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Here are just a few ways to use those pesky leftover broccoli stems. We're firm believers in waste not, want not, so we're always looking for ways to make more efficient use of our food!

You'll want to start by determining just how tough their exteriors are, peeling them off if they've grown too wooden with time. After that, you can decide what to do with them. If you have enough, you can cut them into batons or slices and sauté them in a hot pan with smoking oil, driving enough heat into their surfaces to get some browned spots.

You could also pickle them in a brine, like the one I use in this Quick-Pickled Asparagus recipe. It'll work just as well with broccoli stems. (And, of course, you can play with the flavorings, using different herbs or omitting them, et cetera.)

In all honesty, though, I rarely make such a fuss. Most of the time, I prefer to eat the broccoli stems raw, either tossed into a salad or arranged on a plate and drizzled with some olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. They don't need much else.

You can also add them to a plate of crudites, and you might be surprised how tasty they are. What do you do with the leftover broccoli stems? Do you toss them or use them for something else? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Article Source: Serious Eats