Rapini, also known as Broccoli Raab or Broccoletti, is a cool season green closely related to broccoli and turnips. We eat the stems, leaves and occasionally the flowers of this Brassica-family plant. It is available from the Capay Valley late fall through early spring. It is very popular in the cuisine of Southern Italy and Northern Spain and is also widely used in Chinese cooking.

Caring For Rapini: Store in a moist towel/cloth bag or a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Enjoy within 2-4 days.

Preparing Rapini: Rinse the broccoli raab leaves and stems. Flowers are also edible, so leave them on. The stems will be tender and delicious when cooked, so remove them only if you want to cook them longer than the leaves. It can be cooked by sauteing or stir-frying for about 3-5 minutes or boiling for 1- 2 min. It is also good steamed, and will be cooked in about 3-5 min. It is a very versatile green and lends its self well to omelettes, frittatas, pasta dishes, and stir-fries.

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