The idea struck me in the most unlikely of places: an aisle of a grocery store, sandwiched between cheap carrots and lettuce wrapped in plastic. The toddler enthusiastically pointed to the broccoli when the young father was attempting to get him to choose any vegetable. “Not that one; that’s not the same as cauliflower,” the father chuckled. “You know they’re basically the same plant, right?” said an older woman nearby, leaning in with a half-serious, half-amused expression. With his hand on the cart, he paused his motion and gazed at the broccoli. It didn’t seem feasible. But it’s difficult to forget once you hear it.
One plant that resembles many common vegetables
The majority of people believe that cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are only tangentially related. They cause people to behave very differently at the table and have different tastes and appearances. People claim that broccoli is the healthiest option, cauliflower is mild and pale, and cabbage frequently makes them think of overcooked school lunches.
They are then casually informed by a botanist that they are all varieties of the same species, Brassica oleracea. It can be similar to discovering that three classmates who don’t share any characteristics are actually triplets.
Because it attracts snakes and can turn your yard into a summer home for them, experts advise against growing this garden plant.
Many chefs enjoy sharing anecdotes about their first culinary school day. A teacher displays broccoli, tight white cauliflower, knobbly kohlrabi, curly kale, red cabbage, and green cabbage that the students are familiar with. The instructor asks, “Say the species’ name.” Pupils continue to speculate. At last, the instructor writes Brassica oleracea as the only name on the board. When everyone in the room realises how difficult common vegetables can be, they all fall silent.
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These plants are all descended from a single wild coastal plant that has evolved over thousands of years. In the past, people would only save seeds from plants with tighter buds, thicker stems, or larger leaves. They lacked gene editing and labs. These minor decisions created distinct shapes for generations: cauliflower for its tiny white curd, broccoli for its flowering heads, and cabbage for its thick leaves. While we see numerous vegetables that are guided in different ways, nature only sees one plant.
The implications of this hidden relationship for daily cooking
Once you understand that these vegetables are all variations of the same thing, cooking becomes easier. You can typically substitute another from the same group when a recipe calls for one. Roasted cabbage wedges can be made into cauliflower steaks. Coleslaw cabbage can be substituted with broccoli stems.
They all respond to fat, salt, and heat in the same way. Roasting, stir-frying, steaming, or grilling all work on them because of their similar structure, requiring only minor adjustments in timing.
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Everyone has experienced opening the refrigerator at 7 p.m. after a long day in the hopes that dinner will appear out of thin air. A single cauliflower is pushed to the back, along with a half-cooked cabbage and a yellowing broccoli. The door closes and takeout prevails because it appears that there are three distinct issues.
However, it’s only one set of tools for a plant. Cut everything into shreds and florets, then combine with salt, oil, and possibly some smoked paprika. After that, arrange it on a tray and roast it until the edges turn black. Three components combine to form a single solution.
This works because of the science behind it. Since broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage belong to the same species, their fibres, sugars, and sulphur compounds are comparable. Those things smell bad when overcooked, but they taste sweet when cooked just right. Recipes become flexible guides rather than rigid rules once you realise they are playing the same flavour game.
Additionally, you are less concerned about making mistakes. You are merely assisting the plant, which already knows how to handle heat.
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Small adjustments that improve the flavour of these veggies
Increasing the heat and reducing the cooking time is one of the easiest habits to adopt. Broccoli and cabbage are disliked by many because they are boiled for extended periods of time at low temperatures, ruining their texture and intensifying their aromas. Rather, slice them into small pieces, spread them out, and roast them at a high temperature until some of the edges appear almost too dark.
Everything goes wrong with that light char. Cooking Brassica oleracea causes the sugars to caramelise, the sulphur notes to soften, and the flavour to become rich and nutty rather than cafeteria-like.
Many people feel guilty about not eating enough vegetables, but few people are told that technique is more crucial than self-control. You’re almost guaranteed to feel depressed if you steam broccoli until it becomes limp and dull green. Same plant, but the results are very different.
Be nice to yourself when your experiments don’t work. Maybe the raw cauliflower salad was too crunchy, or the cabbage stir-fry let out too much water. You can still cook, though. This usually means that this one plant needed more heat, sharper acid, or thinner slices. Learning takes place gradually, plate by plate.
Sometimes all it takes to go from “I detest broccoli” to “I could eat this every week” is five more minutes in a hot pan and a squeeze of lemon.
- Preheat a pan to a very high temperature or preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
- To ensure that they all cook at the same time, cut the cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage equally.
- Start with salt and finish with an acid, such as vinegar or lemon.
- To lessen the bitterness, use enough fat, such as butter, olive oil, or tahini.
- Mix the family by roasting various meats together to achieve a variety of textures.
One kind of animal is subtly altering the food on your plate.
When you begin to see broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower as distinct parts of the same plant, the produce aisle becomes different. They smell like flowers, have strong stalks, and the veins are all the same when you cut them. In actuality, the variety is a testament to human patience, moulded by hundreds of years of modest farming choices.
I feel more rooted because of that. One little plant continues to change for us amidst all the chaos.
The next time you cook, your cutting board may look different. Not three distinct vegetables, but a multifaceted, adaptable friend. You could use leftover cauliflower and stems to make a smooth soup base, or you could combine roasted broccoli and raw cabbage to make a salad. Or perhaps everything roasts simultaneously, making dinner simple.
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Either way, that supermarket transaction might recur. Many lives, one plant. The plate in front of you suddenly appears a bit more intriguing and alive.
Key points
- Shared species: Brassica oleracea, which includes cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage, alters your perception of the vegetables you eat on a daily basis.
- Flexibility in cooking: You can quickly replace them due to their similar structures, which reduces stress and food waste.
- Often overlooked brassicas can be transformed into dishes worth preparing again with high heat and the correct seasonings.
