This vegetable is such an enigma that it is called a romanesco cauliflower in the US and Canada, a romanesco broccoli and a romanesco cabbage in Germany. It is the most amazing chartreuse color and unlike hybrids like broccoflower and orange and purple cauliflower, it is a species unto itself. It demands photographing as much as cooking, and I can pretty much guarantee that it is the only vegetable you'll ever eat that is a fractal.
It's been cultivated in Italy since the 16th century, so I'm not quite sure why I haven't eaten it before. I've seen it in my organic grocery a few times, but I didn't know what to make of it. Then I decided that I just had to have it, to the skepticism of my family. The individual sections look very much like cauliflower, with the same texture, but once cooked and eaten, it is unmistakably akin to broccoli. My daughter, who loves cauliflower but not broccoli was interested in tasting it, but silently picked it all out of the pasta dish I made. My husband, who loves broccoli, but not cauliflower, was pleasantly surprised. I love both vegetables, so it didn't matter a whit to me which one it favored.
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It's been cultivated in Italy since the 16th century, so I'm not quite sure why I haven't eaten it before. I've seen it in my organic grocery a few times, but I didn't know what to make of it. Then I decided that I just had to have it, to the skepticism of my family. The individual sections look very much like cauliflower, with the same texture, but once cooked and eaten, it is unmistakably akin to broccoli. My daughter, who loves cauliflower but not broccoli was interested in tasting it, but silently picked it all out of the pasta dish I made. My husband, who loves broccoli, but not cauliflower, was pleasantly surprised. I love both vegetables, so it didn't matter a whit to me which one it favored.
Difficulty Level: Easy
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