25 replies to this topic

[Megaroo]

To make a long story short, after a misunderstanding, my husband and I have ended up with 4 heads of cauliflower in the fridge. Any good recipes/ideas? Thanks!

[Jensen]

There's always roasted cauliflower or slkinsey's cauliflower soup.

My favourite use for cauliflower is a curried cauliflower and cheese soup.

Start by sweating some chopped onions in some oil. If you use powdered curry spices, add them now. The best soup I've made used the Lee Kum Kee curry paste though and that can be added later (you can find that at just about any grocery store and for sure at T & T).

Add the cauliflower chopped up and a whole bunch of chicken broth. Cook cook cook it. When the cauliflower is soft, get out your potato masher and smash it up. (I guess you could use an immersion blender too.) Now stir in the curry paste. Cook it a bit more because the curry paste needs to get hot to blend in better.

Once it's completely mixed in, add some milk if you're watching your fat intake and cream if you're not. I'm not sure how much...enough to make the soup a nice creamy colour, I guess. Don't let it boil after this point.

Then, add some grated white cheddar. Stir it until the cheese has melted and then serve.

[Sthitch]

Have you thought of roasting a head? What I do is preheat the oven to 400, rub the head with grape seed oil, season with salt and pepper. Put it into a dish with about an inch of water. Roasting time depends on the size of the head, but usually takes about 35 minutes. If done correctly the outside turns beautiful brown, that is actually sweet.

I also like to make a puree of cauliflower. It is similar to mashed potatoes, but a nice change. I break a part a head, put it in a pot with some chicken stock, and cook until quite tender. Then whipped it with my emulsion blender adding cream, or half and half and butter, along with salt and pepper. I have served this to people many times, and they are pleasantly surprised when they bite into it thinking it is mashed potatoes.

[Raquel]

I also like to make a puree of cauliflower.  It is similar to mashed potatoes, but a nice change.  I break a part a head, put it in a pot with some chicken stock, and cook until quite tender.  Then whipped it with my emulsion blender adding cream, or half and half and butter, along with salt and pepper.  I have served this to people many times, and they are pleasantly surprised when they bite into it thinking it is mashed potatoes.

Mashed cauliflower is one of my favorite foods. I'll have to try your method, Sthitch.
I usually steam my cauliflower till really soft. I then mash it with some butter, cream cheese or sour cream and some salt. It is a great substitute for mashed potatoes...

[Luckylies]

Have you thought of roasting a head?  What I do is preheat the oven to 400, rub the head with grape seed oil, season with salt and pepper.  Put it into a dish with about an inch of water.  Roasting time depends on the size of the head, but usually takes about 35 minutes.  If done correctly the outside turns beautiful brown, that is actually sweet.

I also like to make a puree of cauliflower.  It is similar to mashed potatoes, but a nice change.  I break a part a head, put it in a pot with some chicken stock, and cook until quite tender.  Then whipped it with my emulsion blender adding cream, or half and half and butter, along with salt and pepper.  I have served this to people many times, and they are pleasantly surprised when they bite into it thinking it is mashed potatoes.

yum
I make something similar too
simmer cauli with chicken stock s&p and a little red pepper sometimes. the butter, extra butter the tiny florets. yum.

[bloviatrix]

Several years ago, I cut out from the NY Times a recipe from Mark Bittman that we like a lot. It's a one pot meal that's very satisfying.

Curried Cauliflower and Chicken

2 tablespoon neutral oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
5 or 6 canned tomatoes - cut up, with juice
1/2 cup water
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Add onions and cook until they begin to turn brown. Add cumin and curry powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower and stir about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, their juice and the water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 minutes and add chicken, stir and re-cover pan. Cook until chicken is cooked through - about 6-8 minutes. (if it looks as if the liquid is evaporating, add more water). Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings.

[Sthitch]

I also like to make a puree of cauliflower.  It is similar to mashed potatoes, but a nice change.  I break a part a head, put it in a pot with some chicken stock, and cook until quite tender.  Then whipped it with my emulsion blender adding cream, or half and half and butter, along with salt and pepper.  I have served this to people many times, and they are pleasantly surprised when they bite into it thinking it is mashed potatoes.

Mashed cauliflower is one of my favorite foods. I'll have to try your method, Sthitch.
I usually steam my cauliflower till really soft. I then mash it with some butter, cream cheese or sour cream and some salt. It is a great substitute for mashed potatoes...

I will have to try some cream cheese or sour cream the next time, the tang should be great. I like to use the chicken stock to give it just a little more flavor.

[MsMelkor]

I just made a cauliflower gratin that uses the stem (trimmed, then minced in the food processor) and cream as the sauce.

[Chufi]

Jane Grigson's Cauliflower Polonaise:
Steamed or boiled cauliflower, not too soft. Lightly fried in butter and then arranged on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped hardboiled egg (2 eggs for 1 cauliflower), chopped parsley, and fresh breadcrumbs fried in a lot of butter. The breadcrumb mixture has to be sizzling hot when you pour it over the cauliflower.

[M. Lucia]

What about aloo ghobi (spiced Indian cauliflower and potatoes)?
I'll post my recipe when I get a chance.

[snowangel]

This beauty



arrived at my house today. It is locally grown, and the seller at the Falcon Heights branch of the St. Paul Farmer's market was offering samples, and my mom (the benefactor) reported that it is outstanding and very flavorful. It is so beautiful I almost wanted to apply a coat of poly to it and use it as a decoration.

What would you do with it? Roasting is out of the question, as by tomorrow morning, we will be in a heat wave (read, if I am forced to turn on the A/C, I'm not turning on the oven). No to soup. Do I just eat it raw? I envision something with a lot of crunch and some spice...

[JayBassin]

Cauliflower remoulade:
break raw cauliflower up into small pieces and mix in the following dressing:

1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C mayonnaise (not miracle whip)
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs finely chopped cornichon (or sour gherkins)
2 Tbs finely chopped capers
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, chives, etc)
2 Tbs chopped parsley
salt & pepper to taste

You can also use or mix julienned celery root

[Artichoke]

Peter Hertzmann's wonderful website dedicated to French food, a' la carte , has this piece on chou-fleur , which includes 20 French recipes spanning close to 350 years.

[mrbigjas]

over in the "inspired by studiokitchen" thread, percy did a cauliflower ice cream. i didn't have his, but i did have it at studiokitchen back in the day, and it's damn good.

[petite tête de chou]

This beauty



arrived at my house today.  It is locally grown, and the seller at the Falcon Heights branch of the St. Paul Farmer's market was offering samples, and my mom (the benefactor) reported that it is outstanding and very flavorful.  It is so beautiful I almost wanted to apply a coat of poly to it and use it as a decoration.

What would you do with it?  Roasting is out of the question, as by tomorrow morning, we will be in a heat wave (read, if I am forced to turn on the A/C, I'm not turning on the oven).  No to soup.  Do I just eat it raw?  I envision something with a lot of crunch and some spice...

Perhaps you could make a bagna cauda and add red pepper flakes to spice it up?

[Toliver]

What would you do with it?  Roasting is out of the question, as by tomorrow morning, we will be in a heat wave (read, if I am forced to turn on the A/C, I'm not turning on the oven).  No to soup.  Do I just eat it raw?  I envision something with a lot of crunch and some spice...

Slice it and grill it. Slathered with some olive oil and red pepper flakes or siracha.

[The Old Foodie]

Cauliflower is great in pickles - either the English mustardy-based "picallili" type or the Italian jardiniere style.

[Mistinguett]

A recipe for cauliflower salad that is great for summer.

Boil the cauliflower in salted water for 5 min., drain and cool. Meanwhile, make the dressing.

1 anchovy fillet, crushed or finely chopped
2 Tbls. capers, finely chopped
1 lg. garlic clove, well crushed with a bit of salt
1 1/2 Tbls. lemon juice
1/4 cup EVOO
pepper
chopped fresh parsley

Mix the anchovy, capers and garlic, whisk in the lemon juice, pepper, wisk in the EVOO in a thin stream. Pour over cauliflower, add parsley, mix and serve.

*once I upped the garlic and once I didn't measure the lemon juice and I have to note that the flavor balance is ruined. I've been following the recipe exactly since.

[Pan]

Did I miss it, or did anyone suggest gratin already?

Or, what about a cauliflower soufflee (with some good gruyere or some other good cheese, of course)?

Edited by Pan, 12 July 2006 - 10:38 PM.

[Franci]

Traditional recipe from my hometown, in Puglia, we call it "mugnl", pronunciation it's hard

Divide the califlower into florettes (I am not sure it the right english word ), bleanch in plenty of salted water and drain when still al dente.

Prepare a batter of eggs and flour and some salt, with the fork should make a ribbon (shouldn't be too runny), dip the califlower into the batter and deep fry.
Usually a combination of other dried vegetables is served

[FrogPrincesse]

I had a head of cauliflower in my CSA a couple of weeks ago so I decided to make a gratin (usually I just roast it in the oven with some herbes de Provence and olive oil).

Since the weather is warm, instead of a heavy cream-based gratin, the Gratinéed Cauliflower with Butter and Parmesan Cheese from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cuisine caught my eye. The cauliflower was boiled until tender, then roasted in the oven with salt, butter, and plenty of grated parmesan.




The next day, I made a cauliflower soup with the leftovers. On eatyourbooks.com I spotted Rockpool's recipe for a Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan. Since my cauliflower was already cooked, all I had to do was sauté some onion and garlic. Then I added the cauliflower and some water (I didn't have any stock). I simmered it for a while and blended using a stick blender. Then I added the cream and Dijon mustard. It would probably be best to mix the mustard with a small amount of soup before adding it in, because it did not incorporate fully. I did not add any parmesan as there was already plenty from the gratin.




It was a delicious soup.

[EnriqueB]

More ideas from Thomas Keller: cauliflower pannacotta (from The French Laundry) or cream with beet chips (from Ad Hoc at Home).

If you have a Thermomix, there's a fantastic and healthy way of preparing it I recently discovered on this spanish blog: cut into pieces, put into the tmx, blend to a kind of "cauliflower cous-cous", add extra virigin olive oil, and cook for 20 minutes, 100ºC, speed 2, with the measuring cup on. No liquids, it just cooks with its own vapour. At the end blend at maximum speed, you get a creamy wonderful puree. I use it here as the base for an ibérico pork tenderloin sous-vide.

[Crouton]

It's slightly on the fuss side but the results are well worth it

http://www.thedelici...uchon-cookbook/

[flourgirl]

Julia Child's Cauliflower Gratin is excellent. Most of it can be prepared and assembled ahead of time.

[Katie Meadow]

If I have no tomato sauce I prefer some type of cauliflower curry. If I have some tomato sauce available (and I like a simple Batali style vegetarian sauce) my favorite way to eat cauliflower is with a red-sauced pasta.

Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets. Sautee over moderate heat in butter or olive oil, adding salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes halfway through, and some minced garlic for the last few minutes until the cauliflower starts to turn golden but is still toothsome, not too soft. Remove from the heat. Have some spaghetti sauce heating on the stove. When the cauliflower is to your liking, rewarm it for a few minutes in the hot sauce and then top your favorite pasta, sprinkle on grated pecorino or whatever hard cheese you like. I used to garnish it with crispy carmelized onions, which is yummy, but this is what I usually consider a pretty lazy meal, so often I don't bother with that. Excellent dish if you have vegans or anti-cholesterol people to feed, since cheese is on the side, or if you just don't want anything rich. And if I am really lazy I don't even make a salad, although something green along with makes a perfect meal.

[merstar]

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH CORIANDER CHUTNEY
http://livingintheki...-coriander.html