ROMANESCO BROCCOLI RICE

SIMPLe Bites

This romanesco broccoli rice is so simple and quick to make and is a nutrient rich side dish option at the dinner table. It is a great alternative to those who have a gluten or grain intolerance You may have heard of cauliflower rice or even cauliflower pizza, but did you know, you can also make a rice like texture out of many vegetables like cabbage or even carrots!

Romanesco Broccoli (Brassica oleracea)

also known as roman cauliflower is a member of the brassica family along with cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and many more.  Similar to the appearance of both broccoli and cauliflower, the unique spiralled florets are bright green, nutty, earthy and slightly bitter in flavour.   The florets will sweeten once cooked and are more delicate than broccoli or cauliflower so they do not need a lot of cooking time.

This brassica is high in fibre, calcium, iron, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin K, sodium, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, sulforaphane, chlorophyll and many more phytonutrients and antioxidants.

INGREDIENTS

1 romanesco broccoli head

2 small shallots

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

dash of sea salt

dash of black pepper

METHOD

Chop us the broccoli florets into small pieces and add it to a food processor

Pulse until you get a rice like consistency

Heat up a cast iron pan with a drizzle of olive oil on medium heat

Finely dice the shallots and garlic and add the the pan once it is hot

Add the broccoli rice to the pan once the shallots have turned a nice golden brown

keep stirring and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli rice is tender

Roughly chop the parsley and add to the rice

Add the salt and pepper

Serve warm

Other ways to use romanesco broccoli

Romanesco broccoli can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, roasted, stewed or braised.

You can use the florets the same way you would use broccoli except it cooks in double the time so you will want to keep an eye on it so that it does not turn into mushy greens.

You can turn the florets into pesto, stir fry’s, curry’s, soups, latkes, pizza dough, and as a crudatés

Try using a bud as a decoration on top of an appetizer or adding it onto a vegan charcuterie board for a beautiful presentation.