Romanesco and Cauliflower Manicotti
Saturday, October 22, 2011
A few weeks ago, as Tom Culton explained to me why his romanesco were so small (he had cut them prematurely so they didn’t have a chance to rot from all of the rain), I had a small, inward panic. His romanesco, beautiful fractal patterns in lime green, are among my favorite arrivals for the fall. Thankfully, Tom’s later crop have returned to their normal, bountiful size. I am always looking for new ways to cook it, and this manicotti recipe is among my favorites. It almost seems a shame to cook romanesco down to an unrecognizable mash, but I think the manicotti easily compensate in taste.
This is, undeniably, a main dish that just happens to be vegetarian. It’s substantial and rich enough to satisfy people who have difficulty imagining a meal without meat. I’ve made some revisions to Jamie Oliver’s original. First, I make my own tomato sauce. Second, I supplanted store-bought cannelloni tubes with buckwheat manicotti (crepes). Third, I substituted anchovy paste for actual anchovies. I do love anchovies, and I am one to purchase them salted and then fillet them myself when needed. But in this instance, because it should dissolve consistently in the cooked vegetables, I opt for the paste, saving the fillets instead for a my homemade version of Otto’s “Romana” pizza. Fourth, instead of creme fraiche, I use goat yogurt from Patches of Stair Dairy.
Making your own tomato sauce and crepes, in addition to being in accord with the credo of this blog, guarantees a freshness and quality you will find difficult to equal in store-bought ingredients. Further, the recipes included here for both the tomato sauce and the crepes make more than this recipe calls for. Therefore, in making these manicotti, you are making key ingredients of two other meals. For example, I used the other half of the tomato sauce for a pasta dinner and the crepes for breakfast. Additionally, by using manicotti, I’ve eliminated the need to fill cannelloni with a pastry bag.
Like many of Oliver’s dishes this represents a nice twist on something classic (in this case, anchovies and broccoli). My favorite aspect of this dish, though, is the quick “white-sauce” of goat yogurt and Parmesan thinned with some water. You can easily find other uses for that alone.
One last thing: thanks to my awesome neighbors for first serving me this.
Cauliflower and Broccoli Manicotti1 lb. broccoli, washed and chopped
1 lb. romanesco cauliflower, washed and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small bunch basil leaves, picked and washed
1 small bunch thyme, washed and leaves stripped and chopped
1 oz. anchovy paste
2 small dried chilies (or to taste)
2 cups goat yogurt
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 cups tomato sauce (see below)
1 dozen (approximately) buckwheat manicotti (see below)
salt and pepper
olive oilPreheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it as you would for pasta, and drop in the broccoli and cauliflower. Blanch for 5 minutes and then strain, reserving the cooking water.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, shallow saucepan (make sure the pan is wide enough to hold all of the cauliflower and broccoli) over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for approximately 1 minute. Add the thyme, anchovies, and chilies. Stir together and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli and cauliflower, stirring everything together. Add ½ cup of the reserved cooking water, turn the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft enough to mash. (If the mixture is too wet, allow it to cook longer uncovered. If the mixture is too dry, stir in more of the cooking water, one tablespoon at a time.) Remove from the heat and mash the vegetables with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, mix the goat yogurt and 4 oz. of the Parmesan to form the quick “white sauce.” Thin with a little water if necessary.
Assemble the manicotti. Spread the tomato sauce on the bottom of a large casserole dish or lasagna pan. Lay one of the manicotti on a plate. Spoon a strip of the mixture in the center, being careful not to overstuff them. Roll up on side and then other; one side should overlap the other. Arrange the manicotti in the pan, seam-side down, packing them tightly together but keeping them in single layer. Spread the basil leaves over the manicotti, and then cover with the white sauce. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and then cover with the mozzarella. Season the top with black pepper and a drizzle (or two) of olive oil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the whole thing is bubbling.
Serve with some simply dressed greens.
Tomato Sauce
1 quart of canned tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
salt and pepperHeat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté until softened (approximately 5-7 minutes). Add the garlic and oregano, stir, and cook for 1 minute (though I usually just wait until it’s fragrant). Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat until it simmers and leave it to cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Puree in a blender, in a food processor, or with a hand blender until smooth. Return to the heat and continue to cook uncovered until it reaches your preferred thickness.
Buckwheat Manicotti
(adapted from Mark Bittman’s The Best Recipes in the World)¼ cup white spelt flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
2 eggs
½ cup whole milk
Butter or canola oil (for frying)Combine the flours, eggs, and milk with 1 cup of water. Whisk until smooth. Allow to sit for 1-2 hours. Heat an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet (I use a Lodge cast iron pan and it works beautifully). Add just enough butter or oil to the pan to coat the bottom. Pour in ¼ cup of the batter and swirl it to coat the bottom of the pan. Turn in 1-2 minutes, or when the it “sets.” (You may need to adjust the heat so the bottom does not burn before the top sets.) Turn and cook the second side for 30 seconds. Remove from the pan, add enough oil or butter to cover the bottom, and repeat.
