Romanesco cauliflowers have got to be one of the most beautiful vegetables we grow. Their mathematical fractal shapes are breathtaking to look at and luckily they are also extremely tasty! Our favourite way by far to cook them is to chop them into florets and roast them. Have a look at the end of this smashed cucumber recipe for a great marinade idea. In this recipe I use them in a one-roasting-dish meal to make a simple summery stew. This way you get some crispy tops and some soft, simmered bits too. All in one easy dish! Serve with bread, potatoes, rice or pasta. Or just eat it as it is.
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 4-6 people depending on sides)
- 1 romanesco cauliflower
- 3 large tomatoes (or 6 medium)
- 1 white onion
- 1 whole bulb of garlic
- 1 drained tin of chickpeas (reserve the aquafaba for another recipe like this vegan mayo or this clafoutis)
- a generous drizzle of olive oil
- a good splash of white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley to finish
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200C and find a large roasting dish.
- Cut the romanesco into florets and put it in the roasting dish. Don’t discard the stem or leaves. They can be chopped into smaller pieces and added to the dish too!
- Cut the tomatoes into bite sized pieces and add them to the dish.
- Peel and roughly dice the onion and peel and slice the whole bulb or garlic. Add those to the dish too.
- Add the drained chickpeas to the dish next.
- Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the vegetables and chickpeas then add a good splash of white wine.
- Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix the ingredients well so that they are all evenly coated in the seasoning.
- Put the dish into the oven to roast. This is a good time to cook some potatoes/pasta/rice to go with the stew.
- After 20 minutes, take the dish out of the oven and stir. Then return it to the oven to continue roasting for a further 10-15 minutes or until you are happy with how cooked everything is.
- Remove from the oven and stir some chopped parsley or herbs of your choice through the summery stew. Serve in bowls and enjoy!
