Bountiful Brassicas

What in the world is a brassica?! This month, classrooms all across the valley are learning about the amazing family of Brassicaceae, Montana’s October Harvest Of The Month, and an important member of the Wild Mustard family! The numerous species within this family are considered cruciferous vegetables, some of the world’s most important crops. From broccoli to kohlrabi, cabbage to brussels sprouts, we have the Brassica family to thank! Here in Montana, we love Brassicas as many are cold hardy and enjoy our moderate climate. 

To better understand this huge plant family, we need to go back to the roots.. or the stem.. maybe the flowers? We need to look at the Wild Mustard Plant, or Brassica oleracea! This plant, originally native to Europe and the Mediterranean, was one of the first known domesticated crops. It was brought over to North America sometime during the 1700s and has become both a cultivated and invasive plant across the United States and Canada. 

The Wild Mustard plant can be thought of as the “great grandmother” plant to many vegetables we have today! Her flowers, stems, leaves and buds have been intentionally cultivated for generations, resulting in over 3,700 varieties of brassicas. In the figure above, you can see how each cruciferous cousin has specific characteristics that were carefully cultivated over time. For example, the curious kohlrabi was intentionally developed to grow a round, swollen stem that can be green, purple, white or yellow depending on the variety! While we enjoy eating the delicious stem of the kohlrabi plant, some other stems in this family are fibrous and less enjoyable, such as kale and brussels sprouts. Each member of this expansive family has a different taste, smell, and appearance, yet can all be traced back to the Brassica oleracea. 

In Montana, Brassicas are great in our gardens as they enjoy cooler weather and can be planted as early as April in Montana. Cabbage, one of the best Montana brassicas, takes 50 to 100 days to mature. Brassicas are chalk-full of awesome nutrients such as Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin A, potassium and Vitamin b6. The right timing and temperature are imperative for a nutritious, flavorful, and beautiful harvest. 

There are endless ways to prepare and enjoy these veggies! 

Fresh: Many Brassicas are delicious served raw. Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are tasty options that require little preparation. Shredding those Brassicas creates a dynamic component to any salad. 

Frozen: Brassicas can be stored frozen for up to 1 year after being blanched. To blanch Brassicas, briefly boil the prepared vegetables until the leaves are slightly soft and then dunk in ice water. 

Steamed: Steaming can be a great solution for some brassicas, including collards, cauliflower, and broccoli. Boil about an inch of water in a pot then add the trimmed and cleaned vegetables in a steamer basket over the boiling water. Cover and steam until tender to bite, about 3-5 minutes. 

Roasted: Roasting Brassicas is a delicious option to add flavor and accentuate the texture of the vegetables. Kale, Brussels sprouts, and turnips are delicious when tossed with oil and seasoning then roasted in the oven. Kale can be roasted or dehydrated to make tasty kale chips! 

(Montana Harvest Of the Month) 

Brassicas, from cabbage to kohlrabi, are a wonderful way to incorporate nutrient-dense and delicious food into your meal. We are lucky enough to grow so many of these beauties in Montana, and for that we have the Wild Mustard Plant to thank! Here is a yummy recipe to follow using this hearty harvest of the month 

Pan-Roasted Romanesco Recipe

Ingredients: 

● 1 medium head of Romanesco or cauliflower (about 2 lb.), trimmed 

● 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

● 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 

● ¼ cup skin-on or blanched hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 

● 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

● ½ cup chopped parsley 

● Kosher salt 

Directions: 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°. Stand Romanesco on its stem and cut it from top to bottom into 1"-thick slabs. Don’t worry about the outer edges that may crumble or smaller florets that break away; nudge those into a pile along with any nice-looking leaves. Cut loose bits into ½" pieces; season bits and Romanesco steaks with kosher salt. 

Step 2: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. oil and slip Romanesco steaks into pan—puzzle them together so they don’t overlap; work in batches if needed. Cook, rotating skillet periodically for even browning, until dark brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn and drizzle a bit of oil over second sides and into empty areas of the pan. Scatter chopped pieces of Romanesco into spaces between steaks and toss gently to coat with oil (add more if needed). 

Step 3: Transfer pan to oven; roast Romanesco until a tester inserted into stems slips through without much effort, 15–18 minutes. Steaks should be firm enough to still hold together without being crunchy. 

Step 4: Transfer steaks to a platter. Return pan with loose pieces of Romanesco to medium-high heat. Add butter, hazelnuts, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until everything is toasted and crisp around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add parsley and vinegar and stir up any browned bits. Spoon over steaks and season with sea salt. Serve with lemon wedges. 

Recipe adapted from here.

References:

“Classroom Bites Brassicas - Mt Harvest of the Month.” Montana Harvest Of The Month, MT Farm To School, 2022, https://mtharvestofthemonth.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HOM21_Brassicas_Teacher.pdf. 

VEGadmin. “What Are Brassicas, Exactly?” PA Veggies : PA Veggies, 9 Aug. 2022, 

https://www.paveggies.org/what-are-brassicas-exactly/. 

Music, Carla Lalli. “Pan-Roasted Romanesco with Hazelnuts and Crispy Bits.” Bon Appétit, Bon Appétit, 1 June 2019, https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pan-roasted-romanesco-with-hazelnuts-and-crispy-bits. 

“Veronica F1 Romanesco.” Organic Non-GMO, 

https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-veronica-f1-romanesco.html.