Artichoke • Broccoli • Brussels Sprouts • Cabbage • Chinese Cabbage • Cauliflower • Celery • Fennel • Leek • Onion • Shallot

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Artichokes can be produced from seeds, division, root cuttings or micro-propagation. When harvesting, they are cut from the plant so as to leave an inch or two of stem. Artichokes possess good keeping qualities, frequently remaining quite fresh for two weeks or longer under average conditions.

Apart from food use, the Globe Artichoke is also an attractive plant for its bright floral display, sometimes grown in herbaceous borders for its bold foliage and large purple flower heads.

Culinary Uses
Globe artichokes are most frequently prepared for cooking by removing all but an inch or so of the stem, and cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating. Then, the artichoke is boiled or steamed until tender.

In France, artichokes are very popular deep fried. In Italy, artichoke hearts in oil are the usual vegetable for spring in the 'Four Seasons' pizza with olives for summer, mushrooms for autumn and prosciutto for winter. In Spain, the more tender younger and smaller artichokes are used. They can be sprinkled with olive oil and left in hot ashes in a barbecue, sauteed in olive oil with garlic, with rice as a paella or sauteed and combined with eggs in a tortilla (frittata).

Medical Uses
This diuretic vegetable is of much nutritional value because of its exhibiting aid to digestion, strengthening of the liver function, gall bladder function, and lowering of HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Aqueous extracts from artichoke leaves have also shown to reduce cholesterol.

Broccoli
Broccoli, from the Italian plural of broccolo, refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage," is a plant of the cabbage family Brassicaceae. Broccoli has large flower heads, usually green in color, arranged in a tree-like fashion on branches sprouting from a thick, edible stalk. The mass of flower heads is surrounded by leaves.

Varieties
There are three commonly grown types of broccoli. The most familiar is sometimes called calabrese in Great Britain and simply "broccoli" in North America. It has large green heads and thick stalks and is named after Calabria in Italy. It is a cool season annual crop. Sprouting broccoli has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks. It is planted in May to be harvested during the winter or early the following year in temperate climates.

The heirloom variety "calabrese" available in North America is of this type. Romanesco broccoli has a distinctive fractal appearance of its heads, and is yellow-green in colour. It is technically in the Botrytis cauliflower cultivar group. Cavolo Broccoli is in this group. It has a medium-sized yellowish-green head. Purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli sold in southern Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It has a head shaped like cauliflower, but consisting of tiny flower buds. It sometimes, but not always, has a purple cast to the tips of the flower buds. Other cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea include cabbage (Capitata Group) and cauliflower.

History
Broccoli evolved from a wild cabbage plant in Europe. Broccoli has being known of for approximately 2,000 years. Since the Roman Empire, broccoli has been considered a uniquely valuable food among Italians. Broccoli was first introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants, but had not become widely known until the 1920s.

Culinary
Broccoli is usually boiled, steamed or eaten raw.

Nutritional and Medicinal
Broccoli is high in vitamins C, K and A as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C. The diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-cancer compound sulforaphane. A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also shown that it is beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.

Brussels Sprouts
The Brussels sprout Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group of the Brassicaceae family, is a cultivar group of wild cabbage cultivated for its small leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages. Brussels sprouts belong to the same family that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale and kohlrabi.

Brussels sprouts grow in temperature ranges of 45 to 75°F, with highest yields at 59 to 64°F. Plants grow from seeds in seedbeds or greenhouses, and are transplanted to garden beds. Brussels sprouts are ready for harvest 90-180 days after planting. The edible sprouts grow like buds in a spiral array on the side of long thick stalks of approximately 24 to 47 inches in height, maturing over several weeks from the lower to the upper part of the stalk. Each stalk can produce 2 to 3 pounds.

Nutrition
Brussels Sprouts contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer.

History
Production of Brussels sprouts in the United States began around 1800, when French settlers brought them to Louisiana. The first plantings in California's Central Coast began in the 1920s, with significant production beginning in the 1940s.

Culinary
Cooking methods include boiling, steaming, sautéing and roasting. To ensure even cooking throughout, buds of a similar size are usually chosen. Whatever cooking method is employed, overcooking is avoided. When overcooked, the sprouts releases a sulfurous odor. The odor is the reason many people profess to dislike Brussels sprouts, if they've only tried them overcooked with the accompanying sulfuric taste and smell. Generally 6–7 minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook them thoroughly.

Cabbage
The cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea, and is used as a leafy green vegetable. It is a herbaceous, biennial, dicotyledonous flowering plant distinguished by a short stem upon which is crowded a mass of leaves, usually green but in some varieties red or purplish, which while immature form a characteristic compact, globular cluster.The cultivated cabbage is derived from a leafy plant called the wild mustard plant, native to the Mediterranean region, where it is common along the seacoast. It was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans and was praised for its medicinal properties.

Culinary Use
The only part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its naturally spicy flavor. The so-called "cabbage head" is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a great variety of dishes. It is the principal ingredient in coleslaw.

Cabbage is often added to soups or stews. Cabbage soup is popular in Central and eastern Europe. Cabbage is also used in many popular dishes in India. Boiled cabbage as an accompaniment to meats and other dishes can be an excellent source of vitamins and dietary fiber. It is prepared and served along with boiled meat and other vegetables. For best results cabbage should be sliced thinly and cooked for 4 minutes. Cabbage rolls are an East European and Middle Eastern delicacy. The leaves are softened by parboiling, and then stuffed with a mixture of chopped meat and/or rice. Bubble and squeak consists of potatoes and cabbage or, especially formerly, potatoes, cabbage and meat fried together. Potatoes and cabbage or other greens boiled and mashed together make up a dish called colcannon, an Irish Gaelic word meaning white-headed cabbage,

Fermented and preserved
Cabbage is the basis for the German sauerkraut, Chinese suan cai and Korean kimchi. Sauerkraut or "kraut" was historically prepared at home in large batches, as a way of storing food for the winter.

Cabbage can also be pickled in vinegar with various spices, alone or in combination with other vegetables. Korean kimchi is usually sliced thicker than its European counterpart, and the addition of onions, chilies, papaya, minced garlic and ginger is common.

Medicinal Properties
Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C and riboflavin. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid which has anti-inflamitory properties. Cabbage can also be included in dieting programs, as it is a low calorie food. In European folk medicine, cabbage leaves are used to treat acute inflammation. A paste of raw cabbage may be placed in a cabbage leaf and wrapped around the affected area to reduce discomfort. Some claim it is effective in relieving painfully engorged breasts in breastfeeding women. Fresh cabbage juice has been shown to promote rapid healing of peptic ulcers.

Varieties
There are many varieties of cabbage. Cabbages grown late in autumn and in the beginning of winter are called coleworts; their leaves do not form a compact head. "Colewort" may also refer to a young cabbage. A drumhead cabbage has a rounded, flattened head. An oxheart cabbage has an oval or conical head. A pickling cabbage, such as the red-leafed cabbage, is especially suitable for pickling; krautman is the most common variety for commercial production of sauerkraut. Red cabbage is a small, round-headed type with dark red leaves. Savoy cabbage, such as Vertus 2 Savoy, has a round, compact head with crinkled and curled leaves. This widely grown Fench variety of savoy cabbage is known for large compact heads with a flattened top and wonderful flavor. Very cold resistant and a very popular savoy in France and Europe. Winter cabbage will survive the winter in the open in mild regions such as the southern United States. Other traditional varieties include "Late Flat Dutch", "Early Jersey Wakefield," a conical variety, and "Danish Ballhead," a late, round-headed variety.

Chinese Cabbage
Napa cabbage Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis, is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China, and is widely used in East Asian cuisine. In much of the world, this is the vegetable referred to as Chinese cabbage. Napa cabbage is lighter in color than other Chinese cabbages such as bok choy, which is also sometimes called Chinese cabbage.

In Korean cuisine, it is the main ingredient of kimchi, but is also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters, dipped in gochujang. The outer, tougher leaves are used in soups.

Napa cabbage is widely used in China, Japan and Korea and throughout the United States.

Nutrition
Chinese Cabbage is extremely high in Vitamin C. Early maturing variety for summer and fall. Very consistent producer of nice, tight, barrel-shaped heads. It is a good choice for small gardens

While several types of Chinese cabbage exist, the variety we most commonly associate with Chinese cabbage is Napa Cabbage, the large-headed cabbage with the firmly packed, pale green leaves that you'll usually find next to bok choy in western supermarkets. It is also known as Peking Cabbage and celery cabbage. More healthful than western cabbages, Napa Cabbage is rich in Vitamin C and other nutrients. 

Culinary Use
Like tofu, Napa Cabbage absorbs the flavors of the foods around it. It is eaten raw in salads, and often added to stir-fries, braised and soups in the last stages of cooking. Cooking Tip - Lining a bamboo steamer with Napa Cabbage helps prevent food from sticking to the bottom.

Cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed.

Its name is from Latin caulis (cabbage) and flower, an acknowledgment of its unusual place among a family of food plants which normally produces only leafy greens for eating. Brassica oleracea also includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and collard greens, though they are of different cultivar groups.

Nutrition
Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, possessing a very high nutritional density. As a member of the brassica family, cauliflower shares with broccoli and cabbage several photo-chemical which are beneficial to human health, including sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed.

In addition, the compound indole-3-carbinol, which appears to work as an anti-estrogen, appears to slow or prevent the growth of tumors of the breast and prostate. Cauliflower also contains other glucosinolates besides sulfurophane, substances which may improve the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogenic substances. A high intake of cauliflower has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Culinary Use
Typically, only the head (the white curd) is eaten while the stalk and surrounding thick, green leaves are used in vegetable broth or discarded. Cauliflower is nutritious, and may be eaten cooked, raw or pickled. Cauliflower can be roasted, boiled, fried, steamed or eaten raw. The florets should be broken into similar-sized pieces so they are cooked evenly. After eight minutes of steaming, or five minutes of boiling, the florets should be soft, but not mushy (depending on size). Stirring while cooking can break the florets into smaller, uneven pieces. Cauliflower is often served with a cheese sauce.

Low carb dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes for while they can produce a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of potatoes.

Celery
Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiacae commonly known as celery (var. dulce) or celeriac (var. rapaceum) depending on whether the stalks or roots are eaten. Apium graveolens is used around the world as a vegetable, either for the crisp leaf stalk or the fleshy top root. In temperate countries, celery is also grown for its seeds. Actually very small fruit, these "seeds" yield a valuable volatile oil used in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries. They also contain an organic compound called apiol.

Culinary
Celery is most widely known for it's culinary uses. Celery seeds can be used as flavoring or spice, either as whole seeds or ground and mixed with salt, as celery salt. Celery salt can also be made from an extract of the roots. Celery salt is used as a seasoning, in cocktails notably to enhance the flavor of Bloody Marys, on the Chicago-style hot dog, and in Old Bay Seasoning.

Celery, onions, and bell peppers are the holy trinity of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. Celery, onions, and carrots make up the French mirepoix, often used as a base for sauces and soups. Celery is a staple in many soups, such as chicken noodle soup, and is an important ingredient in Indian cuisines, including Indian Curry.

Medicinal and Nutrition
The use of celery seed in pills is known for relieving pain. A common use for the seeds is as a "blood purifier" and it is sometimes taken for arthritis. Celery is valuable in weight loss diets, where it provides low-calorie dietary fiber bulk. There is a common belief that celery, being difficult for humans to digest, has negative caloric content because human digestion burns more calories than can be extracted from it. Celery seeds are also a great source of calcium, and are regarded as a good alternative to animal products

Fennel
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, is crunchy and slightly sweet, adding a refreshing contribution to the ever popular Mediterranean cuisine. Most often associated with Italian cooking, be sure to add this to your selection of fresh vegetables. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds. The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible. Fennel belongs to the Umbellifereae family and is therefore closely related to parsley, carrots, dill and coriander.

Medicinal and Nutritional
Like many of its fellow spices, fennel contains its own unique combination of phytonutrients that give it strong antioxidant activity. In animal studies, the anethole in fennel has repeatedly been shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent the occurrence of cancer. Fennel is an antioxidant and is an excellent source of Vitamin C,

As a very good source of fiber, fennel bulb may help to reduce elevated cholesterol levels. And since fiber also removes potentially carcinogenic toxins from the colon, fennel bulb may also be useful in preventing colon cancer Fennel is also a very good source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower high blood pressure, another risk factor for stroke and heart attack. In a cup of fennel, you'll receive 10.8% of the daily value for fiber, 5.9% of the DV for folate, and 10.3% of the DV for potassium.

History
Ever since ancient times, fennel has enjoyed a rich history. The ancient Greeks knew fennel by the name "marathon"; it grew in the field in which one of the great ancient battles was fought and which was subsequently named the Battle of Marathon after this revered plant. Fennel was also awarded to Pheidippides, the runner who delivered the news of the Persian invasion to Sparta. Greek myths also hold that knowledge was delivered to man by the gods at Olympus in a fennel stalk filled with coal. Fennel was revered by the Greeks and the Romans for its medicinal and culinary properties. Fennel has been grown throughout Europe, especially areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and the Near East since ancient times. Today, the United States, France, India and Russia are among the leading cultivators of fennel.

Fennel is a versatile vegetable that plays an important role in the food culture of many European nations, especially in France and Italy. Its esteemed reputation dates back to the earliest times and is reflected in its mythological traditions. Greek myths state that fennel was not only closely associated with the Greek god of food and wine, but that a fennel stalk carried the coal that passed down knowledge from the gods to men.

Tips for Preparing Fennel:
The three different parts of fennel-the base, stalks and leaves-can all be used in cooking. Cut the stalks away from the bulb at the place where they meet. If you are not going to be using the intact bulb in a recipe, then first cut it in half, remove the base, and then rinse it with water before proceeding to cut it further. Fennel can be cut in a variety of sizes and shapes, depending upon the recipe and your personal preference. The best way to slice it is to do so vertically through the bulb. If your recipe requires chunked, diced or julienned fennel, it is best to first remove the harder core that resides in the center before cutting it. The stalks of the fennel can be used for soups, stocks and stews, while the leaves can be used as an herb seasoning.

Healthy sautéed fennel and onions make a wonderful side dish. Combine sliced fennel with avocados, and oranges for a delightful salad. Braised fennel is a wonderful complement to scallops. Next time you are looking for a new way to adorn your sandwiches, consider adding sliced fennel in addition to the traditional toppings of lettuce and tomato. Top thinly sliced fennel with plain yogurt and mint leaves. Fennel is a match made in Heaven when served with salmon.

Leek
The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum (L.), also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to the Alliaceae family. Rather than forming a tight bulb like the onion, the leek produces a long cylinder of bundled leaf sheaths. They are often sold as small seedlings in flats which are started off early in greenhouses, to be planted out as weather permits.

Cultivars
Leek cultivars can be subdivided in several ways, but the most common types are “summer leeks”, intended for harvest in the season when planted, and over-wintering leeks, meant to be harvested in the spring of the year following planting.

Growing Leeks are easy to grow from seed and tolerate standing in the field for an extended harvest. Leeks usually reach maturity in the autumn months, and they have few pest or disease problems. Leeks can be bunched and harvested early when they are about the size of a finger or pencil, or they can be thinned and allowed to grow to a much larger mature size.

Culinary Use
The edible portions of the leek are the white onion base and light green stalk. The onion-like layers form around a core. Leeks have a mild onion-like taste, although less bitter than scallions. The taste might be described as a mix of mild onion and cucumber. It has a fresh smell similar to scallion. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm.

Leeks are typically chopped into slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The slices have a tendency to fall apart, due to the layered structure of the leek. The most common ways of preparing the vegetable are boiled, fried, raw and used in soups. Leeks are an ingredient of cock-a-leekie soup, leek and potato soup and vichyssoise, along with leek soup.

Nutritional Value
Leeks are high in Vitamin B6, Folate (Vitamin B9), Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Iron.

Onion
Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" usually refers to Allium cepa. Allium cepa is also known as the "garden onion" or bulb onion. It is grown underground by the plant as a vertical shoot that is used for food storage. Onions, one of the oldest vegetables are found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world's cultures.

Onions can be used, chopped or sliced, in almost every type of food, including cooked foods and fresh salads and as a spicy garnish. They are rarely eaten on their own, but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet.

Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a snack and are referred to simply as "pickled onions". Onions are widely used in India and Pakistan, and are fundamental in the local cuisine. They are commonly used as a base for curries or made into a paste and eaten as a main course or as a side dish.

History
It is thought that bulbs from the onion family have been used as a food source for millennia. In Bronze Age settlements, traces of onion remains were found alongside fig and date stones dating back to 5000 BC.

The onion is easily propagated, transported and stored. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped it, believing that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternal life. Onions were even used in Egyptian burials, as evidenced by onion traces being found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV. In ancient Greece, athletes ate large quantities of onion because it was believed that it would lighten the balance of blood. Roman gladiators were rubbed down with onion to firm up their muscles. In the Middle Ages, onions were such an important food that people would pay their rent with onions, and even give them as gifts. Doctors were known to prescribe onions to facilitate bowel movements and erection, and also to relieve headaches, coughs, snake bite and hair loss. The onion was introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his 1492 expedition to Hispaniola. Onions were also prescribed by doctors in the early 1500s to help with infertility in women, and even dogs and cattle and many other household pets.

Medicinal and Nutritional Properties
Wide-ranging claims have been made for the effectiveness of onions against conditions ranging from the common cold to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases. They contain chemical compounds believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant properties such as quercetin. However, it has not been conclusively demonstrated that increased consumption of onions is directly linked to health benefits. Some studies have shown that increased consumption of onions reduces the risk of head and neck cancers. In India some sects do not eat onion due to its alleged aphrodisiac properties.

In many parts of the world, onions are used to heal blisters and boils. A traditional Maltese remedy for sea urchin wounds is to tie half a baked onion to the afflicted area overnight. An application of raw onion is also said to be helpful in reducing swelling from bee stings. In the United States, products that contain onion extract are used in the treatment of topical scars; some studies have found their action to be ineffective, while others found that they may act as an anti-inflammatory or bacteriostatic and can improve collagen organization in rabbits.

Onions may be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause, by destroying osteoclasts so that they do not break down bone. An American chemist has stated that the pleiomeric chemicals in onions have the potential to alleviate or prevent sore throat. However onion in combination with jaggery has been widely used as a traditional household remedy for sore throat in India. Shallots have the most phenols, six times the amount found in Vidalia onion, the variety with the lowest phenolic content. Shallots also have the most antioxidant activity, followed by Western Yellow, pungent yellow, Northern Red, Mexico, Empire Sweet, Western White, Peruvian Sweet, Texas 1015, Imperial Valley Sweet, and Vidalia. Western Yellow onions have the most flavonoids, eleven times the amount found in Western White, the variety with the lowest flavonoid content.

For all varieties of onions, the more phenols and flavonoids they contain, the more antioxidant and anti-cancer activity they provide. When tested against liver and colon cancer cells, Western Yellow, pungent yellow (New York Bold) and shallots were most effective in inhibiting their growth. The milder-tasting varieties—Western White, Peruvian Sweet, Empire Sweet, Mexico, Texas 1015, Imperial Valley Sweet, and Vidalia—showed little cancer-fighting ability.
Shallots and ten other onion (Allium cepa L.) varieties commonly available in the United States were evaluated: Western Yellow, Northern Red, pungent yellow (New York Bold), Western White, Peruvian Sweet, Empire Sweet, Mexico, Texas 1015, Imperial Valley Sweet, and Vidalia. In general, the most pungent onions delivered many times the benefits of their milder cousins.
Onions are a good source of vitamin C.

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