Romanesco

Romanesco broccoli, also known as Roman cauliflower, Broccolo Romanesco, or simply Romanesco, is an edible flower bud of the species Brassica oleracea. First documented in Italy, it is chartreuse in color. Romanesco has a striking appearance because its form is a natural approximation of a fractal (you are totally allowed to nerd out on that).

​When compared to a traditional cauliflower, its texture as a vegetable is far more crunchy, and its flavor is not as assertive, being delicate and nutty.

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Storage & Preparation

Keep unwashed Romanesco in a plastic zip-top bag in the fridge; you can chop it into florets, but rinse just prior to using. It'll start to lose quality after a week, we recommend cooking it within 2-3 days of receiving it (you'll probably be so excited to cook it that you won't want to wait, anyway!).

Cooking Ideas

• Blanch the florets and then shock in an ice bath to lock in that vibrant color. (They'll become muted if you skip the shocking step.) Add the pre-cooked Romanesco to salads, veggie trays, or even cold noodle dishes.
  
• It goes very well with pasta. Keep it simple with a hard, aged cheese and olive oil, or get fancy with something more saucy and complicated.
  
• Try it roasted or sautéed in olive oil with onions and garlic. Serve it on a sausage sandwich or an Italian sub. Don't be afraid of getting a little char on the veggie; it can stand up to the flavor.
  
• Break it into florets and pickle them with garlic.

The most important thing to remember: Don't overcook it. You want to maintain the vegetable's unique shape, not turn it to mush.
Source: Bon Appetit

Garlic and Lemon Roasted Romanesco

Ingredients

• ​2 cups romanesco florets - approximately 1 head
  
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
• 6 cloves garlic - minced
  
• 2 tsp lemon zest - plus a little more, to taste
  
• Sea salt and ground black pepper - to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Place florets on the parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and crushed garlic. Mix everything around with a spatula.
   
3. Grate the lemon zest over these cruciferous beauties and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
   
4. Bake for ~20 minutes, or until tender and browned.
   
5. Serve warm, topped with more lemon zest to taste.