The Christmas countdown has officially begun…. 30 days! I thought I would celebrate the season with this delicious and festive dish: whole roasted romanesco with cranberries, toasted pine nuts, balsamic glaze and feta. Does this dish remind you of anything…? (cough*, Christmas trees, cough*).
I was lucky enough to receive these beautiful romanesco from my friends over at Babe Farms. They have such unique and specialty produce…if you’re a veggie lover like me, you have to check them out! Take a look at a close-up of their amazing romanesco:
If you’re looking to decorate your holiday table with some festive fare, then this recipe is for you!
Ingredients:
3 heads of romanesco (these guys were about the size of a large grapefruit), stalks trimmed so they stand straight and outer leaves removed
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup balsamic glaze, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375F. Place whole romanesco on a baking sheet and spray with cooking oil spray (I used avocado oil spray) and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-45 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. When the romanesco is about 10-15 minutes from being done, add the cranberries to the same baking sheet and roast them until they soften and some start to burst (10-15 minutes).
2) While romanesco is roasting, toast the pine nuts. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Do not add oil. Add pine nuts and cook, tossing occasionally until evenly browned (watch closely so they don’t burn!). Set aside.
3) Remove the romanesco from the oven and place onto a platter. Spoon roasted cranberries and toasted pine nuts over top, sprinkle with feta and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Add extra salt and pepper, if desired.
*Note: I used store-bought balsamic glaze, but feel free to make from scratch, it’s so easy. See instructions here.
