What a strange and unusual appearance some vegetable cultures have, but at the same time they combine essential nutrients with excellent taste. Perhaps, one of the leaders of such wonderful products can be called cabbage Romanesco, which is rapidly gaining popularity in all culinary communities and attracts chefs from all over the world not only for its appearance, but also for its many beneficial properties.
Description
Romanesco's cabbage is an edible annual plant of the Cabbage family, which first appeared in Italy as a result of a large number of experiments crossing broccoli and cauliflower. The look of this vegetable is quite original - its fresh green inflorescences densely located to each other and have an extravagant cone shape.
Other types of cabbage have many useful properties: broccoli, kohlrabi, white cabbage, cauliflower, kale cabbage, pak choi, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage.
On a head of cabbage, each bud grows in a spiral, which most of all gives this plant an "alien" look. Among the names of this culture can also often be heard coral cabbage due to obvious similarities with corals.
Did you know? According to some preserved historical documents, similar cabbages were cultivated in the Roman Empire, and it gained its popularity only in the 90s of the 20th century. However, its outlandish appearance is precisely the planned genetics feature.
Nutritional value and calorie
Romanesco cabbage has a rich nutritional value and a small amount of calories, one stogrammovogo portions such indicators:
- proteins - 2.5 g;
- fats - 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates - 4.2 g;
- dietary fiber - 2.1 g;
- water - 89 g;
- Calories - 30 kcal.
Cabbage Composition
The rich composition of the vegetable is able to saturate the human body with such components:
- B-group vitamins - B1 (0.1 mg), B2 (0.1 mg), B6 (0.2 mg), B9 (23 μg);
- vitamin C (70 mcg);
- vitamin E (0.2 mg);
- vitamin K (1 mcg);
- choline (45.2 mg);
- vitamin A (3 mcg);
- beta-carotene (0.02 mg);
- vitamin H (1.6 mcg).
Read also about the benefits and harms of such products as tomatoes, sauerkraut, lovage, lingonberry, kivano, cashew, beans, hawthorn, milk Thistle, celery, cherry, plum, cherry plum.
Minerals (micro and macronutrients):
- sodium (10 mg);
- magnesium (17 mg);
- copper (42 micrograms);
- potassium (205 mg);
- calcium (26 mg);
- iron (1.4 mg);
- phosphorus (51 mg);
- manganese (0.155 mcg);
- fluorine (1 µg);
- selenium (0.6 µg);
- zinc (0.28 mg).
Useful and healing properties
Thanks to a powerful vitamin-mineral balance coral cabbage causes positive changes in the human body, with a healing effect:
- The walls of blood vessels become much stronger and more elastic.
- Accelerates metabolism.
- The intestinal microflora is restored.
- Pass: hemorrhoids, constipation, diarrhea.
- The body is the most purified of toxins and excess cholesterol.
- Warns the development of atherosclerosis.
- The condition of hair and nails improves.
- Normalized blood clotting.
- The risk of developing lung diseases and the growth of cancer cells are reduced.
Important! With regular use of Romanesco cabbage, the human body is more resistant to various infectious diseases, and any wounds on the body heal much faster.
Cooking Uses
Romanesco cabbage is successfully used in cooking as a main course and simply as an original decoration. And you can cook it in a variety of ways: bake, boil, simmer, fry, and grill and steamed. In the vast network you can find a variety of recipes for its preparation. 
Recipe 1. Romanesco cabbage salad:
300 g of turkey fillet cut into small pieces and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat, gradually adding one piece of pepper, onion and carrot to the meat. In parallel, on the other burner, you need to boil a whole head of cabbage in salted water for softness. It is necessary to cook only 15 minutes so that the vegetable does not lose its elasticity and does not fall apart. Then all the prepared ingredients are well mixed, salted and sprinkled with pepper to taste, and at the very end a slice of garlic is added.
Recipe 2. Romanesco cabbage baked with cheese in the oven - in stages:
- To begin with, the head of cabbage is divided into florets, then rinsed and boiled for 10 minutes in salted water.
- In the pan melted butter (30 g), on which flour is fried for about a minute (2 tablespoons).
- Next, gradually pour 1 cup of milk into the mixture and continuously stir to avoid lumps.
- The baking tray for the future of the dish is richly greased with vegetable oil.
- Boiled inflorescences are laid out in the prepared baking sheet as a first layer, and then sprinkle with sauce on top, sprinkle with herbs to taste and generously sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Baked this dish until the formation of cheese golden brown.
Recipe 3. Coral cabbage soup:
After boiling and sorting coral cabbage into inflorescences, you can proceed to the following actions:
- 1 potato and 1 carrot are peeled and washed under running water.
- Seeds of Bulgarian pepper and onion husks are carefully cleaned.
- All prepared vegetables are cut into small cubes and passaged together with vegetable oil in a saucepan with a thick bottom - at the same time the fire should be small.
- Then the cabbage water remaining after cooking is poured into the browned products. The resulting mixture is boiled for 10 minutes.
- The cooked base for the puree soup is well crushed with an ordinary kitchen blender to a puree state.
Important! Presented soup is a useful, dietary and balanced first courses, and is also a valuable find for young mothers who want to maximize their kids' body with vitamins and minerals.
Contraindications and harm
Unfortunately, the presented coral vegetable has some drawbacks, therefore its should not be eaten by people who have:
- heart disease;
- predisposition to frequent manifestations of flatulence;
- individual intolerance to this product.
How to choose Romanesco
You can buy this unusual product on the market or in almost any supermarket, stopping your the choice is on these fruits:
- cabbage shape must not be deformed, necessarily pyramidal;
- on the vegetable should not be any wrinkles and visible damage, as well as stains and sluggish leaves;
- when looking at it, the leaflets should be given the most attention - they should not be twisted at the cut. If suddenly this effect is present, then the fruit lies on the counter for quite a long time and is stale;
- There should be no snow or ice powder on the cabbage.
Did you know? This cabbage product, besides other positive qualities, has another significant advantage - the vegetable perfectly helps people suffering from loss of taste or a frequent metallic taste in the mouth.
Finding out what Romanesko cabbage really is, how it is useful and how it can be cooked correctly, you can not only diversify the ordinary home menu, but also significantly enhance the immunity of all household members, and this, as you know, is one of the most important conditions for a full life .
