Raab, Rabe, Rape, Rapini…It's Time!

A day or two of sunshine and 50-plus degree weather, and my kale plants were busting with buds, aka raab, rape, rapini or rabe.

As Jim Dixon said in his rant on the subject, these greens are the immature buds of various cruciferous plants like chard, kale, collards and broccoli. They pop out in the spring for a short period, then flower and set seeds to make more of their kind. Like their adult versions, they're packed with vitamins and nutrients and, as I constantly tell my son when I serve them, "Your colon will thank me when you're my age."

I like them simply sautéed with a little olive oil and garlic, maybe some bacon if you've got it, and served as is, maybe as a bed under meat or fish. Though they're terrific blanched and chopped into salads and pastas or sprinkled on pizza, too. If you don't have any in your garden, not to worry…there are scads of all kinds of them at the farmers' markets.

Remember: your colon will thank you…