Baked Romanesco Broccoli With Mozzarella and Olives Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

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.

You can prepare Romanesco just as you would cauliflower or even broccoli and can enjoy it raw or cooked. But the flavor is uniquely its own. When cooked, it has an earthy, nutty flavor.

The number of spirals on the head of Romanesco is called a Fibonacci number. Romanesco's unique appearance make it an attention grabber in produce displays, or on a crudité healthy snack-platter. It has a firm texture and delicate nutty flavor.

Romanesco broccoli (also known as broccolo romanesco, romanesque cauliflower, or simply romanesco) is in fact a cultivar of the cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), not a broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica).

It may look like a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower, but romanesco is actually more of a cousin. It's a type of brassica that's been bred to get its eccentric shape and nutty taste. When you eat romanesco, you're actually eating a flower.

Romanesco didn't arrive in the U.S. until the beginning of the 20th century, but it is thought to have originated in the Lazio region of Italy as early as the 15th century. Rome, from which the plant gets its name, is the capital of Lazio.

With its high levels of vitamin C and carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene that act as antioxidants, romanesco fights off free radicals, boosts your immune system, and promotes healthy skin.

Rinse and dry romanesco just before cooking. The stem, leaves, and stalks are all edible but may need to be trimmed. Removed any brown, broken, or extra-tough pieces. Serve it raw or blanched as part of a crudités platter or in a salad.

Romanesco has a pleasing, nutty taste, can be enjoyed raw but if cooked lightly, but still maintains its flavor and unique texture. Also known as Roman cauliflower, Broccolo Romanesco, Romanesque cauliflower or simply Romanesco, or more simply Broccoflower.

How do you know when romanesco is ready? ›

Heads should be ready to harvest 75-100 days after transplanting. Once they are ready the entire head can be cut off with a sharp knife or individual stalks can be removed. Once the head is cut it does not typically produce new side shoots. Choose dense heads without any discoloration.

Using a small paring knife, and going from the underside, cut the florets apart from each other. If you end up with large florets that are too big for your purposes, you can cut them into halves or quarters, leaving the stems attached to hold them together. These are good for crudité platters, steaming or roasting.

Extreme temperatures will also bring the production of broccoli to a screeching halt. If your broccoli won't head at all, other potential culprits are overcrowding, damage to the root system, or transplanting seedlings too late with roots that are root-bound.

Romanesco isn't as hardy as most other Brassicas and seedlings shouldn't go outside until the soil is at least 60°F. Broccoli prefers full sun when growing in cool weather. In warm weather it will grow in light shade. Broccoli transpires quite a lot of water and for optimal growth the soil should be moist at all times.

Purple broccoli, as with other cruciferous cultivars, is a cool season plant and is sometimes referred to as 'winter sprouting broccoli. ' There are several different named cultivars of Purple broccoli, including Bordeaux, Claret, Nine Star, Red Arrow, Red Head and Red Spear.

Broccoli is a descendant of the wild cabbage plant, which is native to the Mediterranean region. Over the years, farmers selectively bred wild cabbage plants to produce various cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli. One of the main reasons broccoli was bred was for its high nutritional value.

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.

Keep unwashed romanesco in a plastic zip-top bag in the fridge; you can chop it into florets, but rinse just prior to using. It'll start to lose quality after a week, but Brad recommends cooking it within 24 hours of purchasing it (you'll probably be so excited to cook it that you won't want to wait, anyway!).

Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Dogs can eat the vegetable both cooked and raw, as long as there are no seasonings or oils added. However, this vegetable should always be given in very small quantities, especially because the florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation in dogs.

Broccoli cut into florets releases sulforaphane—a compound found in many cruciferous vegetables that can give off a strong odor. If the odor is mild, your broccoli is still probably OK. Any odors that smell especially strong are a sign that the broccoli is past its peak.

What do black spots on broccoli mean? ›

Look for any patches or mold or little black dots; this is a sure sign it's time to throw your broccoli out. Also, keep an eye out for any yellowing or sprouting. If the tiny bunds on your broccoli look like they're about to bloom, that's a key indicator that it's past its prime.

Romanesco, also known as broccoflower or Roman cauliflower, is a chartreuse, unique-looking vegetable prized for its appearance and mild flavor. It is sometimes assumed to be a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower but is botanically different (although related).

Romesco is a Spanish sauce and Romanesco is an Italian 16th-century heirloom type of cauliflower in the cruciferous family that includes cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and kale. Romanesco is a strikingly beautiful chartreuse green edible flower bud with spiral florets, each smaller than the spine on which it grows.

Cooking Romanesco is not as difficult as its complicated appearance might suggest, and yields delicious results. You can substitute Romanesco for broccoli or cauliflower in your favorite recipes or prepare Romanesco on its own as a healthy side dish.

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.