Page title and description

Vegetarian mains
Five spice romanesco steaks
Cook's notes
Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side.Ingredients
- 1 head of Romanesco
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice
- Olive oil
- Knob of butter (optional)
- Sriracha sauce (optional)
Method
Prep time:
10 min
PT10M
Cooking time:
25 min
PT25M
-
Step 1
Snap off the outer leaves of the Romanesco, keeping them to one side to use later. -
Step 2
Slice off and discard the tough end of the Romanesco stalk, about 1 cm or so. -
Step 3
Sit the Romanesco on its stalk and slice down into thick steaks, cutting so each steak is a couple of centimetres thick. Don’t worry if some of the florets break off - these will be used too. Add the steaks and any smaller bits into a roasting tray. -
Step 4
Prepare the leaves by cutting down the middle of the stem. This will make them cook quicker and crisp up nicely in the oven. Add to the roasting tray. -
Step 5
Add the Chinese 5 spice to the roasting tray, then add a good glug of olive oil. Mix with your hands to ensure all of the Romanesco and the leaves are coated with olive oil and the spices. -
Step 6
Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. -
Step 7
Heat a frying pan on a medium-high heat: you want it hot enough to get a nice sizzle when you add the Romanesco. Add the steaks and any smaller bits of Romanesco to your pan, keeping the leaves in the roasting tray. -
Step 8
Fry until golden on both sides, and then add a good knob of butter. Let it melt and bubble away, then turn the Romanesco to ensure it’s covered. If you prefer, you can use more olive oil or a dairy-free butter alternative. -
Step 9
Transfer the Romanesco from the pan back into the roasting tray, along with the juices from the melted butter. -
Step 10
Place the roasting tray in your preheated oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the middle of the steaks are tender. -
Step 11
Remove and serve drizzled with sriracha sauce as side, or with couscous or rice for a light meal.