Do You Have to Tie Up Romanesco Cauliflower Heads?

Due to its unusual color and contour, its hard to ascertain whether romanesco (Brassica oleracea var. romanesco) is cauliflower or broccoli. It is frequently called broccoli and you might find it recorded one of the broccoli seeds in catalogs, but technically, romenasco is just a cauliflower. The pyramid-shaped mind is made up of curds that grow in spirals and kind interesting fractals. Romanesco is just a self-blanching cauliflower you don’t need to tie up.

Blanching the Head

Blanching means protecting heads of cauliflower in sunlight so they develop a creamy white color. For many varieties, particularly old-fashioned kinds, this means pulling on the big leaves up above the head, and fastening them in place with string or a rubber band. Self-blanching cauliflower has leaves which grow up and above the mind naturally, providing partial protection from sunlight with no requirement for tying. Romanesco is just a self-blanching type. Most romanesco cauliflower cultivars create creamy, pale green heads instead of white. 1 notable exception is “Veronica,” which has bright, lime green heads.

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