Whole-Steamed Romanesco with Golden Tahini Sauce

This dish was born one night when I was craving clean and simple vegetables and was feeling particularly lazy. All I had in the fridge was a head of romanesco and a boat load of fresh herbs. I decided to skip the chopping and placed the entire vegetable in a steamer basket and served it drizzled with tons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a mound of dill. Since then I’ve made it several times and eventually decided that a creamy tahini would really make it a complete meal. You can substitute a head of cauliflower or broccoli for the romanesco, too—they’re all perfect for a lazy weeknight dinner and beautiful enough for a dinner party. Serve it with steak knives and hack at it.

Yield: Serves 2 to 4

Author: The Kitchen Commune

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Whole-Steamed Romanesco with Golden Tahini Sauce

gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, egg-free, nightshade-free, soy-free, nut-free

Ingredients

• ½ cup well-stirred tahini
• 1 large garlic clove, grated
• Zest and juice of a small lemon
• ½ teaspoon kosher sea salt
• 1/3 cup water, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 small head romanesco, trimmed at the base to fit inside a steamer basket
• Handful of fresh chopped dill (from half a small bunch)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and water until smooth and creamy. Add more water if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached the desired consistency; the mixture should be pourable. Add the turmeric and whisk again to incorporate. Set aside.
2. Place the whole romanesco head in a steamer basket set inside a medium-sized pot filled with simmering water. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife through the core.
3. Transfer the romanesco to a large shallow bowl and drizzle with half the tahini. Top with dill, sesame seeds, and pomegranate seeds.
4. Serve with steak knives and extra tahini and toppings on the side.