spring, fall
Like its cousin broccoli, cauliflower should be stored in the refrigerator and only washed when you’re ready to use. Cauliflower shows its age by starting to grow little black spots (mold?) which are very unappealing. So don’t let it get there. Cauliflower is a treat, not something we get three of for weeks and weeks at a time so use it up right now.
(2023) Cauliflower Couscous Salad with Almonds, Herbs, and Cherries
This recipe for Cauliflower Couscous Salad is from Alexandracooks.com. I don’t know who first realized that cauliflower could be chopped up like rice or like couscous, but they were brilliant. Alexandra Stoddard took inspiration for this recipe from “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden. Love this salad and … no cooking (except toasting the almonds, which you could skip)!
(2022) Cauliflower, Pumpkin Seeds, Breadcrumbs
And finally, a cauliflower! This is a recipe I’ve been wanting to try, from “Greenfeast: Spring, Summer” by Nigel Slater.
(2021) Cauliflower Fried Rice
I’m glad one more head of cauliflower showed up because I realize I wanted to do something with cauliflower rice. This is a recipe from Martha Stewart. I’m making this one because we have those sugar snap peas in our box today. At least, I think they’re sugar snap peas. They were definitely sweet – the peas were delicious – but the pods of the few I nibbled on were a little tough, so not quite “eat out of hand” but cut into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal, they’ll be perfect in this dish in place of the frozen peas. And use some green onion instead of a yellow onion. (I’ve also been known to cut the cauliflower into rough florets and throw it in the food processor and pulse quickly to make tiny pieces when I just wasn’t in the mood to slice, slice, slice.)
(2021) Cauliflower Steaks with Beer-Raisin Glaze
In “The Outdoor Kitchen,” Eric Werner says it’s one of the best vegetables to grill because it holds up well to high heat and tastes even better when deeply browned or charred.
(2021) Grilled Whole Cauliflower with Miso Mayo
Last week I wrote about grilled cauliflower with a beer-raisin sauce. This week I’m back with another grilled cauliflower idea – but this one has a miso-mayo sauce – down at the bottom of this message. It’s from Epicurious and I’m looking forward to it for Memorial Day weekend. Or you could just roast your cauliflower. These heads have been so sweet they would be delicious prepared as simply as possible.
(2020) Aluma Farm’s Veggie Pickles
Love that the Aluma Farm recipe helps you understand how much brine to make, depending on how many pickles you’re putting up. Really helpful for those of us pickling on the fly.
(2020) Cauliflower Couscous with Spiced Butter
From “David Tanis Market Cooking.” His directions call for you to reserve stems, etc. for another use – but I throw them in the food processor and chop them finely, then include.
(2020) Alu Gobhi
My other cauliflower go-to recipe is from Chef Archna Malhotra Becker of Bhojanic. Have you checked out their touchless takeout heat & serve meals? We loved the Memorial Day picnic meal we ordered last week. Great value, too. Having a tandoori chicken around seems like a good idea these days.
Do you have a bullet-style coffee grinder dedicated to spices? Chef Archna advocates grinding whole spices for the best flavor. I’ve made this without the chili pepper and still love it. Can’t make do without the cilantro, though.
(2020) Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
Cannot get enough of this roasted cauliflower steaks recipe from Jessica Gavin’s blog at https://www.jessicagavin.com/roasted-cauliflower-steaks/. So easy. So good.
(2017) Deviled Cauliflower Casserole
But maybe you’re in the mood for something more tradition. How about this casserole from chow.com? It’ll give you practice in making a classic white sauce – a good skill to refresh before Thanksgiving arrives.
(2017) Quick Pickled Vegetables
From alexandracooks.com. She suggests using these as a pizza topping. You can try it with the peppers and even the green tomatoes from today’s box.
(2017) Curried Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Tofu
Maybe you’re ricing cauliflower these days and have 101 ways to use it up. But maybe you’d like one more idea like this one adapted from “Canal House Cooking Volume No. 5” by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton. It looks formidable because of its long ingredient list but like so much Indian cooking, half the list is just the seasonings. Are you saving the liquid from your chickpeas to use as a vegan egg substitute?
Brown Butter Cauliflower with Apple
And finally, a recipe for that sweet little cauliflower.
Cauliflower “Shrimp” Cocktail
Maybe you just want to enjoy that gorgeous head of cauliflower steamed or raw. Or maybe you need to disguise it to make it more palatable for your household. I’m a big fan of cauliflower, but I love this idea of transforming it into a fun nibble. The recipe is from Kevin Roberts, a chef in Richmond.
Cauliflower Soup with Chive Oil and Rye Crostini
It’s going to turn cold soon – how about a cauliflower soup? (Don’t forget – the leaves from your broccoli and cauliflower are all friendly members of the cabbage family. Don’t discard them! They’re just begging to be eaten. )
Just last month Bon Appetit offered this recipe for cauliflower soup with rye crostini. I’ve been on a rye-bread-baking binge, so this one appeals to me a lot right now. And what an elegant start for Thanksgiving dinner it would be. Everything can be done ahead of time and then heated and assembled when ready to serve.
I checked online and Bon Appetit’s first mention of chive oil was in 1998. Still a delicious idea.
Creamed Cauliflower and Leeks
This recipe is from Lisa Hanson of Cabbagetown Market. Easy, easy. Oh – I wanted to share this wonderful way to turn your head of cauliflower into florets. It came from King Arthur Flour. Cut the head in half, and then cut away the core like you would a cabbage. The florets, for the most part, just fall off! It was a tip they shared from one of their editors who spent years in restaurant kitchens. Love it!
If you don’t have leeks at home, you really could use any member of the onion family you prefer. I wouldn’t discard the leftover milk as Lisa suggests – it could be used to flavor mashed rutabagas or turnips or become the base for a potato soup.
Broccoli or Cauliflower “Risotto”
This recipe came from the chefs at JCT Kitchen and was a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. I made an easy knock-off one night – cooking a whole head of cauliflower until it broke down, then adding 4 cups of cooked brown rice (which I had languishing in the refrigerator), some wine, chicken stock and garlic, and then folding in Parmesan after everything was warmed up. Easy and delicious. Their version will take a little more time, but the risotto effect is worth the trouble. If you’re not familiar with Carolina gold rice, it’s grown in South Carolina and available at specialty markets. Arborio or other risotto rice will work fine.
Pasta with Cauliflower and Collards
An idea from the folks at Everyday Food.