Romanesco: Math in Your Mouth

The first time I saw a head of romanesco I was blown away. The shapes! The color! My discovery happened to coincide with my son's fascination with Benoit Mandelbrot and his work in fractal geometry, so of course I had to grab one to take home. Contributor Jim Dixon of Real Good Food shares a recipe for this fractal food that will impress your family with its flavor as well as its beauty.

The bright green, fractal cones of romanesco broccoli look like something from Dr. Suess, and I like to preserve the shapes when I serve this striking member of the cabbage family. It's often called a cauliflower, but the flavor is a bit more delicate, a bit less cabbage-y. There are big, purple-tinged heads at the farmers market right now, examples of overwintered vegetables that thrive here in the maritime northwest. Inspired by Sicilian cauliflower salad called rinforzata (literally reinforced, invoking the addition of pantry staples to make more of the humble Brassica), this version combines crunch, salt, sweet, and sour.

Insalata di Romanesco Broccoli con Noce

Drop the whole head of romanesco, including the stem and leaves, if any, into a pot of well-salted boiling water; pull it out after about 4 minutes, drain and cool. Use the tip of a small knife to cut of the Fibonacci-numbered florets. Set them aside while you chop the stem, core, and leaves (about two-thirds of head) into smallish, bite-sized pieces. Combine the romanesco with a bunch of other chopped ingredients (some of which can come from jars): roasted red pepper, oil-cured olives, artichoke hearts or hearts of palm, green onion (or green garlic). Add a nice handful of coarsely chopped walnuts (the noce) and about the same amount of golden raisins. A couple of tablespoons of salt-packed capers from Pantelliera (rinsed of salt) and a few good pinches of the same island's oregano go in and the bowl is drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with red wine vinegar, then tossed. Good for a few days.

Fractal Fantasy: Romanesco Rules!

Romanesco has to be the coolest vegetable on the planet with its mesmerizing swirls and fluorescent green color. It's also a great way to introduce kids to fractal geometry and, if they're not fond of vegetables, to distract them with the riveting tale of Benoit Mandelbrot. Here's a recipe from contributor Jim Dixon of Real Good Food that should provide a great opportunity.

Just because the calendar looks more Spring-like don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll be eating anything much different that the usual members of the cabbage family that’ve been around all winter. But that’s okay; they’re delicious.

Romanesco with Olives & Capers

The fractal heads of the bright green cauliflower called Romanesco broccoli look so cool you have to serve them intact. This composed salad preserves the psychedelic shape.

Drop the whole head of Romanesco into a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Cook it for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool. Cut the flowerets from the stem; you can either chop the stem more finely and add it to the salad or save it for another dish. Combine the flowerets in a large bowl with a walnut-sized shallot, finely chopped, a couple of tablespoons of Pantellerian capers*, rinsed and chopped, a half cup of pitted & chopped oil-cured olives, and a couple of chopped small, inner stalks of celery with their leaves.

Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a small splash of red wine vinegar (Katz Trio), a healthy pinch of flor de sal, and another or two of the Pantellerian oregano*. Toss well and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

* These are terrific, but if you don't have the Pantellerian version in your pantry, regular capers and oregano will do.