Romanesco, the Lady Gaga of Broccolifeatured
Romanesco is like the Lady Gaga of broccoli.
Unapologetic, captivating, a bit peculiar. Certainly there isn’t a more stylish vegetable.
With its kaleidoscopic spires and minarets, it looks like it could be some kind of architectural coral from the ocean floor…or Mars. The fractal nature of broccoli romanesco’s structure is quite stunning, and what’s even more remarkable, the number of spirals on a head of romanesco is a Fibonacci number.
Sometimes called “Roman cauliflower” the lineage of the vegetable indeed goes back to cauliflower, and it has the same texture of cauliflower, but the flavor is closer to that of broccoli, except more subdued.
As I pondered how to cook this beautiful head of romanesco, my mind landed on another classic Roman dish, Cacio e Pepe, traditionally a simple and satisfying spaghetti dish adorned with just Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and some olive oil.
With a few tweaks and coaching from America’s Test Kitchen and Serious Eats, a properly Roman dish was born: Romanesco Cacio e Pepe.
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