Common Vegetable Side Dish to Steak?

Question

I went out to eat at a few semi-nice restraunts recently, and as one of the given vegetable sides, I received more than once a long thick stemmed dark green vegetable with small green "flowers" at the top. It was similar to the green "flowers" on top of broccoli, but very sparse, loose, longer, and much softer. The thickness of the stem was about the size of a sharpie marker or a fat pen, and similar to the size and shape of asparagus stem. The consistency of the vegetable was also similar to asparagus. The stem is smooth, and the entire vegetable is one color (dark green). They were about 6-8 inches long each.

What is this delicious side-dish??

Thanks!

Thank you! I looked up Broccolini, and that is EXACTLY what it is, however, not a cross between asparagus and broccoli, it is a cross between Chinese Kale and Broccoli. Either way, it is DELICIOUS. Too bad YA won't let me pick a best answer for 4 hours........

Answer 1

That was Broccolini - I believe it's a cross between broccoli and asparagus.

I'll describe what Broccolini looks like and you determine if it's what you ate. Long stems - thickness of your Sharpie. Has the "flowers" on top but sparse. Generally about, as you said 6-8" long. The stem reminds you of asparagus but the top reminds you of a small group of broccoli. Dark green. If you held a handful of them together, then just "might" look like a regular head of broccoli but with separate stems.

Answer 2

Asparagus!

Answer 3

Sounds like Broccolini
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28129,00.html

It is great,I love it!