Asparagus
Asparagus, a herbaceous perennial plant, is generally considered to be a luxury vegetable. Quite simply, it’s expensive to buy because it’s expensive to cultivate. A newly planted…
Read articleBeetroot
What is it? Beetroot is the taproot portion of the beet plant, often known as simply the beet. The leaves are also edible, often called…
Read articleBhaji
A bhaji, sometimes called ‘bhajia’, is an Indian snack. It’s a vegetable fritter. For example, you could have cauliflower bhajis, aubergine bhajis or, the most common…
Read articleBlanch
Blanching is to briefly and partially cook food, usually vegetables or fruit, in boiling liquid, usually water but oil is sometimes used. The technique is useful…
Read articleBroccoli
What is it? Broccoli is a brassica, part of the cabbage family, as is it’s close relative the cauliflower. There are three types of broccoli: Calabrese…
Read articleBrussels sprouts
What are they? Brussels sprouts are like miniature cabbages which grow in multiple rows on a thick central stalk. The sprout is obviously a brassica, but…
Read articleGlobe artichoke
What is it? It’s the bud of a large member of the thistle family. The heart and the tender ends of the leaves are edible. (The Jerusalem…
Read articleGuacamole
Guacamole is an avocado-based dip or salad. It was first created by the Aztecs in what is now Mexico. As well as its use in modern…
Read articlePak choi and bok choi
Pak choi and bok choi are types of Chinese cabbage and sometimes referred to simply as ‘Chinese cabbage’. People often seem to be confused by whether…
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