It’s almost too pretty to eat. But eat it we shall.
What Does Romanesco Taste Like?
Romanesco is closer in taste to cauliflower than to broccoli, but milder and nuttier than either.
How to Prepare Romanesco
When shopping, look for heads of romanesco that feel firm and heavy. Brown spots are a sign that the romanesco is a little old; a few spots here and there are fine and can be trimmed off, but try to avoid ones with lots of spots. Store in the crisper drawer until ready to use (it will keep for a week and a half or so). Prep romanesco much the way you would cauliflower, cutting the head into quarters or wedges and then cutting out the tough core. You can break up the wedges into florets at this point, or, as we show in this recipe, steam the wedges and then break them into florets.
An Easy Way to Cook Romanesco
For this salad we first steam the romanesco wedges, then lightly toss the florets in a red wine vinaigrette, along with thinly sliced red onion, celery, parsley, capers, and lemon zest. We leave everything to marinate for a bit, so the dressing seeps in, lightly pickling it. So good! If romanesco is not available where you are, you could easily do the same treatment with cauliflower.
Storing Romanesco Salad
This salad is best served chilled or at room temperature, and will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Try These Recipes With Cauliflower and Broccoli:
Broccoli Salad Roasted Cauliflower Cauliflower Chickpea Curry Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan Cauliflower Fried “Rice”
1 clove garlic 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 anchovy, minced (optional, omit if cooking vegetarian) 1/4 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Place into a steamer basket in a pot with about an inch of water. Sprinkle the romanesco florets with a little salt. Bring water to a boil. Cover and steam until just tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove romanesco florets from steamer, place into a bowl, and chill. Remove the garlic clove from the dressing and add dressing to the romanesco salad. Toss to coat with the dressing. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour. Even better overnight. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
