Spaghetti with romanesco broccoli and garlic
I had seen this strange-looking vegetable in stores before, though rarely, but never found out what it was. In French, it is choux romanesco. which translates as romanesque cabbage. In English, though, it is called romanesco broccoli or romanesco cauliflower. To my mind, it tastes more like cauliflower, but with more taste.
The spiral pattern of its surface is fascinating, looking like fractals. Wikipedia says:
"The vegetable resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. The broccoli's shape could be described as fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral."
Anyway, we saw it at our Italian greengrocer's and she explained what it was and gave us this recipe, which we loved. Thanks, Angela! (We don't know her last name.)
| quantity | ingredient | instruction |
| one | romanesco broccoli | Cook about 8 minutes in salted water. Do not let it get mushy. |
| As much as you eat; 100 grams, for us. | spaghetti (Angela says linguini is even better.) | Cook in salted water. |
| 4 or more Tbsp | olive oil | Heat in pan |
| 3 big cloves | chopped or minced fresh garlic | Sauter lightly in olive oil until it smells good, less than 1 minute | Add the cooked "broccoli" and spaghetti and heat well, turning. | Grated Parmesan Cheese | Serve with. |
Bon appetit!