3 days Ago By Alan Johnson
Have you ever considered how much broccoli you may be wasting when cooking the vegetable ? Riverford Organic Farmers claim you may be cutting it wrong, leading to loads of waste. The Devon-based store took to TikTok to explain how you can be more efficient with the green - and, at the same time, make it more presentable on your plate. "So many people cut broccoli completely wrong," they began in a video.
"What is quite commonly done is people cut away the florets from the top and then discard the stalk," a member of staff explained. However, guidance is on hand to avoid that wastage, and create a "tenderstem-like effect". Riverford Organic Farmers advise using a peeler to get rid of the "tougher outer layer", before slicing the florets at the top all the way down to the bottom of the broccoli's base.
"Any larger bits can be halved so that they cook evenly," they advise. Showcasing the end result ready for the pan, the farm shop closed the tip: "There you have it - no food waste and much more broccoli for your buck." Meanwhile, appearing for other suggestions, they penned in a caption: "Do you do it like this already, or do you have your own trick?" One budding chef responded: "I love eating the stalk, I cut them into cubes and drizzle with oil with the florets and put them in the oven.
" A second TikTok user enthused: "I'm glad to see lots of people eat the stalk. I tend to cut off the florets and then slice the stalk separately." A third person praised: "Ooh, interesting! I like to slice the stem and throw it in a stir fry, it's a bit like water chestnut but with more flavour.
" A fourth individual added: "I've always cut it this way, but if I am making soup, I save the length of stalk for soup, full of vitamins so healthy." Whilst a fifth shared their experience: "Best advice I’ll give is eat your florets as per usual in one meal then chop the stalk in small bits to use in a slow cooker casserole in the next few days with other vegetables and meat." Cutting down on waste is a key priority at Riverford, who highlight on their website : "Brilliant veg has the power to shape a better world - through what we grow, how we grow it, how it inspires you in the kitchen, and the joy it brings to your plate.
"With the support of customers, in the past year we've saved 21 tonnes of plastic, donated over 1 million portions of veg to charity, planted over 1,500 native trees, and raised £164,744 for our charity partner Ripple Effect. And there's still so much more to come. "More than ever, we want to inspire people to cook with amazing veg that makes a positive impact.
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