Vegetarian mains
Five spice romanesco steaks
This recipe uses a whole head of Romanesco, including the leaves, meaning no food waste. Romanesco steaks are pan-fried in Chinese 5 spice and butter, then baked in the oven with the leaves. Try drizzling with sriracha sauce to finish. This dish works well as a side, or serve with couscous or rice for a light meal.
Cook's notes
Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side.
Ingredients
- 1 head of Romanesco
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice
- Olive oil
- Knob of butter (optional)
- Sriracha sauce (optional)
Method
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Step 1
Snap off the outer leaves of the Romanesco, keeping them to one side to use later.
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Step 2
Slice off and discard the tough end of the Romanesco stalk, about 1 cm or so.
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Step 3
Sit the Romanesco on its stalk and slice down into thick steaks, cutting so each steak is a couple of centimetres thick. Don’t worry if some of the florets break off - these will be used too. Add the steaks and any smaller bits into a roasting tray.
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Step 4
Prepare the leaves by cutting down the middle of the stem. This will make them cook quicker and crisp up nicely in the oven. Add to the roasting tray.
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Step 5
Add the Chinese 5 spice to the roasting tray, then add a good glug of olive oil. Mix with your hands to ensure all of the Romanesco and the leaves are coated with olive oil and the spices.
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Step 6
Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
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Step 7
Heat a frying pan on a medium-high heat: you want it hot enough to get a nice sizzle when you add the Romanesco. Add the steaks and any smaller bits of Romanesco to your pan, keeping the leaves in the roasting tray.
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Step 8
Fry until golden on both sides, and then add a good knob of butter. Let it melt and bubble away, then turn the Romanesco to ensure it’s covered. If you prefer, you can use more olive oil or a dairy-free butter alternative.
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Step 9
Transfer the Romanesco from the pan back into the roasting tray, along with the juices from the melted butter.
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Step 10
Place the roasting tray in your preheated oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the middle of the steaks are tender.
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Step 11
Remove and serve drizzled with sriracha sauce as side, or with couscous or rice for a light meal.