Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Cauliflower Power

January 2014

Experts predicted that kale would be king in 2013, and sure enough, the leafy green vegetable’s popularity soared. But in 2014 kale may have to move over a bit and make room for its cousin, cauliflower.

Have you noticed more cauliflower side dishes at your local restaurant yet? Or tried cauliflower-crust pizza? It might not make it as chips into a child’s lunch box, as kale did, but you will probably be seeing dishes like whole roasted cauliflowers and cauliflower steaks, cauliflower risotto and roasted cauliflower florets on restaurant menus and finding more cauliflower recipes this year.

Of all the brassicas, which are various forms of cabbage, cauliflower is the mildest and probably the easiest to win people over. Even at first glance it’s beautiful to behold. There are several kinds, including purple, orange and green, and an heirloom variety called Romkanesco, which has light green, castle-like florets. But even the common variety is lovely-looking with its bumpy head of creamy-white curds nestled into bright, spring-like greenery. The head is white because while the plant grows the leaves cover the florets, shut out sunlight and prevent chlorophyll from developing.

Cauliflower is also versatile: you can cook it by practically every cooking method. It’s most likely that our moms and grandmothers steamed or boiled it and served it plain or smothered with some variety of cheese sauce. But there are more exciting ways to cook this vegetable. As Mark Twain once famously said: “cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Some folks think he meant this as a put-down, but if you read his entire statement,* you might agree that he actually regarded cauliflower, (which is more difficult to grow than an ordinary cabbage and takes more time, effort and knowledge), as a high value, more elegant food. From a home cook’s point of view, Twain’s remark might also mean that you can make more interesting and memorable dishes with cauliflower than with cabbage.

Raw cauliflower is crunchy; you see it on crudités platters, so you can also use it for slaw and slice it into salad. Steamed or poached cauliflower is perfect for soup, gratins and can even be mashed for a lower glycemic version of mashed “potatoes.” Be careful not to overcook cauliflower though. Like all cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables, it can smell foul after too much time over the heat. Add a small amount of lemon juice or milk to the poaching water to keep the head from discoloring.

Roasting intensifies cauliflower’s flavor and gives it a nutty, toasty quality. Cut the vegetable into individual florets or as thick slices and use them as a side dish or as part of a pasta dish or as a meat substitute in a sandwich (add more roasted vegetables and cheese).

You can also roast a whole cauliflower. This makes a festive presentation but is perfect for serving family style – cut slices at the table.

Not least of all, cauliflower is healthy: it’s low-fat and has loads of vitamin C. It’s also a good source of fiber, folic acid and vitamin B6.

When you buy cauliflower at the market, look for a firm, compact, uniformly colored head without brown spots. Keep the vegetable in breathable bags (the kind with holes) and if any brown spots appear, cut them away before cooking. A fresh cauliflower will last up to two weeks; cut up florets 7-10 days.

*“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”