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    Broccoli Romanesco or Cauliflower Romanesco

    November 19, 2007 by G. Stephen Jones 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Broccoli Romanesco or Cauliflower Romanesco

    What Is This Interesting Vegetable?

    My wife brought this odd looking vegetable home from the farmers market they have at her workplace. I had never seen one before but it certainly looked interesting so I steamed it up and served it as a side dish with our meal that night.

    It was delicious. Tasted like cauliflower but only more tender.

    I don’t think you will find it in many supermarkets but if you can find it, try it. This relative of the cauliflower family is lime green and has cone-shaped florets.

    You want to select heads that are very dense and bright in color and stay away from any with bruised florets. This can stay in the refrigerator for about a week, but I promise, it won’t last that long once you taste it.

    Only Martha Stewart

    My wife happened to be looking at her Martha Stewart November 2007 Living Magazine and what did she find? A recipe featuring Broccoli Romanesco and Parmesan Puree.

    Only Martha would have a recipe for an esoteric vegetable only found in local farmers’ markets. And, it looks like a great one I can’t wait to try this Thanksgiving.

    If you can’t find Broccoli Romanesco, you can substitute a head of broccoli and a head of cauliflower instead.

    Print Recipe

    Broccoli Romanesco or Cauliflower Romanesco

    How to prepare a delicious side dish with broccoli romanesco or cauliflower romanesco
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 6

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • 2½ pounds broccoli Romanesco about two heads, cut into ¾ inch pieces
    • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
    • ½ cup water
    • Coarse salt Kosher or sea
    • ½ cup whole milk
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated plus more for adding at the end
    • Freshly ground pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
    • Add the broccoli Romanesco and sliced garlic cook until brightly colored and starting to turn golden brown. This should take about 9 minutes. Remove and reserve a few pieces for garnishing but leave the rest.
    • Add water and 1 teaspoon of salt to the skillet. Cover and cook until the broccoli Romanesco until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid from the skillet.
    • In your food processor or blender, puree half the broccoli Romanesco and transfer to a large bowl. Puree the remaining broccoli Romanesco.
    • In a separate saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a gentle simmer.
    • Add the milk and cream mixture to the food processor with the second batch and pulse to combine. Add this mixture to the first batch in the bowl and mix gently together.
    • Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, season with salt and pepper and mix together. Taste and adjust seasonings.
    • Garnish with the reserved broccoli Romanesco and a little more of the Parmigiano cheese.
    • Serve as a side dish.
    « How Do You Know When The Meat Is Done
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    Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes

    I'm a work-at-home dad who enjoys cooking, learning everything I can about the culinary world and sharing it with you. To learn more about me... Read More…

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cynthia Oduro

      November 19, 2007 at 10:17 am

      I like your recipies

      Reply
    2. Hallie Ruth McGonigal

      January 08, 2008 at 8:09 pm

      From time to time I have found the Cauliflower Romanesco at Whole Foods Market. It is beautiful to see and delicious. To me it looks like sea creatures grouped together with an intricate shell system. Almost like a coral of many textured cones. I’ll bet Martha Stewart could make a beatiful center piece with this vegetable as well as a tasty dish.

      Reply
    3. christine

      October 06, 2009 at 9:09 pm

      I roasted it with oil, salt and pepper. It was much better than just steamed and the flavor was subtle but enchanting.

      Reply
    4. susan

      January 08, 2010 at 3:12 am

      Some recipes call for keeping, rather than destroying, the beautiful form of the romanesco head.

      I’m not exactly sure what you are referring to, but it sound good. – RG

      Reply

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