It should come as no surprise that I follow various cooking groups on social media (as well as chefs and restaurants, of course). How often do I see someone post a less-common vegetable from a CSA or an online produce subscription, asking for help and suggestions!

Well, today it was my turn, when I got something called piracicaba from our CSA, Woven Roots Farm in Tyringham, MA. At the farm, I spoke with Jen Salinetti who described it as a Brazilian type of broccoli, and indeed it looks like it. But when I got home and Googled it, I only found a couple of recipes (although I found many more mentions of the plant itself).

I think it would work beautifully in my long-cooked broccoli recipe (found here), which is great as a sauce for pasta or even as a topping for bruschetta. But it also happened to be one of the hottest days of the year, so I didn’t want the stove on for that long. Instead I turned to a quick sauté, a favorite combination that I’ve used with chard or beet greens over the years.

We enjoyed this as a side dish, but it would do equally well tossed over pasta with some Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Different parts of the vegetable prepped for cooking

Piracicaba Broccoli with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Serves 2-4, depending on whether as the main part of a meal or as a side

1 head piracicaba broccoli (or a bunch of chard or beet greens)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, halved or minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
2 Tablespoons golden raisins
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Separate the stalk of the piracicaba from the leaves and the florets. Trim the stalk as needed and cut into 1-inch lengths, and then into matchsticks. Separate the florets into pieces that will be manageable for eating and chop the leaves. If using chard or beet greens, chop the stems into ½-inch pieces and chop the leaves.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and fragrant. Add the piracicaba stems and the garlic. Be sure the garlic pieces are cut side down so they flavor the oil. (In a recipe like this, I prefer to cut the garlic cloves in half and remove them before serving. Minced garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter, and so using half cloves is more forgiving if I walk away from the stove for a moment! Either way works, but if you use minced garlic, be sure to keep a close eye on it!) If you are using Swiss chard or beet greens, add the chopped stems at this point.

Add half the salt, the pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the stems begin to soften.

The same recipe with rainbow Swiss chard from a couple weeks ago, also from Woven Roots!

Add the raisins and pine nuts along with the chopped leaves and florets of the piracicaba, or the chopped chard or beet greens and the remaining salt. Sauté for another 5 minutes until the florets become tender, or until the leaves wilt if using chard or beet greens.

Remove and discard the garlic pieces if using it in that form. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature with an extra drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

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Piracicaba – A New Version of an Old Favorite Vegetable