Cauliflower
History of Cauliflower, from Alan Davidson's The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food . It's a variety of cabbage in which the flowers have begun to form but have stopped growing at the bud stage. It is generally believed that it was the Arabs who introduced the cauliflower to Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Crème du Barry (Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Chives) fr. Gourmet Mag.
1 cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery root
½ cup diced fennel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets
6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup light cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Cook the onions, celery root, and fennel in the butter over medium-low heat in an uncovered large pot until just tender (about 10 minutes). Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the water, salt, pepper and thyme and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are very smooth (about 30 to 40 minutes). Using a food processor or blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return the puree to the pot, add the cream, and warm on medium until heated throughout. Adjust seasoning to taste. Pour the soup into a heated tureen and sprinkle chives over the top.
Simple Fried Rice With Cauliflower serves 2-3
1 sm head cauliflower, chopped in smallish dice
1 onion or 3 green onions, chopped
2 carrots, any color, scrubbed and grated
2 tablespoons oil, divided use
1-2 cups cooked cold rice, or freshly made with a little less water
to keep it firm
1 splash each of soy sauce and rice vinegar
several drops to taste of sesame and chile oil
chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional
Cook the cauliflower and onions in 1 T of the oil over high heat until the onion is wilted. (2-3 minutes?) Add the rice with the second T of oil, continue to cook over high heat, stirring the whole time, then add the grated carrots. Cook until everything looks cooked through and heated through, then add all the liquids, stir for another 30 seconds or so, remove from heat, add the cilantro if using, and eat. Possible additions: cashews, peanuts, chopped ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, etc. etc.
Claudia's Cheesy Cauliflower
- Steam a whole head of cauliflower until it is al dente.
- Transfer to a shallow dish or broiler-safe container.
- "Frost" the head of cauliflower with a Dijon-style mustard with herbs mixed in. (or a mustard of your choice)
- Use the mustard as "glue to adhere your choice of grated cheese.
- Put under broiler briefly until the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
