Our brassicas are taking off this summer with our purple cauliflower heads growing larger than our heads so we've been reaching back into the archives for some fun recipes to use them up! Romanesco heads form into beautiful natural fractals, where each spiral is made up of smaller spiral just like itself. Boiling this plant can cause it to become mushy and lose it's beautiful design. So we prefer to bake, roast, or saute it. It's prepared just like caulflower or broccoli, removing the thick and tough stem and outer leaves, and then breaking the crown into florets. It's compact head sometimes mean that organic heads of romanesco may smuggle buggies into your kitchen from your CSA box, so wash it well.
Ingredients
2 heads of Romanesco
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup water
Salt & Pepper
½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cut and core the heads of Romanesco into small bite-sized florets, about 5 cups.
Add olive oil to a pan that has a cover and bring to a moderate temperature.
Add garlic and Romanesco florets and cook over medium heat until browned.
Add water and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the water dissipates and the florets become tender.
Remove from heat and dust cooked florets with grated cheese.
Toss to combine and serve immediately.