Quick ideas
Easy ideas for romanesco
Beautiful lime green romanesco is somewhere between broccoli and cauliflower in flavour and you can generally substitute it for either. It has a nuttier, sweeter edge that children tend to like, and is rich in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. Here are some easy ideas for cooking it.
Cook's notes
Make sure your florets are roughly the same size, so they cook evenly. If you're roasting them, don't make them too large, as they'll burn on the outside before they're fully cooked.
Ingredients
- Romanesco
Method
Steam or boil
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Step 1
Steam or boil florets for a few minutes until just tender and toss with olive oil or butter and lemon juice to taste, or stir fry for 4-5 minutes in a little oil. Add some toasted flaked almonds if you like.
Roasted
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Step 1
Cut romanesco into florets. Toss in olive oil, season and roast until just tender but still with some bite (15 minutes). Toss the roasted florets with stir fried or griddled leeks, a tin of cooked, rinsed and drained white beans and a dressing of oil, Dijon mustard and lemon juice, with some chopped herbs, e.g. parsley or tarragon.
Romanesco cheese
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Step 1
Use romanesco instead of cauliflower in a cheese sauce, or try a gratin: blanch florets for 3 minutes. Drain and toss with a tub of crème fraîche, 6 tablespoons of grated Cheddar and 1 teaspoon of mustard. Cover with breadcrumbs and a little more grated cheese. Bake until golden.
Raw
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Step 1
Eat raw, either finely sliced or cut into small florets and use in salads. Or blanch for a couple of minutes and dunk in cold water to stop the colour fading, if you prefer a slightly less crunchy texture. Try mixing with red onion macerated in a little red wine vinegar and sugar.