next, cut the broccoli in half lengthwise, from the stem to the head. This will make the spherical veggie more manageable. Set one half to the side and place the other half, flat side down, in front of you on the board to create a sturdy cutting surface.
Work from one edge, slicing from the stem’s crown to its base. Aim for somewhat uniform spears. The stems should have the same thickness as the green tips. Even spears will cook more evenly since they will be done at the same time, and they will also look better if you are attempting to make a decent presentation.
As you approach the center of the halved broccoli, you will see that the pieces become broader. That’s alright; simply divide them into half or even thirds when you’re done cutting so they’re all around the same size.
Do the same with the other half of the broccoli, and trim any spears that have become too long.
Cooking Broccoli Spears
These spears can be prepared in the same manner as broccoli florets. Many people boil them, but they can also be steamed; due to their thinness, the process should not take too long.
To steam them, just place them in a steaming pan and fill the pan underneath with boiling water. Cover them with a cover and bring the pan to a gentle boil. Check periodically to ensure that there is still water below.
The time required depends on the size of the spears, but it is simple to determine when they are complete. Simply insert the tines of a fork into the stem of one of the thickest sections. If the stem can be easily pierced, the spears are cooked. If it is difficult, they require more time.
You may boil them using the same manner; only place them in the bottom pan instead of the steamer. It is believed that steamed broccoli retains more nutrients because it does not absorb water, but you can choose whichever method you prefer. Steaming does take longer, so plan accordingly if you intend to steam spears.
Broccoli spears are an excellent way to utilize the broccoli stem instead of wasting it or attempting to incorporate it into another dish. In addition to looking and sounding elegant, these green stems contain as many or more nutrients as the florets. There are several reasons to include them in your diet.