I work in a grocery store. Really, I am a little spoiled because I have every food expert I could ever want just down the stairs from my office. I also don’t have to worry if I forget to pack lunch (this might actually be a bad thing), since food is just 12 seconds away at all times.
Ruler of the strange vegetable category – Romanesco
One of my favorite things about my day job is watching someone walk through the store and suddenly they stop short and ask “What in the world IS that?!” It happens all too often with one of my new favorite vegetables – the lovely, light green and spiked Romanesco. It looks like a cross between a pinecone, an alien from the original Star Trek, and a medieval weapon of some sort.
Romanesco – sliced with olive oil and sea salt for roasting
For math lovers, the number of spirals on a head of Romanesco is a Fibonacci number and each bud is literally an natural fractal. So, there you go science.
For food lovers, Romanesco is like a nutty cousin of a cauliflower, with a milder flavor and cooler curves. Bonus: it hangs onto its color and shape when you roast it and just looks awesome on a plate.
Roasted Romanesco – all caramelized and rich
The key to this warm … salad … for lack of a better word, is the toasted bread crumbs. They add a great crunch to the mix and balance out the acidity of the lemon juice.
I’ve suggested the use of anchovy paste a couple of times in other recipes. Be bold and try it. It does not add the expected fishy taste (although I don’t recommend taking a whiff as you squeeze it out of the tube), it rather adds an oceanic saltiness without adding a ton of salt. Think layers of flavor. You could also chop whole anchovies find and add them to the mix.
Fresh shaved parmigiano reggiano
If you don’t have toasted bread crumbs, make some while you are roasting the Romanesco. I put some in a little oven-proof dish, add a knob of butter, a little salt and pepper and if I have it, snipped fresh parsley. Pop it in the oven with the Romanesco and check/stir every 5 minutes until they are nice and toasty brown. I usually do this every time I do meal prep – just so I have them around. Keep any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
This salad is delicious served warm from the oven. Romanesco is about to become a favorite of yours too!
I serve this salad warm, sometimes with chopped capers if I have them or with a little cooked bacon if I have that. Some toasted pine nuts could easily take the place of the toasted bread crumbs.
Looking for some other slightly more off-the-wall ingredients? Check out these recipes:
Ingredients
- 1 Head Romanesco
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- Kosher Salt
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon Anchovy Paste - you can buy it is little tubes, like toothpaste (just don't mix up the two)
- 1/4 cup fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 1/3 cup Toasted Bread Crumbs - I like to use Panko Breadcrumbs
Method
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil.
- Slice the romanesco in half and cut out the core. Slice the two halves like you would a loaf of bread - into 1/2 inch 'slices.' Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt on the baking sheet and put into the oven. Roast, stirring occasionally until the romanesco is cooked to al dente and starting to caramelize. You'll know when it's done when you taste a piece and immediately reach for another - it will take 30-40 minutes.
- In the meantime, add a tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice and anchovy paste in a small bowl. Whisk everything together to create a fast dressing.
- Once the romanesco is done roasting and while it is still warm, add it to a large salad bowl with the dressing and parmigiano reggiano and toss. The cheese will get a little melty which = delicious.
- Right before serving, add the bread crumbs and toss again. The breadcrumbs will absorb some of the dressing, but should stay somewhat crunchy. If possible, serve while still warm.
Lydia, Pisces to the core
