I am surprised that there is only one reference to romanesco cauliflower in this blog, and even then only in passing. Romanesco is a beautiful version of cauliflower although the taste is almost identical.
I found a fresh and green specimen in Dart’s Farm last weekend. It was very small so I decided to griddle it in a pan, along with some sliced red chilli and garlic. We ate it with some roasted Crown Prince squash and grilled salmon for dinner tonight.
For the salmon, prepare a light marinade with: 1 tablespoon red miso, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Make a few cuts in the salmon fillet and spread the marinade over, leave for around 15 minutes then grill in the oven until cooked. No time measurements but I am sure you will be able to gauge what is required.
Romanesco cauliflower recipe below:
Trim off the large stalks and leaves from the cauliflower.
Cut the cauliflower down the middle into four equal pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower for 2 – 3 minutes. The cauliflower should retain a bit of ‘bite’ and not be too soft.
Remove the cauliflower from the pot and place on a plate to cool and dry off.
Heat some olive oil in a pan and place the cut sides of the cauliflower to brown/ blister all over.
Towards the end, add the sliced chilli and garlic, fry until browned. Serve with a sprinkling of flaked seat salt.
Stages in cooking: raw, parboiled, pan-fried
For Sunday lunch at Dart’s Farm Table, we had roast beef and roast pork. Perfectly lovely, but being Chinese I would always prefer it if the vegetables were served separately (and in big quantities) for everyone to help themselves.
