Whole Baked Romanesco + Herby Cheese Sauce
This whole-roasted romanesco certainly has "wow" factor. Romanesco tastes like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli, and is studded with bright green fractal-shaped florets that make it look like a magical mythical structure
INGREDIENTS
1.5 hr Cooking Time, Makes 8
1 head romanesco
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
For the cheese sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tsp finely chopped chives
1/2 tsp finely chopped basil
1/2 tsp finely chopped oregano
1 tsp dijon mustard
METHOD
Put oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly oil a baking dish that will fit the cauliflower. Trim off the outer leaves. Cut away the base of the stalk so the romanesco can sit flat, then cut a dee cross into its base.
Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the salt.
Bake romanesco until tender, about one hour (depending on size). Check by piercing with a small knife. Transfer to a serving dish.
To make the sauce; Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk flour into butter until smooth. Pour milk into butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook and stir until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese and stir until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes more. Mix in the herbs and mustard.
Pour sauce over the cooked romanesco in a serving dish, serve immediately.
If you want to make this recipe extra special, once you have covered the romanesco in the cheese sauce, place it back in the oven on the backing tray for another 10 minutes to create a brown cheese crust.
