Yellow Romanesco
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Yellow Romanesco has a conical, geometric shape that consists of pointed florets growing in a fractal or repeated pattern. The head is firm, textured, and bright yellow with florets made up of multiple, smaller buds creating a spiraled appearance. Each head is also supported by a thick, dense, and crunchy base and is wrapped in broad, dark green leaves. Yellow Romanesco has a crisp, snap-like quality when consumed raw with a nutty, vegetal, and earthy flavor. When cooked, the texture softens, and the flavor develops a sweeter taste with subtle notes of carrots and spice.
Seasons/Availability
Yellow Romanesco is available in the late fall through winter in Europe.
Current Facts
Yellow Romanesco, botanically classified as Brassica oleracea, is a new, brightly colored variety that belongs to the Brassicaceae family. The edible flowering head was first grown in France and was developed through natural, selective breeding to create the variety’s unique, golden hue. Yellow Romanesco was released in 2020 in limited quantities to distributors in Europe and is still relatively rare in commercial markets. Despite the variety’s current limited release, Yellow Romanesco is predicted to be favored by consumers for its bright color, unique appearance, and nutty, sweet, and spicy flavor.
Nutritional Value
Yellow Romanesco is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, fiber, and beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A has been known to prevent vision loss, boost the immune system, and help maintain healthy organ functioning. The flowering heads also contain smaller amounts of folate and iron.
Applications
Yellow Romanesco is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, blanching, stir-frying, and sautéing. The brightly colored heads can be sliced and tossed into salads, or they can be broken into smaller pieces and served fresh on appetizer plates with dips to showcase their unusual shape. Yellow Romanesco can also be blanched and mixed into pasta, sectioned and tossed into curries, soups, and stews, sautéed into rice dishes, grain bowls, and stir-fries, or cooked and pureed into sauces. The florets are used similarly to broccoli and cauliflower in recipes, and their slightly nutty flavor is enhanced when roasted as a simple side dish. It is important to note that Yellow Romanesco should not be overcooked as it can develop a soft, mushy consistency. Yellow Romanesco pairs well with cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan, and gruyere, herbs such as thyme, oregano, and parsley, carrots, potatoes, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, chile peppers, avocado, meats such as chorizo, poultry, fish, beef, and pancetta, chickpeas, and nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, and almonds. The heads will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in a loosely sealed container in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Yellow Romanesco is just one of the many brightly colored items being introduced into markets during the rainbow produce trend in Europe. With the rise of marketing through social media, the necessity for vibrantly colored produce with unusual shapes is increasing to hook the attention of chefs, wholesalers, and the everyday consumer. The more stimulating and shocking the photo is on these platforms, the more it is shared, spreading awareness of the uncommon, eye-catching produce. European consumers are also searching for naturally colorful ingredients, as bright colors have become synonymous with high nutritional content. The trend of “eating the rainbow” encourages consumers to build a balanced plate using color as a signal for various vitamins and minerals. Yellow and orange produce are often associated with containing nutrients such as beta-carotene and vitamin A. In addition to the everyday consumer, chefs are also driving the rainbow food trend by using bright colors to create visually appealing dishes. These dishes are shared through social media as an artistic outlet for chefs to display their creative masterpieces and act as a visual resume for their skills and talents.
Geography/History
Yellow Romanesco is a new romanesco variety developed by French growers and was released to markets in Europe in 2020. The variety is still in the very early stages of distribution and is only available in limited quantities through select distributors and specialty grocers throughout Europe, specifically France and the Netherlands.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Yellow Romanesco. One
is easiest, three is harder.
