Produce trio: cauliflower

[mrissa]

I love cauliflower. Love love love LOVE cauliflower. I particularly love the purple kind. Also the orange, but deep, royal purple cauliflower from the farmer’s market is one of the best treats in the history of treats. For being one of my favorite veg, however, cauliflower has an ugly temper. The revenge it seeks when you ignore it for too long is epic. I have very vivid memories of one New Year’s Eve at my grandparents’…anyway. Ways to make cauliflower so that you eat it right up and avoid that fate.

1. Brassica (and stuff) salad. This is how I eat cauliflower the most. In fact, this is how I eat cauliflower at least three times a week and often more like six. This is a little thing I like to call “lunch.” I combine cauliflower florets, broccoli florets, and some other sturdy salad veg: rounds of real carrot if I’ve got some, cherry tomatoes, chunks of sweet bell pepper. I douse the whole thing in Ranch, Caesar, blue cheese, or some other creamy dressing, and top liberally with roasted non-salted pistachios. OM AND ALSO NOM.

2. Lebanese roasted cauliflower. This recipe, to be exact. We had it at the very restaurant the person mentions in Vancouver, and it was amazing, and I have successfully recreated the amazing back home. You don’t have to spice it exactly the same way each time, but the lemon-cumin-sumac combo is really nice.

3. Listen to Deb. I like cauliflower gratin and cauliflower soup from Smitten Kitchen, although I use less onion in the soup (“Use Less Onion” would be my kitchen’s motto were it not for Mark, but it is for Mark, and therefore we have to stick with “Basil Is A Vegetable”). Also I use a lot more paprika. A lot. Actually the soup is also good if you throw in mushrooms with the paprika and make it the love child of SK Cauliflower Soup and Random Hungarian Mushroom Soup. That is a great goodness. If I wasn’t going to Montreal, I’d make some for myself this week. Mmmm, paprika. (Note: whenever I say paprika, I mean real Hungarian paprika, not the food coloring they sell as American paprika. Szeged is the brand I use. Szeged is the brand most paprika lovers I know use. Mmmm, Szeged. They did not pay me to do a commercial for them, but I totally would. “When I want to get away from my Scandinavian Blonde-And-Bland Roots, I use Szeged spices….”)

Comments

[sheff-dogs.livejournal.com]

Absolutely my favourite way of eating cauliflower, from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe.

Cauliflower and potato with fenugreek and fennel seeds.

For a 2lb head of cauliflower you need 3/4lb potato, {1/2tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 heaped tsp fennel seed, 1tsp cumin, 1 dried hot red pepper} measured into one small bowl, [3/4tsp ground tumeric, 1 heaped tsp ground corriander, salt, black pepper] measured into another small bowl, oil.

Peel potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice, pop into a bowl of cold water.
Separate cauliflower florets, then split down into tiny ones about 1/2" wide, pop into cold water. Cut the stem into thin wedges and add to water. leave for half an hour. If you grow your own you can miss out the soaking.

Drain cauli and potatoes thoroughly. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pan over a high heat until it is smoking, add the whole spices, stir once then quickly add cauliflower and potato, stir to mix then turn the heat to medium. Add the ground spices, salt and pepper then saute for about ten minutes. Add 2 fl oz water, cover and turn heat to very low, steaming the vegetables for about another ten minutes or until tender.

[brooksmoses]

That sounds tasty! And similar-but-different to a cauliflower-and-potato soup recipe from Julie Sahni's cookbook that we make quite often; the difference there is a bit of spice variation (lack of fennel and fenugreek, powdered cayenne in place of the red pepper, and rather more coriander and some powdered cumin), and the addition of a can of tomatoes, some frozen peas, and enough water to make soup.

Those are whole fenugreek, fennel, and cumin seeds, not powdered, yes?

[sheff-dogs.livejournal.com]

Yes, the first lot you put straight in the oil are all whole. Ground = powdered.

[athenais.livejournal.com]

I am on the fence about cauliflower. I don't dislike it, but I've never eaten it on purpose. If it shows up in things I am fine with that. The salad sounds nice (I love broccoli).

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

"Listen to Deb." Frequently. And not because she has the same first name as me.

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I really like roasted cauliflower but hadn't tried those spices (I generally use cumin and a little turmeric with garam masala and lemon juice when they come out of the oven). That recipe will be on my list as soon as I track down some sumac.

My mum used to have a recipe for a salad with raw cauliflower and carrot. I'd entirely forgotten until just now - I must ask her for the recipe.

Mmm, cauliflower soup. Anyone know if it freezes well?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I don't think it does freeze well because of the cheese. If I wanted to freeze it in small batches, I wouldn't put the cheese in at the initial making, but rather in the batches as I thawed them.

[mechaieh.livejournal.com]

I rode a bus past one of the Nubas a few hours ago. I plan to return to that corner if time permits. (In other words, thank you for the tip!)

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!

Rogers' Chocolates also has these little things that are just lovely, just lovely. They are called Dark Chocolate Empress Squares. Pretty much any of their Victoria Creams in dark chocolate are nice, but the Empress Squares are the thing. They're like if a Mars bar had class.

[mechaieh.livejournal.com]

Things worked out today for lunch in Gastown. Had the cauliflower pita and a lamb appetizer. Nom nom nom.

Also picked up two Empress Squares. I am saving mine for later, but Andrew just ate his. Exact quote: "Yeah, that's pretty fucking good." :-) Merci encore!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Yay Vancouver!

I really did like Vancouver.

[sheff-dogs.livejournal.com]

No more cauliflower love?

[rachelpage.livejournal.com]

Very tasty and comforting.