Eat Fresh - Cauliflower

Published February 21. 2007 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

Cauliflower is for some reason regarded as a boring vegetable. It’s white, not green, purple, orange or red. When cooked it is mushy and mild with not much going for it. The only ways we ever eat it is raw on a veggie platter or cooked with a little bit of salt and butter as a side dish.

Well, if you think cauliflower is nothing to get excited about, you need to try it again. Yes, it may be a bit bland with just a bit of salt, but add a touch of Parmesan cheese or lemon juice and suddenly it is a rich, delicious dish. Add a sauce with mustard, ginger or garlic and suddenly you have a vegetable that even the pickiest eater will love. And it doesn’t have to be boring white, either. Cauliflower also comes in purple, green and even pink.

Cauliflower is related to cabbage and has the same tangy crunch to it when eaten raw. It cooks to a mild flavor that takes just about any spice well. And best of all, it can be used as a low-carb alternative to potatoes in just about anything.

The part of the plant we eat looks similar to the florets on broccoli, but is in fact the tips of undeveloped shoots, called curds, surrounding a hard, woody core. You want to pick a head that is tightly packed with a nice even color. Avoid heads with soft spots or dark blotches. The leaves around the head should be firm and a fresh-looking pale green, not wilted or darkened. A fresh head will only last two or three days in the fridge, so don’t buy more than you can use in that time.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

You can au gratin just about anything, but cauliflower is one of my favorites. The taste is just a bit different from potatoes.

1 large head cauliflower, broken into curds
1/4 cup butter, divided
1/2 dup diced onion
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
In a saucepan, cook cauliflower in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain well. Combine cauliflower with 2 tablespoons butter, onion, cheese, sour cream and salt. Spoon into a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the cauliflower mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serves 10 to 12.

Fried Cauliflower

This is a great, tasty side dish or hors d’oeuvre.

2 eggs

1 head cauliflower, cored and separated to bite-size curds

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon cumin seed whole

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 cup peanut oil

salt & pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes; allow to drain. Combine eggs, milk, turmeric, salt & pepper. Place the cumin seeds in an ungreased skillet and toast over medium heat. Shake the skillet until the seeds turn a deep brown and begin to pop. Remove from heat. Add half of the seeds to the egg mixture. Reserve the rest. Heat the oil in a skillet, dip the cauliflower in the egg mixture, fry in several batches until browned on both sides. Sprinkle with the remaining cumin seed, salt and pepper.