Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Have you ever spied a beautiful, chartreuse-colored, cauliflower with a spiral row of flowers cascading down its sides like a circular staircase? You’ve just beheld a Romanesco cauliflower, also called Romanesco broccoli, or simply Romanesco. I first saw one of these gorgeous vegetables at the farmers market in Pasadena, and ever since then I get giddy when I see one show up at my local farmers market in Ojai. I can’t wait to bring it home and cook with it in my kitchen. And the dish I make is this simple Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with Raisins and Pine Nuts.

When you have something as beautiful as Romanesco in your kitchen, it’s all about minimal food preparation, as you want to draw attention to the beautiful plant food. In fact, Romanesco’s striking geometric nature, with its series of smaller buds arranged in a logarithmic spiral, when the smallest bud becomes sufficiently small, represents a Fibonacci number! Leave it to Mother Nature, right?

At the heart of Romanesco, though, is its beautiful color and taste. My favorite way to serve it is roasted, in a simply prepared dish, such as this recipe I’m sharing with you today. Buon appetito!

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with Raisins and Pine Nuts

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(8 votes, average: 4.63 out of 5)
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4.6 from 8 reviews

• Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Turn the magical, geometric beauty of Romanesco cauliflower into a simple, rustic plant-based, gluten-free dish with just a few ingredients.

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Ingredients

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• 1 medium head Romanesco cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1-inch piece fresh turmeric, shredded (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup pine nuts

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Break apart Romanesco cauliflower into smaller pieces. Place in a 9 x 9” baking dish.
3. In a small dish, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, seasoning salt, black pepper, and garlic with a fork.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the Romanesco and toss to distribute.
5. Place baking dish in top rack of the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with raisins and pine nuts, and toss with Romanesco to turn and distribute ingredients.
7. Roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, until Romanesco is golden brown and tender.
8. Remove and serve immediately.
9. Makes 4 servings

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: American

For other plant-based vegetable side-dishes, try the following recipes:

Roasted Orange Ginger Carrots
Broccoli Walnut Au Gratin
Mashed Potatoes and Heirloom Carrots with Basil, Garlic, and Olive Oil

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