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A Healthy Vegetable with Style
Romanesco – A Healthy Vegetable with Style
While walking through Chicago’s Eataly’s produce department, I just couldn’t take my eyes off of this unique vegetable, shocking iridescent green in color with knobby spiraled buds protruding from a pyramid coiled cone. I just knew we had to become friends. After taking my alien looking veggie home, I took a nibble from one bud and decided that it tasted very much like an artistic cauliflower and probably would be enjoyed in many ways, raw in a salad with some vinaigrette, lightly sautéed, or cooked until very tender and full of earthy sweetness.
Glaring at the cone, I started to chip off the smaller buds and placed them in a microwave safe dish. After adding a few tablespoons of water, I cooked it covered on high heat in the microwave for several minutes, stirring it occasionally. I added some chopped fresh rosemary and light butter mixed with olive oil for the final minute of light cooking, leaving tender veggie morsels with just a hint of butter flavor. Of course, a little salt and pepper seasoned the dish…….so delightful.
If you are not a microwave fan, just steam the veggie or cook them in a sauté pan. You can even add some garlic with lemon zest and red pepper. Then go Italian all the way with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
After you buy the veggie, store them in a tight produce bag to avoid the heads from becoming discolored or withered. You will find that they can come in different sizes and petite romanesco are so attractive. All you need to do is cut them in half, steam cook, and serve with a light butter sauce. So beautiful and healthy too.
Give them a try!
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