Rapini

As a farmer in central California, I grow dozens of kinds of vegetables and greens, and I love them all. But my favorite, far and away, is rapini (also known as broccoli rabe). I adore those leafy stalks and those little tender buds that remind me of mini broccoli heads, with their slightly bitter, meaty taste. Rapini is more substantial than spinach or chard and less funky than broccoli, and it's delicious in soups, stir-fries, and all kinds of pastas (like the orecchiette with goat cheese, red chile flakes, and lemon zest). —Linda Butler, Ben Lomond, California