Roasted Romanesco with Brown Butter Toasted Panko

Chef Richard 10 Servings 30 minutes

Roasted Romanesco topped with nutty brown butter toasted panko and a bit of parsley is a comforting winter side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 head Romanesco (cauliflower will work well, too), cored and cut into ¾-inch florets
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • ¼ cup finely minced parsley

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Move a rack to the top third of oven.
  • Toss romanesco florets with olive oil, and a generous pinch each sea salt and pepper. Scatter on 1-2 baking sheets, making sure each floret has an inch or two of space. Slide into oven and roast 15 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully flip each floret, and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, or until edges are a deep golden brown and florets are fork tender.
  • Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl to melt. Cook butter gently – edge heat to medium-low if needed – swirling or stirring, until butter goes from golden to light brown and takes on a nutty fragrance, 5-7 minutes. Toss in panko and garlic, and a pinch each sea salt and pepper. Toast panko, stirring often, 2-3 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and fold in parsley.
  • Arrange roasted romanesco on a platter, top with warm breadcrumbs, and serve immediately.