Roasted Romanesco with Za'atar Yogurt Sauce

Strange coincidence: last year, on January 25th, 2014, I wrote about romanesco in a post entitled 7 Uncommon Vegetables for your Produce Bucket List. I had never seen romanesco in a store. I kept my eyes peeled for it all year, but could never find any. That is, until last Wednesday, when I finally spotted some at my local Whole Foods . . . on January 25th, 2015. Weird, right?

Coming across this gorgeous vegetable exactly one year after posting about it has me wondering if it might be magic. I mean, look at those spirals! According to Wikipedia, the number of spirals on a head of Romanesco is a Fibonacci number, and its form approximates a fractal. How is it possible that something like this exists?

In addition to its special properties, romanesco is delicious. I roasted it whole because I couldn't bear to slice it up any sooner than I had to. Its flavor is similar to cauliflower and broccoli, but a little milder and nuttier. And, just like with cauliflower or broccoli, the browned bits are extra delicious. If you can't find romanesco, you could definitely use one of its brassica cousins for this recipe instead.

I made a quick cashew yogurt sauce to dip the fractal florets into. If you haven't tried it, you'll be surprised at how cashews can approximate the flavor and texture of yogurt or even sour cream. All they need is a quick soak in some cool water and a quick whir in the blender. I added za'atar to the sauce to make it pop, but you could use any spice blend you love. (If you're new to za'atar, it's a mix of thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. You can buy za'atar or make your own.) And, if you do include dairy in your diet, you could use actual yogurt or even creme fraiche for the sauce instead of cashews.

This whole roasted romanesco makes a show-stopping appetizer or side dish, and is also perfect for St. Patrick's Day. I hope you can get your hands on some and give it a try!

(If you can't find any, just write a blog post about it and wait exactly one year. You'll probably get lucky like I did.)

Roasted Romanesco with Za'atar Yogurt Sauce
Yield: 4-6 side dish servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the roasted romanesco:

1 head romanesco (or cauliflower)
2 tablespoons melted butter, ghee, or olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the za'atar yogurt sauce:

3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in cool water to cover for at least 1 hour
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons za'atar

Preheat the oven to 425. Trim the bottom of the romanesco so that it sits flat, leaving about half an inch of stem. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece out of the center of the stem.

Brush the butter, ghee, or oil on all sides of the romanesco, getting into the nooks and crannies. Place the romanesco cut side down in a cast iron skillet or small roasting pan. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, until nicely browned and tender. Slice into wedges and serve with the sauce.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until very smooth, adding up to 1/2 cup of water to facilitate blending. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

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