# HELP! My Broccoli Rabe is starting to flower! Can I still eat it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 26, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543 "2007-06-26T22:47:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543/1 "2007-06-26T22:47:00Z")

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I bought some [Broccoli Rabe](http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes/images/i-broccolirabe.jpg) only two days ago and I just took it out of the fridge and I saw that it was flowering, small yellow flowers are bursting from their buds on the tops of the mini-crowns! What do I do?

Can I still eat it? Is it bad? Have you eaten it before?

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**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543/2 "2007-06-26T22:50:35Z")

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You can eat it. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it sold in grocery stores with some of the flowers already open and I know I’ve eaten it that way.

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**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543/3 "2007-06-26T23:11:50Z")

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My wife the cook tells me that if there is a lot of flowering, it’s going to be bitter, even if you cut them off. Basically, too ripe. Look for younger bunches next time.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543/4 "2007-06-26T23:32:01Z")

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To eliminate bitterness, boil for five minutes then drop in ice water for a few minutes, then drain it well.

Now you can move onto to saute-ing it and seasoning as you might normally do (til tender. Be careful not to overcook).

Blanching, as described in part one, keeps the veggie green, too.

Capish?

Fugetaboutit.

Info above provided by my mamma, who just fed me some! Yummy, and what a coincidence (of course, we had some Italian sausage fried up with it).

🙂

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-broccoli-rabe-is-starting-to-flower-can-i-still-eat-it/409543/5 "2007-06-27T02:08:30Z")

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[QUOTE=Philster]  
To eliminate bitterness, boil for five minutes then drop in ice water for a few minutes, then drain it well.

Now you can move onto to saute-ing it and seasoning as you might normally do (til tender. Be careful not to overcook).

Blanching, as described in part one, keeps the veggie green, too.

Capish?

Fugetaboutit.

Info above provided by my mamma, who just fed me some! Yummy, and what a coincidence (of course, we had some Italian sausage fried up with it).

🙂  
[/QUOTE]

Nice - that’s the method we used… I should have posted sooner! It was slightly bitter, but the garlic we minced in and a little pesto was perfect!