What is Romanesco and How to Use It | Lakewinds Food Co-op (2024)

FAQs

What is Romanesco and How to Use It | Lakewinds Food Co-op? ›

Though it looks more like cauliflower in texture and form, romanesco's taste is more like broccoli – mild and nutty with sweeter notes that lend well to savory pairings. An easy way to use it is to roast with olive oil, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Eat it roasted, steamed, sautéed with garlic and olive oil, in a stir-fry, tossed with pasta, in a quiche, or a soup. Just make sure you don't overcook it because aside from an unpleasant mushy texture, it will also lose a lot of its flavor.

Romanesco broccoli has a similar but milder, sweeter, and nuttier flavor than both broccoli and cauliflower. This pleasing, mild flavor lends itself to a wide range of dishes and flavor combinations. The florets are dense, like cauliflower, but slightly more tender.

Like broccoli, Romanesco can be eaten raw, but also holds up well under various cooking methods like stir frying or roasting in an oven. As the florets heat up, they can become surprisingly sweet, making Romanesco a perfect addition to curries and other spicy dishes.

It is an edible flower bud of the species Brassica oleracea, which also includes regular broccoli and cauliflower. It is chartreuse in color and has a striking form that naturally approximates a fractal. Romanesco has a nutty flavor and a firmer texture than white cauliflower or broccoli when cooked.

According to The Land Connection, the nutritional profiles of broccoli and romanesco are fairly similar. Both are excellent sources of vitamins C and K, as well as dietary fiber.

Choose dense heads without any discoloration. Harvested heads can be stored in plastic in the refrigerator for about a week.

Like other members of the brassica family, romanesco is high in vitamin K, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and carotenoids, supporting your body's tissue repair, blood clotting, system regularity, and more.

The stem should show no signs of wilting; it should be firm and not floppy. Look for heads that still have perky leaves attached, as that's a good sign of freshness. If the leaves have been removed, there's a greater likelihood that the vegetable is older. Heads should feel dense and heavy for their size.

Romanesco Facts

Like other members of the Brassica family, including kale and cabbage, Romanesco is high in Vitamins C and K, and is a good source of dietary fiber. Romanesco is also particularly high in carotenoids and phytochemicals. When buying Romanesco, choose heads that are bright in color.

What does romanesco mean in English? ›

Romanesco is an Italian adjective meaning "pertinent to the medieval and modern Roman people". Romanesco may refer to: Romanesco dialect, an Italian dialect spoken in the city of Rome and its surroundings. Romanesco broccoli, a kind of cauliflower.

Brassica-Romanesco Broccoli

An edible flower from the same family as the cabbage, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. It tastes similar to the latter, but with a nutty edge which gives it a distinct flavour to go with its distinct appearance.

Raw, the florets are similar in texture to cauliflower, but romanesco has smaller buds and is slightly sweet, similar to broccoli. It cooks a bit faster than cauliflower: it holds up to heat well and maintains its texture.

Romanesco leaves can be consumed in both raw or cooked applications such as steaming, braising, stewing, frying, sautéing, and roasting. The leaves are prepared like any other hearty greens such as kale, collards, or cabbage and can often be substituted in recipes as the leaves will not wilt once cooked.

Romanesco has long been popular throughout Europe and more recently in North America and elsewhere. It is cultivated in South America, northern Europe and the United States and can be found in major grocery stores and farmer's markets.

Is Romanesco broccoli genetically modified? No. Romanesco broccoli, grown and eaten for more than 500 years, is an edible flower bud of the species Brassica oleracea. It is related to both broccoli and cauliflower but is botanically different.