Romanesco has been on the scene for a while and I have ordered it a few times in restaurants, but I never cooked one until one arrived in my monthly produce box today. This month’s box also comes with a couple romanesco recipes, I blanched the romanesco florets to make this delicious crunchy salad. The ginger really elevated the flavors of this dish.

Such a cool vegetable! The spirals and the peaks reminded me of something out of a mathematics textbook.

Romanesco Carrot Salad

Ingredients
• 3 Tbs rice vinegar (seasoned or regular)
• 2 Tbs peanut oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs fresh ginger root, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 head Romanesco, cut into florets
• 1 bunch carrots
• 1 red pepper or 1-2 Thai peppers, minced (optional)
• 3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

• Prepare the dressing in a non-reactive bowl by whisking the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

• Lightly blanch the romanesco in a large pot of boiling water. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well. Transfer the blanched romanesco, carrots (and chilis if using) to a salad bowl and pour the salad dressing over them. Cover.

• Best if salad is prepared several hours in advance to allow the vegetables to marinate. Stir in the cilantro leaves just before serving. Serves 6.

Notes:

• I blanched the carrots with the florets as I am slightly allergic to raw carrots (causes itchy gum).  I blanched them for a little over a minute, both vegetables maintained the crunch yet were slightly cooked through. I used one small head of romanesco and two large carrots.