Table of Contents Show
Romanesco (or Roman cauliflower) is an unusual and healthy cabbage from the brassica family. However, for many novice cooks, this product is a discovery or a completely unfamiliar vegetable.
Let’s learn all the secrets of Romanesco cabbage together, as well as the peculiarities of cooking and serving. Don’t be afraid – our journey will be exciting and simple!
What is Romanesco cauliflower?
Romanesco cabbage is the result of breeding experiments on crossing cauliflower and broccoli. Only the cabbage head, consisting of light green inflorescences shaped like a fractal spiral, is suitable for eating.
Until now, the exact date and place of the first breeding is unknown, but one thing remains a fact – a pleasant taste and elegant appearance.
The vegetable is also rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and carotenoids. The leaves are also edible and quite good for cooking.
What’s So Great about Romanesco?
Romanesco easily beats all its cabbage competitors on most points. First of all, experts note the excellent chemical composition. Next, we are talking about the taste qualities and unique aroma.
Also, one of the most important advantages is the appearance – this product will be able to decorate any dish and impress even avid gourmets.
What does Romanesco cauliflower taste like?
Compared to cauliflower and broccoli, romanesco taste has a milder, slightly nutty taste, without a bitter note. The aroma resembles ordinary cabbage, but more fragrant.
After cooking, Romanesco acquires not only a soft structure, but also a sweeter taste than in raw form. It is also important to remember that despite its taste qualities, this vegetable is hypoallergenic and suitable for use even for children.
Is Romanesco healthy?
Romanesco is a dietary product with a low calorie content, but with rich reserves of vitamins and minerals. Scientists and nutritionists consider Romanesco one of the most easily digestible vegetables.
For the body, such a product has the following benefits:
- helps to get rid of the metallic taste in the mouth, restoring the sensitivity of taste receptors in case of taste disorders
- helps to stop the processes of putrefaction and fermentation in the intestine
- improves the condition of teeth and bones, as well as restores cells during inflammatory processes
- supports the normal functioning of the kidneys, liver, pancreas and thyroid gland
Is cauliflower or broccoli better for weight loss?
Broccoli and cauliflower are traditional weight loss products. Meanwhile, experts have also begun to actively include Romanesco cabbage in the diet menu to combat obesity.
There are several reasons for this: a low content of nutrition calories, a high content of vitamins, as well as an abundant amount of fiber necessary for weight loss.
So what kind of product is better for weight loss? There is no definite answer to this question – everything depends on your taste preferences and the chosen recipe.
How to include cauliflower in your diet for optimal weight loss
The cauliflower diet is one of the most popular dietary methods: it not only brings great benefits to the body, but also helps to lose weight quickly. This product has a negative caloric content.
By consuming it, the body spends more energy on processing than it receives. Adhering to such a diet for just a week, you can lose up to 7 kg of excess weight.
To achieve optimal results, you can combine cauliflower with cereals, fermented milk drinks, lean meat, vegetables, lean fish, seafood, fruits, berries, and herbs.
The main thing is to carefully include cauliflower in your menu, otherwise the stomach may not be able to cope with such a tough texture.Â
How to choose Romanesco for cookingÂ
To make the cooking process easy and to get a tasty dish from Romanesco florets, learn how to choose the right product. Pay attention to the following rules:
- When choosing a head of Romanesco, choose the heads of 10-15 cm in diameter. They are the most delicious.
- By weight, the ideal Romanesco cabbage can be from 0.5 to 2 kg.
- Make sure that all inflorescences are intact, without dark spots, dents and other damage.
- Inspect the leaves in which the spiral heads are buried: they should be dark and elastic.
The best way to eat Romanesco
Despite the fact that Romanesco is a rather rare guest on the festive table, this product even surpasses its cabbage family counterparts in attractiveness. Italians have come up with many special recipes for an unusual culture.
The easiest option is to cook Кomanesco like Иroccoli. Feel free to take any recipe and adapt it to this vegetable. The only difference between Romanesco and other types of cabbage is that you can’t eat it raw, only after heat treatment.
You can bake, stew, fry, and also marinate romanesco for salad. Such cabbage is good both solo and in combination with other vegetables. For example, you can bake Romanesco with cauliflower and broccoli.Â
Roasted RomanescoÂ
Roasted Romanesco is a great option to cook cabbage with a delicate texture inside and a crispy crust on the outside. Preheat the oven to 425°F and select the convection mode.
Choose the ingredients as desired, among the mandatory only cabbage called Romanesco broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Break the romanesco into inflorescences and place in a large bowl.
Mix the vegetable with the necessary ingredients. Put everything on a greased baking sheet and cook romanesco broccoli for 10-12 minutes.
Boiled RomanescoÂ
Boiling is the easiest way to prepare such cruciferous vegetable as Romanesco. Just choose an edible flower bud, prepare a large bowl and find some lemon juice (or lemon zest).
Preheat a bowl over medium heat and place the inflorescences of romanesque cauliflower there. Lemon juice is needed to soften such firmly textured vegetables as cauliflower, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables.
If necessary, you can replace it with another concentrated juice – for example, lime.
Microwaved Romanesco
The microwave can help you cook cruciferous vegetables very quickly. The main thing is to follow the instructions and prepare the necessary ingredients:
- Romanesco – several inflorescences
- olive oil – two large spoons
- of herb provence – to taste
- freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- hard cheese – to serve
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Divide the cabbage into inflorescences and put them in a microwave dish with a lid.
- Sprinkle everything with Provencal herbs, add a little salt, and pour in olive oil.
- Close the container with a lid and shake to mix everything well.
- Place Romanesco in the microwave for 20 minutes. Serve warm, pre-sprinkled with grated cheese.
Grilled RomanescoÂ
Roasted Romanesco cauliflower – not the only way to get cabbage with a crispy crust. The grill is also a good alternative for lovers of the smoke smell and rich taste.
You can choose any grill – the main thing is to adjust the cooking time of the side dish. Grilled Romanesco has its own specific taste and aroma. The haze flavor only adds uniqueness to this dish.
The preparation technology is simple: marinate the cabbage in lemon juice to soften the texture. Next, put the vegetables on the grill and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side until crisp.
Vegan Romanesco recipesÂ
Romanesco is a dietary product with a low calorie content, but with rich reserves of vitamins and minerals. This makes it ideal for a vegetarian diet.
You can prepare Romanesco steaks, vegan salads, cabbage desserts and also pancakes. The main task is not to add fermented milk products by the type of sour cream and cheese.
As a marinade, it is better to use lemon juice, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar.
How to cook Romanesco cauliflower like in the restaurant
In restaurants, chefs add romanesco to a warm salad with feta cheese. To make such a dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- Romanesco – 1 head
- Cauliflower – 1 head
- Feta cheese – 100 grams
- onion – 1 piece
- garlic – 1-2 cloves
- salt and pepper – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Disassemble the cabbage into inflorescences. Cut the onion into half rings. Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan skillet. Add the garlic, then the onion and fry until half cooked.
- Then add cauliflower and Romanesco to the vegetables. Stir fry for 10-15 minutes with spices.
- Before the end of cooking, add grated feta cheese to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the cheese melt a little. Mix everything carefully and serve the dish to the table.
Roasted Romanesco with turmeric tahini sauce
All the roasted vegetables go well with tahini sauce. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
- sesame seeds — 1 cup
- olive oil — 3 teaspoons (approximately)
- lemon juice — 2 tablespoons
- cumin — 1 teaspoon (optional)
The technology of preparation is simple:
- Put the sesame seeds in a dry pan skillet and start frying.
- Stirring constantly, brown the sesame seeds until golden brown. Be careful, as sesame seeds can darken quite quickly!
- Remove the pan from the heat and cool the contents for 2-3 minutes. Then transfer everything to a blender bowl, add lemon juice and cumin if desired.
- Using olive oil, add the desired consistency to the sauce. Whisk everything thoroughly — and the Tahini sauce is ready!
Now we have to cook Romanesco with turmeric tahini sauce. Be careful:
- Divide the Romanesco into inflorescences and soak in a saucepan with salted cold water for 15 minutes.
- Boil the cabbage for 5-7 minutes.
- Mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and a little salt.
- Preheat the grill well. Put the cabbage in a shallow pan or baking sheet, pour the sauce of olive oil and lemon. Grill it for 5 minutes.
- Remove the Romanesco from the oven, pour over the tahini sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and grill again for 5-7 minutes until the sauce turns into a crust.
How to choose a marinade for Romanesco
Marinade is what will help you make Romanesco cabbage tender. The tough texture of the product does not always allow you to cook it quickly and without problems. Consider the following tips for preparing a great marinade:
- Vegetables contain a significant amount of liquid, so do not make the marinade for them too watery.
- Do not add salt to the marinade. It will just pull the juice out of the vegetables.
- Do not use aluminum cookware for pickling any products. It reacts easily with acids.
- Romanesco pickling time may depend on the marinade recipe, but in most cases it does not exceed an hour.
- Vegetables do not require the presence of acids in the marinade. Consider using soy sauce, fermented dairy products, balsamic vinegar, as well as sour cream and mayonnaise.
Storage rules
Pay special attention to the rules for storing Romanesco cabbage. These “miniature Christmas trees” require special conditions. For example:
- In the refrigerator, you can store Romanesco at a temperature from 4 ° C to 7 ° C for no more than 3 weeks.
- If you have prepared Romanesco soup, keep it in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.
- Frozen cabbage can be stored from 6 to 8 months. However, such a dish will lose all taste qualities and nutrients.
Main tips
If you decide to include Romanesco in your diet, check out the tips from professional chefs. Among them:
- Disassemble the cabbage before cooking into inflorescences. This will help speed up the preparation process.
- If you decide to make a pie with Romanesco cabbage, add nutritional yeast to the dough. This will help the cabbage not to release excess juices.
- Carefully read the recipe notes. There, experts often indicate the appropriate marinade and the cooking time required for a certain cooking method.
- Calculate the amount of salt per 1 kg of Romanesco. If you add too much, the salt will simply pull out all the moisture and internal juices from the cabbage.
- If you decide to fry Romanesco quickly, pre-fill the vegetable with hot water and leave for 5-10 minutes. This will help the tough texture of the cabbage to soften.
Final Verdict
Romanesco cabbage is a unique product with an incredible taste and aroma. At first glance, this vegetable may seem alien to you.
However, do not be afraid – just cook it in any of the available ways. The main thing is not to eat Romanesco raw. Also, do not forget that professional chefs from all over the world consider this vegetable a delicacy and actively include it in their culinary masterpieces.
1 comment
Great tips!
Thanks