Ahh, broccoli. It took me a long time to warm up to this cool-season, cruciferous vegetable.

A member of the Brassicaceae family (often called Cruciferae), its a relative of our other nutrient-dense, four-petaled flowering plants like cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

Broccoli is considered by dieticians to be one of the most nutritious of all the vegetables. It’s high in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium – just to name a few.

It took me until I was in my mid-20’s to fully commit to eating all the members of the brassicaceae family – broccoli included. Now I can’t seem to get enough. It’s in our dinner plates at least three times a week – roasted, steamed, chopped and stir-fryed – as a side.

Our grocery stores maintain a steady supply of broccoli, but they don’t always look their best due to long travel times from Califoronia and Arizona, which supply about 90% of U.S. broccoli according to the USDA.

Some chefs recommend you always buy it frozen for the best flavor since it’s often harvested at peak times and frozen short after. If you’re wanting to buy it fresh though, avoid florets that are beginning to yellow. Look for broccoli that is dark green in color and has a firm, strong stem. If broccoli that quality is nowhere to be found, go on and head towards the frozen isle.

I do understand the desire to shop for fresh produce. Frozen has its limitations – and there’s nothing like a bounty of raw veggies in your fridge awaiting preparation.

For those of us who can’t resist the allure of fresh broccoli, we’re in luck. According to the Mississippi State University Extension, Broccoli is in season two times during the year in our state: April-May and October-November. Meaning, if you see it at the farmer’s market this month snatch it up! It won’t be there much longer.

That’s exactly what I did when I saw the most beautiful broccoli at the HalleluYAH Farms booth this past Saturday. They had just a few stems left and one of them was unlike any broccoli I had ever seen – it was purple.

I did some research after I brought it home and apparently purple sprouting broccoli is the same as its green cousin, it just produces multiple side shoots over a long, cold winter season – it’s still full of the same antioxidants, but has a much larger amount of anthocyanin – an antioxidant compound that’s responsible for its purple color. Apparently the anthocyanin helps protect the plant, and studies have shown that it has the ability to help protect those who eat it against cancer, obesity and diabetes. Talk about a superfood, eh?

Cooking broccoli is fairly easy, though it’s easy to overcook and burn if you’re roasting it. The ideal texture is crispy and tender, not mushy and soft. If you want to boil it to get a little more tender, do that. But only let it cook for a few minutes before draining it well and transferring to your sheet pan to crisp up in the oven.

Broccoli can store up to five days in an open plastic bag, but if I want it to last longer I’ll stick the stem in a mason jar of water like a flower arrangement and set it on the shelf of my fridge — with broccoli this beautiful it’s certainly easy on the eyes.

STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC AND PARMESAN

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 pounds broccoli florets, washed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:
■ Wash hands with soap and water. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and lemon peel and toss; do not allow garlic to brown.
■ Add broccoli and toss to coat with seasonings. Add water and quickly cover with a tightly fitting lid. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and water has evaporated. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes.
■ Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Toss with parmesan cheese. Serve.
■ Store in the refrigerator for up to four days.

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