by Tommaso Radice
Sprouts for a healthy, creative and surprisingly tasty cooking
It’s not just about the soy sprouts commonly found in several Asian restaurants and known to the general public: the category of “sprouts” is in fact much more extensive and covers a wide variety of legumes, cereals and vegetable plants: alfalfa and lentils, buckwheat and wheat, radish and leek, as well as mustard, fennel, sunflower and many others.
Sprouts provide chefs and gourmets with a valuable raw ingredient that combines exceptional nutritional properties with vitality, freshness and a wide variety of flavors and colors apt to stimulate all our senses. They are also perfectly suitable to quick cooking, as topping on a “bruschetta” or stuffing in a sandwich.
But what are sprouts? They are the result of the process of germination of seeds, which begins with soaking and goes on through successive watering for a period ranging from two days to two weeks, depending on the variety. Water and air are the only “ingredients” of this miracle of nature, whereby the miniaturized plant that is contained in each seed begins growing without soil or any external supply of nutrients.
Sprouts are the main element of a “live” diet, one which is rich in enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants: a power supply that generates life and regenerates our body without weighing it down and tiring it. Their peculiarity is to be eaten intact, complete with root, stem and leaves; for this reason, sprouts enclose all the richness of the mature plant: a handful of 10 grams of leek sprouts is then equivalent to 10 kg of “adult” leeks, as a 3cm long bud would become a 30cm long plant if we let it grow in a vegetable garden. Moreover, sprouts continue to live and breathe even after packaging, and for that reason do not undergo decay and oxidation processes such as vegetables harvested in the field.
How to exploit such richess in the kitchen? Sprouts are an extremely versatile ingredient, fit for preparations of “live” and raw recipes, as well as for re-interpreting traditional Mediterranean and Eastern dishes: here are some examples.
Roquette sprouts, with a deep pleasant aroma and rich in antioxidants, can be used along with pine nuts and olive oil for “linguine with pesto”. Garlic sprouts, featuring a unique concentrated flavour, for an original plate of Roman “ajo ojo e peperoncino” (spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili).
Raw sprouted pink lentils, with a tender and delicate taste, preserving their full content in vitamin C, are suitable for the preparation of nutritious hummus flavoured with parsley or coriander, spices, as well as dried tomatoes and olives.
Radish sprouts are characterized by two large heart-shaped green leaves, a stem with colours ranging from white to pink or purple depending on the variety, and an intense spicy flavour. Great to accompany raw summer salads and cooked winter vegetables, they are also a perfect match for sweet flavors such as pumpkin or carrots cream, tomatoes and goat cheese. They are source of minerals, vitamins C and B, and help to cleanse the digestive system.
Widely popular in other countries and continents, sprouts are experiencing a growing popularity in Italy, thanks to an ever-increasing consumer attention to healthy and natural food, and to a “pioneering” activity by some producers and caterers.
Fresh and ready to eat sprouts can be found in a number of organic shops all around Rome: alfalfa, fenugreek, radish, leek, lentils and mixed ones. For those who wish to devote themselves to “do-it-yourself”, seeds and sprouters make it possible to grow them at home, and harvest every week fresh and local vegetables!
Shops where you can buy “fresh sprouts” in Rome and Lazio
NOTE: In some shops sprouts may be available only on request, check directly with the retailer.
|
Città |
Negozio | Indirizzo |
CAP |
Telefono |
| Anguillara Sabazia | Zea | Via Anguillarese, 60/b |
00061 |
06-99901307 |
| Aprilia | Alimentari Bio | Via Verdi, 75 |
04011 |
06-9281240 |
| Bracciano | Terra Canta | Via Principe Di Napoli, 50 |
00062 |
06-98268193 |
| Guidonia | I CINQUE SEMI | VIA ROMA, 204 |
00012 |
0774-340110 |
| Ladispoli | Ben Di Bio | Via Ancona, 170 |
00055 |
06 99222248 |
| Latina | Essenza Bio | Viale Giulio Cesare, 66 |
04100 |
0773-281948 |
| Monterotondo | Bioshop | Via 25 Ottobre, 14 |
00015 |
06-9061809 |
| Roma | Albero del pane | via S.ta Maria del Pianto 20 |
00186 |
06 686 5016 |
| Roma | Aromaticus | Via Urbana 134 |
00184 |
06 4881355 |
| Roma | AZ. AGR. MONTEVERDE | Mercato de Calvi – L.go S.Eufrasia Pelletier box 15 |
00152 |
349-1311901 |
| Roma | Biomens | viale delle Milizie 7/a |
00192 |
06 37516718 |
| Roma | BIOPOLIS STORE | via Tripolitania 39 |
00199 |
06-86580314 |
| Roma | Capo Horn | Via D. Purificato, 199 |
00125 |
06-52358928 |
| Roma | Capoverso | Via dei Gonzaga, 34/C |
00163 |
06-66032180 |
| Roma | Il canestro | Viale Gorizia, 51 (Quartiere Trieste) |
00198 |
06 8541991 |
| Roma | Il canestro | Via San Francesco a Ripa, 106 (Trastevere) |
00153 |
06 5812621 |
| Roma | Il canestro | via Luca della Robbia 12 (Testaccio) |
00153 |
06 574 6287 |
| Roma | L’accessorio | via Guido Reni, all’interno del mercato rionale, aperto la mattina |
00196 |
|
| Roma | La Bioteca | Via del Pianeta Venere, 87-89-91 |
00144 |
06-5292946 |
| Roma | La Capra Rampante | via Donatello 65 |
00196 |
06 94359365 |
| Roma | L’ALTRO ALIMENTO | Via Antonio Zotti, 122, Ostia Lido |
00121 |
338-3996140 |
| Roma | Lo Stramonio | Via Alessandro Piola Caselli n. 162, Ostia Lido |
00122 |
06-5663089 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via Toscanini n. 5 (Infernetto) |
00124 |
06-50918228 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via Trionfale, 13992 |
00135 |
06-30311300 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via del Foro Italico 501 |
00194 |
06 8073238 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via Tardini 68 (Circ.ne Cornelia) |
00167 |
06 6636205 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via Oderisi da Gubbio, 66 |
00146 |
06 5578692 |
| Roma | Naturasì | Via Portuense 540 |
00149 |
06 65745352 |
| Roma | Pane e Oglio | via Oglio 5/B |
00198 |
06 855 93 32 |
| Roma | Più Bio Marco Papio | Via Marco Papio, 82 |
00175 |
06-7141335 |
| Roma | Più Bio Tuscolana | Via Tuscolana, 1241 |
00173 |
06-72673098 |
| Roma | Solonatura | Via Emanuele Filiberto 128 |
00185 |
|
| Roma | Tastevere | vicolo del cinque (p.zza Trilussa) |
00153 |
|
| Roma | Zibio | Viale Gottardo, 47 |
00141 |
06-8275158 |
Selling points for seeds and Sprouter in Rome
• Ecco il bio – via Alessandro Crivelli 19, 00151 Roma, tel 06 5820 9331 (Monteverde)
• L’accessorio – via Guido Reni, all’interno del mercato rionale 00196 Roma – aperto la mattina (quartiere Flamino)
• Labiomaison – via di San Crisogono 39a, 00153 Roma, tel 06 5818691 (Trastevere)
• Peroni snc – Piazza dell’Unità 29, 00192 Roma, tel 06 321 0852 (quartiere Prati)
• Spazio bio alla CAE – All’interno della Città dell’altra economia, L.go Dino Frisullo, 00153 Roma (Testaccio)
NOTE: If you are in Rome, you can also send seeds and Sprouter.
For more information and to obtain a list:
Tommaso Radice
info@germogliamo.it
tel 320 08 44 751
www.germogliamo.it
www.facebook.com/Germogliamo.it
Laureato in Ingegneria meccanica nel 2003,inizia a lavorare per la Toyota a Bruxelles.
Tommaso Radice lascia Toyota e decide di dedicarsi alla coltivazione di germogli.
Fonda Germogliamo.it, un progetto nato per condividere tutti i benefici che i germogli apportano in termini di contenuti nutritivi, vitalità, creatività e sapori, tanto che sul sito viene da lui presentato dicendo “Ho sperimentato sulla mia pelle quanto il cibo sia importante per la nostra salute e benessere, e ho maturato il desiderio che tutti possano avere a disposizione alimenti sani, nutrienti e saporiti: i germogli riuniscono tutte queste virtù”.
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