Broccoli Rabe SautéBy Marjorie Perotti-BrewsterBroccoli Rabe or Rapini as it is sometimes called is in the broccoli family. The flowerets are smaller than conventional broccoli and the taste tends to be sharper and just a bit bitter. The stems as well as the leaves are all a tender edible part of this vegetable. It's popular throughout Mediterranean countries and served as a very tasty side dish, as part of a hearty soup, or if you add a bit more olive oil and some spicy Italian sausage as a great sauce for a classic pasta dish. Braised Fennel – Finocchio BrasatoBy Marjorie Perotti-BrewsterBraised fennel, and fennel in general is a vegetable that I use on a regular basis. It's great raw in green salads, tossed with olive oil and slices of oranges, part of seafood stews, or braised as it is in this recipe. This super simple, super fast recipe is good served with just about any grilled chicken, pork or fish dish. In addition, fennel, well very low in calories is a good source of vitamin C, Magnesium and Potassium. Escarole Sautè with Bacon & PinenutsBy Marjorie Perotti-BrewsterEscarole is a slightly bitter leafy green vegetable. It's part of the chicory family along with endive, frisée and radicchio. Growing up in an Italian family, leafy green vegetables, especially those of the slightly bitter category were often part of our meal. Escarole can be eaten raw as a salad or, as in this recipe, sautéed with added flavorful enhancements. In Italy one would probably use Pancetta, and it could certainly be used in this recipe. However, I like the slightly smokey taste and the crispy texture that bacon adds. The toasted pine nuts add a nice crunch and a drizzle of a very good extra virgin olive oil at the end is an important finish.