 |
| Romanesco broccoli/romanesco cauliflower |
The first time I saw a romanesco cauliflower (also known as
a romanesco broccoli or, as Nick calls it, a ‘fractal flower’) Nick had brought
one home from our local farmer’s market and had me close my eyes and put out my
hand. My first thought upon seeing it was, “That’s a friggin beautiful piece of
vegetable art!” followed immediately by, “How the hell do I cook this?!”
It’s a little difficult to tell from the photo (and in
person), but each awesome fractal bunch is a floret exactly like a cauliflower
or broccoli. It is a pale green in color, which becomes more vibrant as it’s
cooked, and has a mild, sweet flavor and is often described as nutty.
Texturally, it is exactly like a cauliflower and can be substituted in place of
a cauliflower in recipes. As the name suggests, this romanesco veggie hails
from Italy (from the 16
th century) and is an heirloom variety.
 |
| Amazing fractal design |
Don’t be put off by its bizarre appearance. If you see one
of these puppies at a farmer’s market or at the grocery store, give them a
whirl. They are quite scrumptious steamed with a little butter, salt, and grated parmesan
on top. They are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost…
