1. Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until incorporated. The flour will be very dry. Raise the heat to medium-high and in 1/2 cup portions, gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. The besciamella will continue to thicken even when you remove from the heat. If it seems to dense, whisk in a little bit more of mil. Whisk in the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
1. Preheat oven to 420F. Sauté’ the onion in a large frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until translucent and golden brown.
2. In the meantime, boil the cauliflowers and potatoes in two different medium sauce pans until they are tender. The vegetables should still have a little crunch and it should only take a few minutes. Be sure to not overcook the vegetables.
3. Drain the veggies and place in a large bowl. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Both vegetables will continue cooking in casserole with the besciamella sauce.
4. Spoon a portion of the besciamella over the bottom of the casserole. Layer the vegetables on top. Spread the rest of the besciamella on top. Toss on the Gruyère cheese and sprinkle on the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
5. Bake at 420 F for about 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
Buon appetito!
Toss all ingredients except the cauliflower, lemon wedges, and parsley. Then fold in the cauliflower, let sit at least 20 minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.
(recipe inspired by saveur.com)
serves two as a meal, four as a side
1. Heat all but one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large cast iron, or otherwise heavy-bottomed, skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and saffron threads, turn the slices to coat with olive oil, and turn heat to low. Add a pinch of sea salt. Cook, nudging occasionally, for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove garlic from the skillet and set aside.
2. Turn heat up to medium-high, add the remaining olive oil, the florets, paprika, pepper, and a good-sized pinch or two of salt. Turn to coat the cauliflower, and cook until the edges have browned, and then flip. Cook for a total of about 10 minutes, until cauliflower is nicely browned and tender. When you approach the end of the cook time, add the rice wine vinegar and the cooked garlic. Toss gently, cook for a couple minutes longer, plate, and serve over quinoa.
(recipe inspired by brooklynsupper.net)
Most important: Don’t overcook it. Maintain the unique shape and color by not overcooking.
Romanesco’s nutritional value is similar to cauliflower’s or broccoli’s but it contains more carotene and mineral salts. It is a rich source of vitamin C, and has high levels of iron and folate.