Wash the stalks under cold water, drain, then cut off the ends.
Rapini is now ready for use, whole or cut up into pieces. Every bit
and piece of rapini is edible, including the stalks, leaves and
buds.
Plan on 3 to 4 servings from each bunch as a side dish, or two
servings per bunch, if you plan to use it as part of a main
dish.
Rinse rapini in a colander under cold water. Trim the base of
the stems and discard. Cut the rest of the stems, leaves, and tops
crosswise into 2-inch lengths. Some people like to separate the
stalks from the leaves, as the leaves require a shorter cooking
time.
Cooking is the first step in taming this bitter green and
softening its texture. It is best suited for wilting by steaming,
blanching or slow simmering and adding it to baked dishes and
pastas. Some cooks like to blanch rapini before cooking to reduce
its bitterness. Cooking in water lessens the pungent flavor of
rapini and takes away a lot of its bitterness. Allow about 5 to 8
minutes cooking time in water or steam. Rapini is ready when it's
tender, but still slightly crunchy. If you are using rapini for
simmered dishes, add rapini about 30 minutes before the end of the
cooking time.
Rapini benefits greatly from seasonings. It pairs well with
lemon, garlic, salt, spices, beans, pasta dishes and soups. Cooked
and cooled, it's scrumptious in salads. It's tasty in scrambles,
quiches, soufflés and stuffings. On pizza or in soup, it makes for
a delicious change.
Rapini is delicious sautéed in a pan. A simple way to prepare
rapini is to sautée it with garlic and chili over low heat for
10-15 minutes, as they do in Umbria in central Italy, or season it
with garlic and breadcrumbs, as is the more classic southern
Italian fashion. In Italy, rapini is often served as a side
vegetable or added to pasta dishes or risottos. In China, it's
added to stir-fried dishes. You can stir-fry the rapini in a wok
with mushrooms and onion. Add this delicious vegetable to white
beans and some angel hair pasta for a savory dish.
