Can you eat baby broccoli leaves?

[remembear]

Hiya,

I've just joined today, what a fab forum, loads to read and learn. I'm a first year gardener. I've done well with baby salad leaves, loads of radishes, some carrots, conservatory toms are green at the mo.

My question is, I was growing some broccoli to eat as sprouts, but they went a bit mouldy looking and so I just tipped them into a grow box, and now they are 4" tall and I have tonnes. Can they be eaten at this stage or defintely not?

Also, I started them off in early July, so am I right in thinking they will just die off in the winter cos I've started them too late (or too early)?

TIA
Tina

[JennieAtkinson]

Can't help you with your query Remembear, but welcome to the Vine. Glad you have enjoyed it so far.
Jennie

[nick the grief]

I'd plant some out Remembear, They should be hardy enough & they'll be OK for spring - you've got nothing to loose.

Welcome to the Vine.

[yoanbob]

leaves can be a bit bitter early on, keep them out, should be fine just remember slugs are partial.
and welcome by the way

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Remembear. Good question. I always think the carrot leaves look wonderful. Don't like the taste of them just as they come. Does anybody know anything you can do with them apart from the compost heap ?

[pickledtink]

Hello there. Welcome from Sussex too.
Although they may be a bit too 'hefty' in flavour they'll be packed with nutrients and will work well in combination with other things.
Fine shredded and lightly steamed you could combine them with mashed potato and/or onion to make glorious bubble and squeak. Mash any other veg in as well to make a delicious vegetable pattie.
If you pop some in a pan with chicken stock to cover, a diced spud and some chopped onion for 30 minutes you've got delicious soup. Add same again amount of milk and puree. A pinch or two of ginger or ground coriander will give you a more subtle flavour and it's all so easy to do.

[Alice]

Hi Pickledtink, great idea but are you talking about brocolli leaves or carrot leaves. Anybody know anything I can do with carrot leaves. Are they edible is what I am asking. If they are I can make soup.

[nick the grief]

Welcome to the Vine Remembear. Good question. I always think the carrot leaves look wonderful. Don't like the taste of them just as they come. Does anybody know anything you can do with them apart from the compost heap ?

Make a nice fern substitute in a flower arrangment

[pickledtink]

Hi Pickledtink, great idea but are you talking about brocolli leaves or carrot leaves. Anybody know anything I can do with carrot leaves. Are they edible is what I am asking. If they are I can make soup.

Sorry Alice. I was talking about the Brocolli. Dunno about carrot leaves. I've never eaten them and never heard of them being eaten and half the weeds in my garden go into the soup or the salad.

i've found this bit of info though which says you can eat them. I'm definately going to go and have a nibble of mine and if it's not bitter will bung it in my 'green' soup.

Carrot tops are an outstanding source of chlorophyll, the green pigment that studies have shown to combat the growth of tumors. Chlorophyll contains cleansing properties that purify the blood, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands. Scientists have been unable to synthesize chlorophyll in the laboratory, but green plant foods contain sufficient quantities to protect the human body.

[pickledtink]

and this too:

Here in France, creative chefs often use radish and carrot tops, in soup or in a "jus" used either to season a dish as part of a swirl of sauce on the plate, or outright in a medley with other vegetable juices, served in stylish little glasses as an entremet (interlude between courses). Carrot tops are quite fibrous and can't be served outright as a vegetable. But radish leaves are more succulent and can be added to a vegetable saute at the last minute. Either way, fanes de carottes and fanes de radis spell chic on a French menu.

So I guess if you chop them in the food processer they'll go well in soup.
I love radish leaves too. I use them in all the same ways as spinach but they should be cooked as eating the bigger leaves raw can burn your mouth. Great in soup , lasagne etc.

[snohare]

I eat all my carrot tops usually, however I do cook them in with casseroles and the like because I find steamed on their own the flavour is too strong.
What I want to know is, what other root vegetable greeens are edible ? I'm pretty sure turnips and/or swedes are, but what about parsnips ? Anyone know ?

[Slug]

Hiya,


Also, I started them off in early July, so am I right in thinking they will just die off in the winter cos I've started them too late (or too early)?

TIA
Tina

Hi there remembear - and welcome! I did the same as you last year and planted my brocolli too late. I didn't get much off it last year and I was going to pull it up before the end of the winter, but to my surprise, it survived. I then got a nice harvest of brocolli from it this year, and I only recently pulled it up (after giving in to the cabbage white caterpillar!!!).

It's worth leaving it to see if it'll survive like mine did...

All the best!
Slug

[remembear]

Hiya

Thanks for all the tips, think I'll spread them out and see how they go, at the minute they're all squashed up. I'll try cooking some too...

Thanks again, and for the lovely welcome.

Tina xxx