Try Weird Spring Vegetables and Weird Summer Vegetables for Cooking Flare
For some, weird spring vegetables and weird summer vegetables may simply be vegetables they have never tried before. For others, the weird factor is more about the shape, flavor or uniqueness to their region.
The following are a few spring and summer season vegetables that may be considered ‘weird’ due to their flavor, texture and relative rarity in the United States. All are vegetables worth trying.
Unusual Spring Vegetables
Listed below are several weird spring vegetables that are worth trying. More information, as well as recipes, may be found at some of the links in the References section.
Broccoli Rabe
Looking like a highly leafy head of broccoli, broccoli rabe is also called rapini, broccoli raap, broccoletti, and an assortment of other names.
This unusual vegetable is in season from fall through spring. Its commonly found in Chinese and Italian cuisine and is not broccoli. Its actually part of the turnip and mustard family.
Crisp, bright green leaves indicate readiness for consumption. Like broccoli, the stems will be tough. Broccoli rabe is a good source of potassium and vitamins A and C. Recipes for broccoli rabe may be found at the Serious Eats link listed in the References section below.
White Asparagus
White asparagus is a type of asparagus, as the name implies, and comes into season in the spring. Because it is kept from the light to produce the white color, it costs more than the green variety (labor and materials costs). It has a short season, and is prepared much the same way green asparagus is.
According to Geoffrey Zakarian in a New York Times article, the difference between the green and white varieties is that the white “has a special delicacy and less herbacesouness than the green, and is less likely to be bitter.”
He also states that they don’t need to be plunged in cold water after steaming and that when braising they must not be allowed to brown. He shares several recipes in the article, as well.
Gai Lan
Also known as Chinese Kale, Kai-lan and Chinese Broccoli, this leafy green vegetable is often found in Asian food, though many diners may not notice or realize it is what it is.
Gai lan can be cooked in a number of ways and is high in potassium and vitamins C and A.
In places like California, Gain lan is grown year-round, but its most often “in-season” in the cooler months of fall, winter and spring.
Unusual Summer Vegetables
The following are several weird summer vegetables that can add a lot to any home cook’s repertoire. More information and recipes may be found at some of the links in the References section at the end of this article.
Chayote
Also known as chayote squash, vegetable pear, mirilton and christophine, this late summer vegetable is a member of the cucurbit family and has a taste similar to that of a cucumber or zucchini squash.
The shape is pear-like and the color is light green. Ripe chayotes will feel firm to the touch. If a young seedling is beginning to grow from the end (the chayote is germinating), its best to avoid using it for consumption.
Tomatillo
This is actually a fruit, but it is used as a vegetable. The tomatillo is in-season from May through November and grows to maturity in about 120 days.
The edible part of a tomatillo is found inside a thick husk. When ripe, the husk will be brown and the fruit will be yellowish in color. Ripe fruit will feel firm to the touch. Tomatillos are a good source of vitamin C.
Recipes calling for tomatillos typically are spicy, “Mexican” or “Tex-Mex” in nature. Some recipes using tomatillos are salsa, stews and soups. One source of recipes using tomatillos is Mariquita Farm.
References
13 Weird Fruits and Vegetables: Exotic Produce. Cari Nierenberg. ABC News Medical Unit. March 18, 2009. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=7095647&page=1
Vegetable Information. Texas A&M: Department of Horticultural Sciences. Aggie Horticulture. https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/veg.html
The Chef; White Asparagus, In All Its Delicacy. Geoffrey Zakarian. May 30, 2001. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/30/dining/the-chef-white-asparagus-in-all-its-delicacy.html?pagewanted=1
In Season: Broccoli Rabe. Claire Sellers. Marcy 6, 2010. Serious Eats. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/in-season-broccoli-rabe-choosing-storing-recipes-20100303.html