Romanesco artichokes have much thicker edible stalks and leaves than other varieties. The loosely packed heads, which are the size of cricket balls, are purplish green in colour. The inner chokes are small, and the leaves have rounded tips, without thorns.
When prised open, the leaves easily part like a flower to reveal the centre choke. This is the way this particular artichoke is prepared for the famous Roman dish, Carciofi alla Giudea, in which the artichokes are deep-fried and then flattened, resulting in crisp, creamy discs that are eaten whole.
The Romanesco’s large stems and yellowish inner leaves at the base are delicious eaten raw. They have a sweet nutty taste and only need lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.