basics365: Cauliflower

January 26, 20142 Comments

We keep seeing cauliflower recipes popping up everywhere.  It could be because this often-overlooked, yet nutrient-packed vegetable is now on many lists of food trends for 2014; it could also be because there are so many delicious ways to cook it, and more people are discovering that.

We love cauliflower (and, fortunately, so do our families), so we have been even more inspired lately to try new recipes and flavor combinations.  A lot of people skip over cauliflower because of not-so-fond memories from childhood.  Perhaps you’ve only had cauliflower steamed into submission or smothered in a cheese sauce.  Or maybe you just cook it the same way over and over.  We want to convince you to give cauliflower a spot in your meal planning.  If you already like cauliflower as much as we do, we have some delicious ideas of how this seemingly bland veggie can carry lots of flavor, especially during the winter when there aren’t as many choices for seasonal produce.

Buying, Prepping, and Storing

• Avoid cauliflower heads that have any brown spots.  The leaves should still be tucked closely to the cauliflower as well.
• Cauliflower can be cooked whole or cut down into smaller florets, much like broccoli.  Cut away the leaves and the bottom.  If cutting up, begin by cutting pieces around the core, and cut further if you need smaller pieces.  If there are just a few brown spots, you can cut those away.
• Store the cauliflower in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag for about a week.

General Cauliflower Cooking Tips

• Cauliflower is great raw, roasted, braised, or steamed.  A few recipes may call for boiling the cauliflower (like those for “mashed” cauliflower).  In general, though, we avoid boiling since the cauliflower easily becomes mushy and water logged.
• The subtlety of flavor works to your advantage if you want to add roasted or steamed cauliflower florets to dishes like spaghetti sauce, pizzas, omelets, or even macaroni and cheese!
• Cauliflower can almost always be used in any recipe that calls for broccoli.

Roasted Cauliflower Variations
Our favorite way to prepare cauliflower is to roast it, as we do with lots of other vegetables.  It is great roasted with just olive oil, salt, and pepper, but here are some delicious ways to add even more flavor. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower with Mustard-Lemon Butter from Epicurious

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Cut cauliflower in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in single layer on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with salt. Roast until cauliflower is slightly softened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in lemon juice, mustard, and lemon peel.

Spoon mustard-lemon butter evenly over cauliflower, and roast until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer cauliflower to platter. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower from Bon Appétit

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Toss the cauliflower florets with the onion, thyme, garlic cloves, and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast until almost tender, about 35-40 minutes, turning occasionally.  Sprinkle with Parmesan, toss to combine, and roast about 10-12 minutes longer.

Roasted Nutmeg Cauliflower from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

• 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Place the cauliflower in a 9×13-inch baking dish, toss with the oil, and sprinkle with the nutmeg and salt.  Cover the dish, and roast for 30 minutes.  Remove the cover, stir, and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and nicely browned, stirring occasionally.