Everyone loves romanesco, the green fractal cauliflower that has been appearing more prominently in stores and greenmarkets over the past few years. It's gorgeous, in a geeky sort of way, and very tasty, especially when you let it get a good pan sear during the cooking process.
Don't let the green fool you into thinking this counts as a nutritious vegetable, though. It's mostly starch, and the sweet sauce in this recipe doesn't exactly help on the health front. It is, however, addictively delicious.
Miso Almond Romanesco
2 medium heads romanesco, about 1200 grams total
1/8 C white miso
1 tsp Korean anchovy sauce
1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Vietnamese caramel sauce
1/4 C sliced almonds
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 tbsp unsalted butter
Cut the romanesco into individual florets, cutting the larger florets in half. Discard the stem and leaves.
Stir together the miso, anchovy sauce, red pepper flakes, caramel, and 1/8 C water until smooth.
In a wok, heat 2 tbsp butter on high until it melts and sizzles. Add the romanesco and saute until browned all over. Let it sear a bit; that will only make it taste better. Stir in the water and garlic and simmer until the water is nearly gone. Stir in the almonds and cook a minute more. Stir in the sauce and serve.
With a typical home wok, it is best to do this in two batches so your romanesco actually sears instead of merely steaming when you cook it.
