Romanesco broccoli, also known as Roman cauliflower, Broccolo Romanesco, Romanesque cauliflower or simply Romanesco superficially resembles a cauliflower, but it is chartreuse in color, and its form has a fragmented shape. When compared to a traditional cauliflower, its texture as a vegetable is far more crunchy and its flavor is not as assertive, being delicate and nutty.
Cauliflower and curry go really well together and that’s what caught my eye in a recipe from “The Lemonade Cookbook.” The Lemonade restaurant chain is a modern marketplace serving a colorful bounty of seasonal California comfort food in a bright cafeteria setting. I have not yet experienced their restaurant, but was inspired by many of their recipes in The Lemonade Cookbook. To make my Romanesco, I adapted one of their recipes to fit my purpose and it turned out terrific!
Curried Romanesco with Slivered Almonds and Golden Raisins is what I created using their version of a curry vinaigrette. I roasted the Romanesco, toasted the almonds and mixed it together with the vinaigrette to make a delightful side dish. I paired it with roast chicken and a tossed salad making a perfect, well rounded meal!
Curried Romanesco with Slivered Almonds and Golden Raisins
Serves 6
- 1 head Romanesco, cut into florets
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup curry vinaigrette (recipe follows)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil, plus 1 tablespoons
- 1/2 tart apple, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoons tumeric
- 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1/4 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon orange juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Prepare the curry oil: Put a small pot over medium-low heat and coat with 1 tablespoons of the sunflower oil. When the oil is hot, add the apple and onion. Cook and stir until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and curry, and cook until the spices begin to darken slightly, about 1 minute, taking care not to allow the spices to burn. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of oil and stir everything together. Increase the heat to medium and bring the oil to a boil. Boil for 1 minute then remove the oil from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain the oil into a container to discard the pieces of apple and onion.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: In a mixing bowl combine the mustard, honey, vinegar, lemon, and orange juices. Gently blend with a whisk; season with salt and pepper. Pour in the oil all at once and lightly whisk until the ingredients just come together; this is not emulsified vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette into a jar and shake it up just before you are ready to dress the salad. Keep any leftover vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Prepare the Romanesco: Put the Romanesco on a large baking pan, drizzle with the oil, toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and slightly charred, shaking the pan from time to time. Put the roasted Romanesco in a mixing bowl; add the almonds and raisins. Toss with enough of the curry vinaigrette to evenly coat. May be served warm, cold, or at room temperature.
(click here) for printable recipe