The romanesco is a green cauliflower and one of the most fascinating looking vegetables because its fractal design.
Romanesco with mustard sauce

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 romanesco
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 110 milliliters soy cream
  • 1 tbs. mustard (brown spicy variety)
  • salt
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • white pepper
  • sugar or 1 tbs. corn syrup

Romanesco
Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan.
  2. Add most of the chopped leek ( the white part and some of the green but not all the way to the tough end parts) and saute until glassy.
  3. Save a couple of rings of the leek for garnishing.
  4. Steam the romanesco until al dente.
  5. Transfer the romanesco to a serving dish.
  6. In a small sauce pan, put the sauted leeks add the soy cream, salt, pepper, lemon zest and mustard.
  7. Add the corn starch before the mixture gets warm and stir well until the mixture becomes thick.
  8. Season additionally with a pinch of sugar or a spoonful of corn syrup.
  9. Optionally a splash of white wine is also nice.
  10. Garnish both the romanesco and the sauce with a few rings of the chopped leek.
  11. I serve the sauce along side the romanesco. People can help themselves. This tastes very nice served over quiona or millet.

Notes:

I often break or cut the romenesco into smaller pieces, before cooking, rather than steaming it as a whole. It is easier for people to help themselves to individual smaller spirals, rather than trying to cut it at the table.