The three faces of Brocky Lee

Brocky Lee’s Slaw fortifies a lunch-time soup

Brocky Lee is a fine fellow. He’s a member of a well-recognized vegetable family, the Cabbages. Many of Brocky’s famous cousins include such luminaries as Sir  Cauliflower, Mr. Kale, the brothers Radish and Turnip, and the little Missies Brussels Sprouts and Arugula.

Brocky Lee has been highly regarded as a useful veggie in Italy since the time of the Romans. He first came to England by way of Belgium in the 1700s… ever so long ago. He made his way to America with other Italian immigrants but didn’t become popular on this side of the ocean until the early 1900s. And now we see him turning up in all the best restaurants, nearly everywhere!

Here are a few pictures from Brocky Lee’s family album.

Broccoli

Romanesco

Rapini

Brocky’s might comes down to stiff fiber, the means to sharpen eyesight, and powerful weapons called antioxidants. Bullies like Cancer and Heart Disease and pests like Flu all run when they see Brocky coming. He’s rich with precious metals like iron, calcium and zinc, which he uses to buy strength for your blood and bones. He’s just a real pal to keep around!

And now, this super guy is handier than ever. I’ve just discovered Brocky Lee’s Slaw… and although I don’t usually sanction processed food, this slaw is a fabulous time-saving way to sneak broccoli into every meal.

A slice from one of Carl Warner’s spectacular foodscapes

If you insist on showing us all up, you can make your own slaw easily with a food processor and save a whole bunch of pennies. Here’s how. Top your broccoli plants and use the little trees in stir fries. Try this excellent recipe from The Girl in the Blue Apron. She even pairs Brown Rice with Brocky Lee,  for a delicious and nutritious marriage, serving up all the food groups. Then you can put the stalks through your shredder on the food processor, wasting not one bit of the precious plant. You can even shred the leaves if you want. They’re edible. Also shred a couple of carrots and a little red cabbage, and you have a home-made slaw to last you through the week.

Easy recipes that showcase
three faces of Brocky Lee with slaw

Breakfast: Brocky faces the day with a slaw omelet, spruced up with some tomatoes

I heat a little olive oil in my skillet on medium-high and add a handful of slaw. I stir it around a bit and when the whole thing is really hot I throw in a couple of tablespoons of water and put on the lid. The steam cooks the slaw super quick. After 2 minutes or so, I arrange the slaw into a circle and pour an egg, lightly whipped, onto the skillet. When it begins to firm up, I pile the veggies on top and flip it over. I like my omelet on a slice of whole grain toast. Easy, filling, and delicious.

Lunch: Brocky Lee fortifies a bowl of clam chowder from a can. Choose low-salt soups.

Even easier than the omelet, this lunch involves opening a can of your favorite soup. I used clam chowder. Add a large handful of slaw to the soup in the pot and heat gently. Once the slaw has softened to a texture you like, serve up the soup and decorate with a dash of paprika. Supplement with a slice of whole-grain bread or crackers, if you like. Easy peasy!

Dinner: A speedy stir fry starts with Brocky Lee’s Slaw

Fry some onions and peppers in a little oil until they’re tender. Add a couple of handfuls of slaw and stir until tender. Transfer to a plate and add a little more olive oil to the hot pan. Stir-fry some chicken cubes that you’ve been marinating for a few minutes in a half cup of yogurt seasoned with cinnamon, garlic powder, ground pepper, a tablespoon of soya sauce, and two teaspoons of cornstarch. If the mixture gets too thick as it heats in the pan, thin it out with a little more yogurt, or even just a little water. Once the chicken is cooked through, add the veggies back to the pan, stir another minute to rewarm, and serve the whole thing on top of some whole wheat noodles or brown rice. Use a quarter pound of chicken per person and adjust the seasonings to your own taste.

Brocky Lee comes in many guises. We could write a whole cook book devoted to his many faces. You have just seen three of them. Each of these dishy foods is easy to make, adaptable to your likes, and wonderful for your good health. In fact Brocky Lee is considered one of the superest of the super foods. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!

Related links

Health benefits of broccoli, a thorough review
Photo credit for Broccolo Romanesco: Judith Bruder

Sweet broccoli slaw – A delcious recipe option from Erica!