cauliflower

[Ice Cream]

I would appreciate some simple recipes with cauliflower.  I typically steam it as florets, or else shred it, then sauté with onion and garlic, but DH thinks it's bland either way.

Quick and easy would be appreciated.

[cgraz]

ROAST IT!

(That is my answer to every vegetable question.  )

Seriously, toss the florets in a little olive oil...season with salt & pepper, maybe some garlic if you feel like fancying it up, and spread on a cookie sheet (lined w foil if you're like me and hate cleaning the pan), and roast in the oven until it's brown and delicious.

Yum.

Edited to add pic of desired brown-ness - doesn't that look delicious and not at all bland? 

[cgraz]

I also do a simple mashed cauliflower that is a big hit in this house and goes great with all kinds of hearty fall meals that will be coming up...stews and stuff, roasted chicken, etc.

I cut it into rough chunks, put in pot with a carton of chicken broth (not so much as to cover it all, just a couple of inches of liquid in the bottom of the pot), cover, and steam until tender. Stir it around a little now and then so the top pieces get down into the broth eventually. Drain whatever broth is left, and whiz up the softened cauliflower with a stick blender. Add butter, and any herbs or seasonings you like...I've seen recipes that call for rosemary but that's not my favorite, so I usually just throw in a little salt and pepper to keep it simple. It is a relatively mild flavor, so seasoning or using herbs will give it more punch if you feel it's too bland. Can't be shy if that's what you want.

Some people tout that as a substitute for mashed potatoes, which is kind of ok, but I think it stands up on its own and isn't all that potato-like. It does make a nice side for a meal where potatoes would also have been an option, like pot roast, or anything with gravy or a sauce.

[caribougrrl]

the other night we had some jerk sauce (essentially, I cooked a jerk marinade down until thickened) left over... I cut up a head of cauliflower, tossed it with the jerk sauce to coat, roasted at 400F for about an hour, turning the cauliflower every 20 minutes... holey shirt was it good.

[witchypoo]

I coat it with harissa prior to roasting.

[wherestheportojohn]

another vote for roasting

[Alf Tupper]

Cauliflower cheese. I love it, with carrots and sauteed or roasted spuds but meat eaters might accompany a roast meat or poultry with it.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/358608/cauliflower-cheese

1 large cauliflower (leaves cut off), broken into pieces
500ml milk
4 tbsp flour
50g butter
100g strong cheddar, grated
2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs, if you have them

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add the cauliflower and cook for 5 mins – lift out a piece to test, it should be cooked. Drain the cauliflower, then tip into an ovenproof dish.
Heat oven to 220C/200C/gas 7. Put the saucepan back on the heat and add the milk, flour and butter. Keep whisking fast as the butter melts and the mixture comes to the boil – the flour will disappear and the sauce will begin to thicken. Whisk for 2 mins while the sauce bubbles and becomes nice and thick. Turn off the heat, stir in most of the cheese and pour over the cauliflower. Scatter over the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2010

[monster2]

I love it roasted with parmesan, I also used sesame oil in place of my usual olive oil the other day and it was great. Roasted is the only way hubby will eat it.
Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[cgraz]

Ooh, I bet parmesan makes it good!

[merigayle]

yes, roasted is the best

I also like it mashed and add some millet, salt and sesame oil and bake into little patties.

[caribougrrl]

I also like it in soup.  I have one of those thousands of vegetarian recipes that don't make sense together except none of them have meat kind of cookbooks in which there's a recipe for indian-spice cauliflower soup, which is divine.

This one looks very similar, if not the same, as the one I make: http://www.rickiheller.com/2008/03/spiced-cauliflower-soup/

[moroccangirl]

Fried!! Mmmmm.  Well, you didn't say healthy!

[diablita]

Middle Eastern Style = fried with tahini sauce.  mmmmmmmmmmmmm  There's a recipe for this in "Jerusalem" that looks SO good but since there's a Lebanese food truck here that serves a great version I limit myself to eating that.


roasted is my favorite.  I roast cauliflower florets + sliced onions + chunks of garlic (mixed with some olive oil, salt, pepper and smoky paprika).  yum!

[Ice Cream]

Middle Eastern Style = fried with tahini sauce.  mmmmmmmmmmmmm  There's a recipe for this in "Jerusalem" that looks SO good but since there's a Lebanese food truck here that serves a great version I limit myself to eating that.


roasted is my favorite.  I roast cauliflower florets + sliced onions + chunks of garlic (mixed with some olive oil, salt, pepper and smoky paprika).  yum!

True, roasting is great.  I just don't know why I think the oven is such a pain and I avoid using it.  Heating it first, then putting the stuff in, and then checking if it's done enough...  It just seems like a lot of work, even though it really isn't. 

[cgraz]

I don't bother with heating it first for stuff like that. I'm not a big pre-heater, in general. I just put the stuff in and go. Best part about roasting is you don't have to check if it's done enough - if you forget about it for a while, it will be perfect! One of my friends did that with some carrots while we were on vacation last year - literally forgot about them in the oven. They were delicious! We call them "forgotten carrots" and we've all tried to replicate it at home, but none of us have the patience. It really only works if you forget about them!

[ihop]

I coat it with harissa prior to roasting.

I will have to try that.

I usually add curry when I am roasting. 

[triciaflower]

I made this cauliflower soup and it was AMAZING. Like most soups, it's way better the second and third day.

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/

[Run Amok]

I like to use cauliflower as a pasta substitute. I do 1 cup of pasta and then another cup or two of cauliflower, top with sauce & cheese. It's a very satisfying and healthy meal.

I also like to make cauli fried rice. I will warn you, it doesn't taste like rice. But, again, very healthy and hearty meal. I started with this one and then tweaked it to make it my own.

http://urbanposer.blogspot.com/2012/07/vietnamese-cauli-fried-rice-wnuoc-cham.html

[Natasha]

I made this cauliflower soup and it was AMAZING. Like most soups, it's way better the second and third day.

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/

Yum!!! I made this and it was delicious. The coconut milk makes it.

I like her blog, too.  Are you eating Paleo?

[triciaflower]

I am in the midst of a Whole30, which is a strict Paleo. After it's over, I will most likely try to keep to Paleo most of the time.