Romanesco Broccoli is a beautiful fractal shaped vegetable full of vitamin C, K and carotenoids. When I first saw it at the market I didn’t know what it was, but I marveled at its gorgeous chartreuse color and its spectacular shape. I continue to be awed at God’s creativity, especially when it comes to amazingly unique edible foods like this Romanesco.
What to do with a Romanesco
I decided to put this interesting looking vegetable in my basket not knowing what I was going to do with it. I figured, if anything, it would make a great centerpiece on my table. But I was too curious to bake and eat it and see what it tasted like and what the texture was like. I guess I expected it to taste like broccoli, because of its name, but it actually tastes like a mild cauliflower. I decided not to look online at recipes on how to bake it because I wanted to be creative and come up with a basting sauce I thought might taste good. The danger in that is it can turn out to be a total bomb! But it wasn’t, it turned out to be THE BOMB! So delicious, I can’t wait for you all to try this roasted Romanesco!
I basted it with an Indian spice sauce I created using Avocado mayonnaise, turmeric, cumin, garlic salt, shallots, and a touch of maple syrup. My oh my! Not only does it look like Midas touched it with his golden finger, the taste was incredibly delicious. It had an interesting core when I sliced it in half, and you can see from the inside how it is related to the cauliflower/broccoli family. I served it in thin slices and we ate the whole thing!
Roasted Romanesco Broccoli with Indian Spice Basting Sauce
Serves | 2-4 |
Prep time | 10 minutes |
Cook time | 30 minutes |
Total time | 40 minutes |
Dietary | Dairy-free, Gluten-free |
Meal type | Side Dish |
Ingredients
- 1 Romanesco Broccoli
- 3 tablespoons Avocado Mayonnaise (or regular mayo)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1 tablespoon Dried Shallots (or dried onion)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Tumeric
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
Directions
Step 1 | |
Gently rinse the Romanesco broccoli and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the bottom of the Romanesco so it sits flat in a dish. | |
Step 2 | |
In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, shallots, and all spices. Mix until well incorporated. | |
Step 3 | |
Using a basting brush, gently baste the entire Romanesco. Place it in a small baking dish. | |
Step 4 | |
Add a small amount of water in the bottom of the dish (about a 1/2 an inch). | |
Step 5 | |
Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until tips begin turning a golden brown. | |
Step 6 | |
Remove from dish and place on a cutting board. Slice the Romanesco into to slices or wedges. Serve hot. |
This recipe was shared on the following blogs: Raia’sRecipes, TheChickenChick
Wow that is so pretty! Romanesco is such a cool looking veggie. Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays linky party.